I finally got the forum back up on my new computer after the hard drive died on the one I had been mooching from work.
If you remember I had the massive attic insulation replacement project with a generous amount of help from samclem and others.
So far I think I have saved nearly $1000 over last year on oil, but it might be less if I calculate the effect of lower oil prices at the moment. This will pretty much pay for all of the insulation materials.
I have also lowered my thermostats from 70 degrees (actually closer to 72 due to thermostat error) to about 61 degrees, so I cannot figure out how much of the savings is due to insulation and how much is due to lower temperature.
I am surviving freezing my butt off at 61 degrees. I have a wood stove in the den and when I am home at night and on weekends I burn the wood that had been left over in my wood shed since I bought the house in 1988 so the wood is virtually free. This heats the den to 70 or so degrees and is very comfortable.
Freezing in the morning gives me an incentive to dress quickly and get to w*rk on time, which in the current economy has become my new favorate "hobby"
I am not sure what I will do when the wood runs out. I chose the "buy electricity from wind power" option on my electric bill so I am thinking that if I use my electric heater in the den instead of buying more wood it will be a green alternative and will probably be cheaper than increasing he overall temperature with oil.
I had been worried that the hot water heat pipes in the crawl space under the den would freeze when the wood stove causes that zone to shut off. However, I bought a remote thermometer and put it in the crawl space. So far the lowest recorded temperature is only 41 degrees including some nights when it was 10 or 12 degrees outside. That seems to be good news.
I have had four oil deliveries since I started the lower temperature and insulation project. All have been close to 50% less gallons than the similar deliveries last year.
I wish I lived in a warmer area because I would rather skimp on air conditioning than heat, but overall I am happy with my new conservative life style.
I have inspired a couple of my coworkers to insulate and seal their house and have been able to pass along some of the information I learned from the forum and from doing the project to the others.
Thanks again to all that helped me out and cheered me on while I was doing the work.
If you remember I had the massive attic insulation replacement project with a generous amount of help from samclem and others.
So far I think I have saved nearly $1000 over last year on oil, but it might be less if I calculate the effect of lower oil prices at the moment. This will pretty much pay for all of the insulation materials.
I have also lowered my thermostats from 70 degrees (actually closer to 72 due to thermostat error) to about 61 degrees, so I cannot figure out how much of the savings is due to insulation and how much is due to lower temperature.
I am surviving freezing my butt off at 61 degrees. I have a wood stove in the den and when I am home at night and on weekends I burn the wood that had been left over in my wood shed since I bought the house in 1988 so the wood is virtually free. This heats the den to 70 or so degrees and is very comfortable.
Freezing in the morning gives me an incentive to dress quickly and get to w*rk on time, which in the current economy has become my new favorate "hobby"
I am not sure what I will do when the wood runs out. I chose the "buy electricity from wind power" option on my electric bill so I am thinking that if I use my electric heater in the den instead of buying more wood it will be a green alternative and will probably be cheaper than increasing he overall temperature with oil.
I had been worried that the hot water heat pipes in the crawl space under the den would freeze when the wood stove causes that zone to shut off. However, I bought a remote thermometer and put it in the crawl space. So far the lowest recorded temperature is only 41 degrees including some nights when it was 10 or 12 degrees outside. That seems to be good news.
I have had four oil deliveries since I started the lower temperature and insulation project. All have been close to 50% less gallons than the similar deliveries last year.
I wish I lived in a warmer area because I would rather skimp on air conditioning than heat, but overall I am happy with my new conservative life style.
I have inspired a couple of my coworkers to insulate and seal their house and have been able to pass along some of the information I learned from the forum and from doing the project to the others.
Thanks again to all that helped me out and cheered me on while I was doing the work.