Submitted by George Muller on Wed, 04/22/2009 - 14:02.
I bought a house that dates from 1870. Since owning it I have put in double paned windows, a solar collector system to offset the cost of hot water and in it's expansion, by adding two evacuated tube panels, to help offset the cost of heating my house.A high efficiency Heating System.I have blown in cellulose in the attic (immediate cost savings 30%) and foamed the baseboard in the basement including blown in insulation. Since I have Aluminum Siding no one will blow in cellulose into my walls. My cost of heating my house in 2004-05 winter was $1800 at a gallon cost of 41.78. this winter the cost was $1300 at a gallon cost of $3.16. I heat with propane. I use my enclosed front porch as a source of heat in the Fall and Spring, it really gets hot, and use a Fan to circulate the hot air.
I have planted over 30 trees and bushes on my half acre lot. I also have a garden for vegetables in summer.
Most of my bulbs are cfl's and my car is a Prius, (yearly average: summer winter is 49mpg)
If Photovoltaic were not so expensive I would have that installed too,I do get my electricity from Interfaith and have opted for the wind power generation, cost .13 cents Kw. If I had more money and more time to wait for payback I would do more.
I bought a house that dates
I bought a house that dates from 1870. Since owning it I have put in double paned windows, a solar collector system to offset the cost of hot water and in it's expansion, by adding two evacuated tube panels, to help offset the cost of heating my house.A high efficiency Heating System.I have blown in cellulose in the attic (immediate cost savings 30%) and foamed the baseboard in the basement including blown in insulation. Since I have Aluminum Siding no one will blow in cellulose into my walls. My cost of heating my house in 2004-05 winter was $1800 at a gallon cost of 41.78. this winter the cost was $1300 at a gallon cost of $3.16. I heat with propane. I use my enclosed front porch as a source of heat in the Fall and Spring, it really gets hot, and use a Fan to circulate the hot air.
I have planted over 30 trees and bushes on my half acre lot. I also have a garden for vegetables in summer.
Most of my bulbs are cfl's and my car is a Prius, (yearly average: summer winter is 49mpg)
If Photovoltaic were not so expensive I would have that installed too,I do get my electricity from Interfaith and have opted for the wind power generation, cost .13 cents Kw. If I had more money and more time to wait for payback I would do more.
George Muller