Community Building 2.0: ask me about drL, the rotational-mob-grazing format for human interactions.
Marcos Buenijo wrote:It's interesting to consider how a window a/c unit might be configured for different uses. Consider placing a window a/c unit in a window backwards for heating a room. Now, enclose part of the exterior wall of the home that includes the window in what is essentially a green house (or trombe wall). Place the unit on a thermostat to ensure it operates only when the air temperature is high enough for efficient operation. Heat pumps are not normally a good idea for cold climates, but enough solar gain here should make for efficient operation. If someone is already heating with electricity, then this approach seems reasonable.
Travis Johnson wrote:
Marcos Buenijo wrote:It's interesting to consider how a window a/c unit might be configured for different uses. Consider placing a window a/c unit in a window backwards for heating a room. Now, enclose part of the exterior wall of the home that includes the window in what is essentially a green house (or trombe wall). Place the unit on a thermostat to ensure it operates only when the air temperature is high enough for efficient operation. Heat pumps are not normally a good idea for cold climates, but enough solar gain here should make for efficient operation. If someone is already heating with electricity, then this approach seems reasonable.
I have thought long and hard about this because I have the ideal spot to try this, but after a lot of thinking, it would seem to me, just building what amounts to a micro-greenhouse on the outside of the house would get some significant heat, but instead of even bothering with a air conditioner and some inefficiencies of running electricity, why not just open the window when it gets warm? I call them "Windowstats" affectionately enough. I think enough cool air of the room, with the warm air of the outside greenhouse, would mix to provide heating of the room with very little costs. I cannot see how the air conditioner would really help in that situation.
Community Building 2.0: ask me about drL, the rotational-mob-grazing format for human interactions.
Community Building 2.0: ask me about drL, the rotational-mob-grazing format for human interactions.
Joshua Myrvaagnes wrote:By the way, forgot to mention they did suggest a similar thing in course from Dancing Rabbit ecovillage--take black plant potting trays or something black, cover with a transparent plastic garbage bag, and hang it out the south window at a 45 degree angle or so, with the opening up to the opening at the bottom of your window (you open your window 6 inches or so in daytime). The hot air drafts up into your living space.
Again, I'm on the north side.
I think the building management company, and the Town, would frown upon my building a greenhouse in the front yard and an insulated pipe to the back where my apt. is and then berming the north side, but hey, you never know if you don't try...
Community Building 2.0: ask me about drL, the rotational-mob-grazing format for human interactions.
Joshua Myrvaagnes wrote:Well it sounds like it comes out about the same materially as if you burned your own cut wood. How much energy goes into cutting the wood into pellets?
Joshua Myrvaagnes wrote:The solar heat thing could be done for pennies, the plastic one, and then you just leave it in place. It would just take opening the window and closing each day.
Joshua Myrvaagnes wrote:HeatSmart or HeatNotSoSmart?
My state offers rebates to incentivize installing ductless heat pumps, air source or ground source. Bit should I?
We have a wall-mounted AC that came with the building (circa 1950??? It has dinosaur prints on it). For heating, we have (trigger warning) baseboard electric.
If we replaced it, what would happen to the cfc's, hcfc's or whatever is kn there? What about production of new hcfcs? Embodied energy of creating the heat pump?
A rocket mass heater is extremely out f the question for here--an apartment bld of 12 units. But I think I could sell the landlord on a heat pump with the argument, "Do you hate money or something? " plus the word "rebate". However, I have trust issues. I saw the trash pickup the other day throw a window ac unit in the compactor (!). It had been left out in the dumpster, probably by someone who didn't know the laws about ac disposal. But how do I know if the dump really handles the hcfc's or whatever resposibly??
So I am looking into the retrofit option...and I am not a techy.
One source says "you have to replace the outdoor tube with a wider tube" and open up the cfc tube in the process. That's above my pay grade.
I've got the "heat the person not the air" memo. But sometimes the air is complaining that it's too cold in here. I guess I need to get her some heat pads and incandescents, but should I also pursue the heat pump thing? It's so tantalizing...
I haven't checked but I assume that a home repair cannot simply turn the ac around and aim the cold end out at the bitter New England winter.
Can the outside tube instead of replacement be fitted with "wings" (like they have on baseboard electric heaters and steam radiators to disperse the heat) that increase its surface area? Would these wings accumulate more heat or just cool the outside tube even more? Is there an easy way to change the order of the components in the unit (I understand the order is what differentiates an ac from a heat pump--exchanger, condenser, evaporator, etc.).
Thanks team!
Davis Tyler wrote:
Joshua Myrvaagnes wrote:HeatSmart or HeatNotSoSmart?
My state offers rebates to incentivize installing ductless heat pumps, air source or ground source. Bit should I?
We have a wall-mounted AC that came with the building (circa 1950??? It has dinosaur prints on it). For heating, we have (trigger warning) baseboard electric.
If we replaced it, what would happen to the cfc's, hcfc's or whatever is kn there? What about production of new hcfcs? Embodied energy of creating the heat pump?
A rocket mass heater is extremely out f the question for here--an apartment bld of 12 units. But I think I could sell the landlord on a heat pump with the argument, "Do you hate money or something? " plus the word "rebate". However, I have trust issues. I saw the trash pickup the other day throw a window ac unit in the compactor (!). It had been left out in the dumpster, probably by someone who didn't know the laws about ac disposal. But how do I know if the dump really handles the hcfc's or whatever resposibly??
So I am looking into the retrofit option...and I am not a techy.
One source says "you have to replace the outdoor tube with a wider tube" and open up the cfc tube in the process. That's above my pay grade.
I've got the "heat the person not the air" memo. But sometimes the air is complaining that it's too cold in here. I guess I need to get her some heat pads and incandescents, but should I also pursue the heat pump thing? It's so tantalizing...
I haven't checked but I assume that a home repair cannot simply turn the ac around and aim the cold end out at the bitter New England winter.
Can the outside tube instead of replacement be fitted with "wings" (like they have on baseboard electric heaters and steam radiators to disperse the heat) that increase its surface area? Would these wings accumulate more heat or just cool the outside tube even more? Is there an easy way to change the order of the components in the unit (I understand the order is what differentiates an ac from a heat pump--exchanger, condenser, evaporator, etc.).
Thanks team!
the ductless minisplit heat pump was pretty much invented for this application use-case
they run 3x-4x more efficient than the electric baseboard heaters, and god-knows-how-much-more-efficient than that old 1950s rattle-box.
Take the MassSaves discount for a minisplit heat pump, and enjoy the comfort and lower electric bill
recycle the old A/C at your Town Transfer Station. They have contractors who will pump down the old freon and dispose of it safely.
Community Building 2.0: ask me about drL, the rotational-mob-grazing format for human interactions.
Iterations are fine, we don't have to be perfect
My 2nd Location:Florida HardinessZone:10 AHS:10 GDD:8500 Rainfall:2in/mth winter, 8in/mth summer, Soil:Sand pH8 Flat
Nails are sold by the pound, that makes sense.
Soluna Garden Farm -- Flower CSA -- plants, and cut flowers at our Boston Public Market location, Boston, Massachusetts.
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Is this a tiny ad?
turnkey permaculture paradise for zero monies
https://permies.com/t/267198/turnkey-permaculture-paradise-monies
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