So the landlord changed out the heating system this summer to be more efficient and save him money. (Rent includes utilities - while at the same time he's raising our rent.) What I'm seeing is a unit that is running almost constantly in our low 20 degree F temps to try to heat the unit. My guess is his $ saving plan is not going to work out as he assumed it would.
The most efficient (and expensive) systems can modulate output linearly between 40 and 100 percent output, running full time. The cheapest systems only run 100 or zero percent. In between are 2-stage systems systems that can do 60 and 100 percent. I have such a system. It runs at 60 percent constantly at 68 inside, 8 outside. Lower than that and 100 percent occasionally kicks in. The way the heatflow math works, we'll still be toasty warm at 30 below, but 10 below is as far as it's gone since we've lived here.
It's probably a heat pump. They're efficient down to like 15° these days, separating the warm molecules from the outdoor air and moving that warmth inside the building. They're super efficient, but the bigassed fan never quits blowing.
The company that makes huge industrial ventilation fans that are considered among the best (and priciest), really is named "Big Ass Fan Co." I've seen them in aircraft maintenance hangars, warehouses, manufacturing facilities, etc.
I ask because I've changed out heating systems in houses I've lived in. Always gas, forced-air. I've found the furnace blower fan to be the biggest energy hog in the house. The newer furnaces use a lot less gas, being far more efficient. The fans are far more efficient now than they used to be also. But when it's colder than one is used to, they do still run all the time, and the cost savings are not what one might hope; though the costs may still be lower than they had been. Modern "multi-stage" blower fans will run a lot, but using less power, and may net out to be more efficient.
'Tis indeed a conundrum. I'm just thankful I live in a place where air conditioning is (still, for now, at least) optional. Heat though, is not.
Was running an old-fashioned 30 year old heating fuel boiler. Now running a newer designed unit. Still fuel-oil. I'm in an apartment above a boat barn, where the heating unit is located. Landlord is also not getting that residual heat in there from the old unit now, so I'm guessing that is part of the problem for the upstairs apts as well.
"Crip Dyke" is right. If he undersized it to save money, that was dumb and it's having to overwork. But it might still be more efficient over the long haul. Some of the new stuff seems to just like to be busy all the time, micromanaging.
Oh, my. Way out of my league (Minneapolis). And that would explain why fuel oil. Big tank, filled only once in a while.
Insulation is a big part of the equation, also. The houses I've lived in were built in the 1920s. Virtually no insulation. Which meant they also didn't plan on much ventilation, because they knew it would all just leak out. Big coal-fired "octopus" gravity furnaces were the original equipment. The incredible inefficiency was kind of part of the plan.
When I had them retrofitted with insulation, fortunately the insulation contractor knew what they were about, and made darn sure to massively upgrade the ventilation so we wouldn't die of carbon monoxide poisoning if something went crosswise, etc. Or grow black mold, or other nasty unforeseen (by me) complications.
Sometimes I think people just weren't supposed to live north of the 45th parallel, in most parts of the world.
One of the reasons I took this apartment is because it is well heated and NO BLACK MOLD - which is an ever present problem in the temperate rainforest of southcentral Alaska.
If it's a heat pump, he'll probably still save money. The problem is likely that he undersized it rather than that it's not efficient (given that he explicitly said that efficiency was a goal).
If it's not a heat pump, then he's clueless and he's probably going to pay through the nose ... and then charge you triple what he lost.
Ugh, I made a huge mistake and got rid of my "big" clothes last year, and now I've gained weight back and nothing fits me and I don't want to leave the house.
I have barely enough clothes to mix and match so I don't seem to be wearing exactly the same thing all the time, but what I've been forced to buy because FAT AF is extremely limited and I am not gonna buy a whole wardrobe for *gestures at self* alllll of this.
Hey, don't leave us guys out of this. I lost 50 pounds over COVID. I've gained about half of it back over the past year of too much living in hotels on the road, and then over-fatigued self-indulgence over the holidays. Sugar is my enemy. And, sadly, alcohol is sugar, for all practical purposes.
Glad I didn't dump all the "big" clothes. Planning (OK, hoping) to not need them by the summer. Not giving them away, though.
Do you have something that's not quite as effective and dramatic as Covid that would cause me to lose just about 22-25 lbs? I don't have to go first class and get Covid..... just some sort of illness that makes me not want to go into the kitchen for a week or two. Oh yeah - we have tickets on a transatlantic cruise in April, so could you hurry it up?
I didn't lose the weight due to COVID; I expressed myself inelegantly. It was almost the opposite, really; trying to avoid COVID.
It was when COVID vaccines first came available. I'd known, of course, that I was broadening in the beam for years. But then I got an email from my healthcare provider saying, "It's Your Turn!" for COVID vaxes. I thought, "I know people my age aren't eligible yet, unless they have a pre-existing medical condition. And I sure don't have one of those!"
Except my BMI had crossed north of 30. Clinical obesity. So I took advantage of that and got vaxxed. And stopped eating sugar, or breakfast, or lunch. Lost 50 in a little less than a year.
It was easier when I wasn't traveling. It's darn hard to find food on the road that isn't basically fat, sugar, and salt. Plus when I'm on the road I'm working a lot, not getting enough rest; and I need (and crave) crude fuel.
Now I have to figure out how to do it the right way. The impact on my various vitals, and general sense of well-being, was dramatic and remarkable. I like that feeling. I want more. I'll misplace the weight again. And probably find it next holiday season. Now I know how it works, it's not so daunting.
Congratulations. I started making cole slaw with Splenda and lime juice and no salt. If I eat it every day for lunch, it makes a big difference. Just gotta get back in the habit after spending 3 weeks mostly indoors.
Ugh. That sounds like your punishing yourself. I got an app call MyFitnessPal and just started tracking what I eat. Knowing what I was eating, eliminating some snacks, choosing some healthier options and smaller portions was enough to shed 50 pounds in 6 months for me. I can't say it will work for everyone.
One of my favorite movies ever -- thank you for reminding me of it!
ZigggyW did you get it? I may have sent it to you but also you can see it at gingerwentworths theory corner! I'm so technologically advanced!
ZigggyW did you get it? I may have sent it to you but also you can see it at gingerwentworths theory corner! I'm so technologically advanced!
Well, it's time for the Lions against the Bucs......
Otto has a blue stick!:
https://iheartdogs.com/otto-laura/?utm_source=IHD-Email-Newsletter-012124&utm_medium=0000&utm_campaign=IHD-Email-Newsletter-012124
Well, looky here, a cop who helped a good boy:
https://iheartdogs.com/police-office-responds-pit-bull/?utm_source=IHD-Email-Newsletter-012124&utm_medium=0000&utm_campaign=IHD-Email-Newsletter-012124
Photos: Hoe the Deep Freeze Looked Across America:
https://apnews.com/article/united-states-winter-weather-photo-gallery-cfcf2bc41af9e55fc5ea75baf5269a5b?user_email=c3ec34cbf101b52a24ede36c92cb6fe5b120e757b69d91c344e8f7102eab5d78&utm_medium=Photo_Gallery&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_campaign=Worldinpictures_Jan21_2024&utm_term=Photo%20Gallery
AP Week in Pictures Global:
https://apnews.com/article/global-photos-this-week-88fb5b7274cb3b2b7bbb4b2fd1e4e6d3?user_email=c3ec34cbf101b52a24ede36c92cb6fe5b120e757b69d91c344e8f7102eab5d78&utm_medium=Photo_Gallery&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_campaign=Worldinpictures_Jan21_2024&utm_term=Photo%20Gallery
Frozen on Lake Michigan:
https://weather.com/storms/winter/video/drone-captures-fierce-winds-ice-on-lake-michigan-shore
Nebraska woman invites her horses to stay in her dining room during winter storm:
https://weather.com/storms/winter/video/nebraska-woman-invites-cold-horses-into-her-house
Warning: Dopamine boost:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYxpLIByB30
So the landlord changed out the heating system this summer to be more efficient and save him money. (Rent includes utilities - while at the same time he's raising our rent.) What I'm seeing is a unit that is running almost constantly in our low 20 degree F temps to try to heat the unit. My guess is his $ saving plan is not going to work out as he assumed it would.
A right-sized system that runs nearly constantly can be significantly more efficient than a larger system that runs less frequently.
Good to know. So maybe it is running the way it is supposed to...
The most efficient (and expensive) systems can modulate output linearly between 40 and 100 percent output, running full time. The cheapest systems only run 100 or zero percent. In between are 2-stage systems systems that can do 60 and 100 percent. I have such a system. It runs at 60 percent constantly at 68 inside, 8 outside. Lower than that and 100 percent occasionally kicks in. The way the heatflow math works, we'll still be toasty warm at 30 below, but 10 below is as far as it's gone since we've lived here.
It's probably a heat pump. They're efficient down to like 15° these days, separating the warm molecules from the outdoor air and moving that warmth inside the building. They're super efficient, but the bigassed fan never quits blowing.
That's not exactly how they work, but they do tend to be quite efficient when the temperature
difference they're working against is small.
No Maxwell's Demon?
Nope! Only his silver hammer.
The company that makes huge industrial ventilation fans that are considered among the best (and priciest), really is named "Big Ass Fan Co." I've seen them in aircraft maintenance hangars, warehouses, manufacturing facilities, etc.
It's a nearly perfect brand name.
Our Costco has three of them. They keep the air moving above the registers.
Changing out the heat equipment without improving the insulation is pretty much throwing money into the wind.
What kind was it before, and what is it now?
I ask because I've changed out heating systems in houses I've lived in. Always gas, forced-air. I've found the furnace blower fan to be the biggest energy hog in the house. The newer furnaces use a lot less gas, being far more efficient. The fans are far more efficient now than they used to be also. But when it's colder than one is used to, they do still run all the time, and the cost savings are not what one might hope; though the costs may still be lower than they had been. Modern "multi-stage" blower fans will run a lot, but using less power, and may net out to be more efficient.
'Tis indeed a conundrum. I'm just thankful I live in a place where air conditioning is (still, for now, at least) optional. Heat though, is not.
Was running an old-fashioned 30 year old heating fuel boiler. Now running a newer designed unit. Still fuel-oil. I'm in an apartment above a boat barn, where the heating unit is located. Landlord is also not getting that residual heat in there from the old unit now, so I'm guessing that is part of the problem for the upstairs apts as well.
Interesting. Northeastern US?
"Crip Dyke" is right. If he undersized it to save money, that was dumb and it's having to overwork. But it might still be more efficient over the long haul. Some of the new stuff seems to just like to be busy all the time, micromanaging.
Alaska
Oh, my. Way out of my league (Minneapolis). And that would explain why fuel oil. Big tank, filled only once in a while.
Insulation is a big part of the equation, also. The houses I've lived in were built in the 1920s. Virtually no insulation. Which meant they also didn't plan on much ventilation, because they knew it would all just leak out. Big coal-fired "octopus" gravity furnaces were the original equipment. The incredible inefficiency was kind of part of the plan.
When I had them retrofitted with insulation, fortunately the insulation contractor knew what they were about, and made darn sure to massively upgrade the ventilation so we wouldn't die of carbon monoxide poisoning if something went crosswise, etc. Or grow black mold, or other nasty unforeseen (by me) complications.
Sometimes I think people just weren't supposed to live north of the 45th parallel, in most parts of the world.
One of the reasons I took this apartment is because it is well heated and NO BLACK MOLD - which is an ever present problem in the temperate rainforest of southcentral Alaska.
If it's a heat pump, he'll probably still save money. The problem is likely that he undersized it rather than that it's not efficient (given that he explicitly said that efficiency was a goal).
If it's not a heat pump, then he's clueless and he's probably going to pay through the nose ... and then charge you triple what he lost.
Ugh, I made a huge mistake and got rid of my "big" clothes last year, and now I've gained weight back and nothing fits me and I don't want to leave the house.
I lost 50 pounds last year and all my clothes are too big and I'm freezing all the time. I guess that fat was good for something?
I am giving myself until March 30 to lose a significant amount of weight before I resign myself to my fat pants.
I'm with you! Let's dooooo it!
I feel your predicament deeply, yet somehow I've still got those size 4 jeans in the drawer, just in case I get a time machine I guess.
I've got some size 5 Express jeans from the '80s that I SWEAR I will get into again.
I have barely enough clothes to mix and match so I don't seem to be wearing exactly the same thing all the time, but what I've been forced to buy because FAT AF is extremely limited and I am not gonna buy a whole wardrobe for *gestures at self* alllll of this.
I hear ya. I'm sick of my clothes and need a Savers run.
#WhyWomanKeepClosetsFilledWithClothesin4Sizes
Hey, don't leave us guys out of this. I lost 50 pounds over COVID. I've gained about half of it back over the past year of too much living in hotels on the road, and then over-fatigued self-indulgence over the holidays. Sugar is my enemy. And, sadly, alcohol is sugar, for all practical purposes.
Glad I didn't dump all the "big" clothes. Planning (OK, hoping) to not need them by the summer. Not giving them away, though.
Do you have something that's not quite as effective and dramatic as Covid that would cause me to lose just about 22-25 lbs? I don't have to go first class and get Covid..... just some sort of illness that makes me not want to go into the kitchen for a week or two. Oh yeah - we have tickets on a transatlantic cruise in April, so could you hurry it up?
Sure, I'll get right on it.
I didn't lose the weight due to COVID; I expressed myself inelegantly. It was almost the opposite, really; trying to avoid COVID.
It was when COVID vaccines first came available. I'd known, of course, that I was broadening in the beam for years. But then I got an email from my healthcare provider saying, "It's Your Turn!" for COVID vaxes. I thought, "I know people my age aren't eligible yet, unless they have a pre-existing medical condition. And I sure don't have one of those!"
Except my BMI had crossed north of 30. Clinical obesity. So I took advantage of that and got vaxxed. And stopped eating sugar, or breakfast, or lunch. Lost 50 in a little less than a year.
It was easier when I wasn't traveling. It's darn hard to find food on the road that isn't basically fat, sugar, and salt. Plus when I'm on the road I'm working a lot, not getting enough rest; and I need (and crave) crude fuel.
Now I have to figure out how to do it the right way. The impact on my various vitals, and general sense of well-being, was dramatic and remarkable. I like that feeling. I want more. I'll misplace the weight again. And probably find it next holiday season. Now I know how it works, it's not so daunting.
Congratulations. I started making cole slaw with Splenda and lime juice and no salt. If I eat it every day for lunch, it makes a big difference. Just gotta get back in the habit after spending 3 weeks mostly indoors.
Ugh. That sounds like your punishing yourself. I got an app call MyFitnessPal and just started tracking what I eat. Knowing what I was eating, eliminating some snacks, choosing some healthier options and smaller portions was enough to shed 50 pounds in 6 months for me. I can't say it will work for everyone.
"Nope, I'm never gaining that weight back again, I swear!" O.o
Bloodlust!
Oh, Lord! I've never seen it, but I've heard of it. Most Dangerous Game with Mike Brady!
"Let's go tip some cattle!"
"If cows were paid a living wage, they wouldn't need tipping!"
I tried tipping the waitress, but i couldn't sneak up on her.
"Dad be up on Ali Baba, ordering tractor parts and shit. Talking to people in China."
Words that just came out of my mouth.
Sounds like the start of a song or something.
Or an espionage investigation
I ordered an LED light bulb that way once. (Didn't last.)
I have heard good things.
Me too. For the cost of one hat, you can order a dozen hats. It's legitimate.
I have had "Handlebars" by Flobots stuck in my head lately.
"I can hand out a million vaccinations
Or let 'em all die of exasperation
Have 'em all healed of their lacerations
Have 'em all killed by assassination
I can make anybody go to prison
Just because I don't like 'em
And I can do anything with no permission
I have it all under my command because
I can guide a missile by satellite
By satellite
By satellite
And I can hit a target through a telescope
Through a telescope
Through a telescope"
https://youtu.be/HLUX0y4EptA?si=pMSAKdFLbBI6dPI5
My kid’s band opened for them once. Nice people. It was right when they blew up, too.