Montfrooij Posted at 6-26 04:36
And an AC is not budgeted for.
Not yet. That will take a long time probably.
And because it's only for a couple of weeks per year and a huge amount of work, we have decided not to do that now.

Fans are a good alternative.  The faster moving air from the fan displaces the warmer air that is in direct contact with our skin. This enhances the rate of convective heat transfer, which means we feel cooler. Moisture in the form of sweat on our skin also evaporates more quickly in the presence of fast moving air.  

Fans are much cheaper to operate than ACs also.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 6-26 05:03
Fans are a good alternative.  The faster moving air from the fan displaces the warmer air that is in direct contact with our skin. This enhances the rate of convective heat transfer, which means we feel cooler. Moisture in the form of sweat on our skin also evaporates more quickly in the presence of fast moving air.  

Fans are much cheaper to operate than ACs also.

Yeah, very true.
I would combine them with solar panels for sure.
We have fans btw.

Montfrooij Posted at 6-26 05:22
Yeah, very true.
I would combine them with solar panels for sure.
We have fans btw.

Using solar panels would be a great use for the fans.  Solar panels were going on roofs around here like butter on pancakes.  It has slowed down a bit since the price has gone up and the fact that it increases a home owner's insurance policy.  I have one panel on my boat for emergency use and two on my combined garage/storage room.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 6-26 05:26
Using solar panels would be a great use for the fans.  Solar panels were going on roofs around here like butter on pancakes.  It has slowed down a bit since the price has gone up and the fact that it increases a home owner's insurance policy.  I have one panel on my boat for emergency use and two on my combined garage/storage room.

Well, they have invented something here called 'cost of delivery', so you pay the energy companies a certain amount because you deliver power to their grid.
This is because we have a leveling method in place where you can 'sell' them your surplus at the same rates as you buy from them.
But the energy is usually much more expensive in winter times (when your panels don't produce), or even at night, so because of that method, they (energy companies) have to compensate for that and are now asking money for 'us' to put our surplus on their grid.
So I hope they stop that method of leveling asap, but (as usual) there are a lot of people that benefit from this and that makes it hard to get rid of that measure again.

Montfrooij Posted at 6-26 05:34
Well, they have invented something here called 'cost of delivery', so you pay the energy companies a certain amount because you deliver power to their grid.
This is because we have a leveling method in place where you can 'sell' them your surplus at the same rates as you buy from them.
But the energy is usually much more expensive in winter times (when your panels don't produce), or even at night, so because of that method, they (energy companies) have to compensate for that and are now asking money for 'us' to put our surplus on their grid.

Solar users here can sell back surplus but at a reduced rate from what they buy.  The biggest negative is the large increase in home owner's insurance.  They say the solar panels add a lot of weight to the roof which causes the roofs to last for a little shorter period of time and the other issue is the hurricanes that come through Florida and the cost to not only replace a house's roof but also all those solar panels.  Additionally, when those solar panels come loose during severe winds they fly into other houses creating large liabilities and insurance claims.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 6-26 05:55
Solar users here can sell back surplus but at a reduced rate from what they buy.  The biggest negative is the large increase in home owner's insurance.  They say the solar panels add a lot of weight to the roof which causes the roofs to last for a little shorter period of time and the other issue is the hurricanes that come through Florida and the cost to not only replace a house's roof but also all those solar panels.  Additionally, when those solar panels come loose during severe winds they fly into other houses creating large liabilities and insurance claims.

They should have the same methode here. Just buy from the energy companies and sell back at a 'current rate'. (depending on your contract of course).
It's a mixed thing when you think of it. I can get a contract where I get the same price for the whole year, but they can't do that with the energy surplus I'm selling back.
But that contract is only for the agreed amount of energy, so yeah, best would be to use variable rates only. That way, they would not have to charge the extra costs.

Montfrooij Posted at 6-26 05:58
They should have the same methode here. Just buy from the energy companies and sell back at a 'current rate'. (depending on your contract of course).
It's a mixed thing when you think of it. I can get a contract where I get the same price for the whole year, but they can't do that with the energy surplus I'm selling back.
But that contract is only for the agreed amount of energy, so yeah, best would be to use variable rates only. That way, they would not have to charge the extra costs.

It would be nice if they had the same rate for buying or selling back power but the way it is now the power companies make out as they pay less for unused solar power coming in from your house.  

DowntownRDB Posted at 6-27 01:52
It would be nice if they had the same rate for buying or selling back power but the way it is now the power companies make out as they pay less for unused solar power coming in from your house.

Yeah, and the thing is, usually they have to get rid of it right away (you can't store it and every solar panel is producing big time at that moment). So they sometimes even have to pay to other countries so they can dump the el there.
Here Switserland is a big consumer of that energy, they use it to pump water up the reservoirs and at night, they use that same water to generate (and sell) energy.

I was hoping the renovation would include a automated door and extendable launch pad for the drone!  : )

TonyPHX Posted at 7-12 04:50
I was hoping the renovation would include a automated door and extendable launch pad for the drone!  : )

Hahahahahahahahahaha.
That did not make it after my wife took notice of the plans.