Heat Update
December 1st and I still haven't turned on my central heating (with the exception of setting it at 45F while I was away for Thanksgiving, to make sure the pipes didn't freeze.) I think this can easily continue until Christmas, maybe longer.
It's been in the 40s, 30s, briefly even 20s outside. I've been keeping my kitchen around 54F/12C, which has become comfortable for me. The bedroom I have left to its own devices; overnight lows in there have been between 36F/2C and 46F/8C.
Following is disclosure of all sources of heat coming into the Turbopalace.
Sources of intentional heat (have not yet had more than one on at a time):
1) Oil-filled electric radiator, 1500 watts maximum, usually run at 500 or 1000W power level.
2) Forced-air ceramic electric heater, 1500 watts max, usually run at 750W power level.
3) Hairdryer, 1800W, only a few minutes a day.
Sources of incidental heat:
1) Electric lights: Incandescents in the kitchen throw some warmth. Compact fluorescents elsewhere, not much.
2) Electric appliances: Refrigerator generates a bit of heat, though it barely needs to run anymore. Laptop, a few watts. Others, not much.
3) Natural gas: Cook stove and oven warm the kitchen a few degrees when making coffee & oatmeal. No pilot lights.
4) Oil: On-demand hot water turned on for about 30 min/day. Showering & doing dishes release some heat.
5) Solar: Minimal. No southern wall (see below). Black roof might be picking up a bit, but is shaded by neighbor.
6) Human: Just me. No one seems to want to visit anymore.
7) Feline: 14 pounds of metabolism. But is well-insulated.
8) Other: Turbopalace shares one wall with neighbor who owns the other half of the house, so I'm probably poaching a bit of heat from her side. But she has the whole south-facing side of the house. I suspect she gets more solar heat through her windows than gets passed to me through the wall.
It's been in the 40s, 30s, briefly even 20s outside. I've been keeping my kitchen around 54F/12C, which has become comfortable for me. The bedroom I have left to its own devices; overnight lows in there have been between 36F/2C and 46F/8C.
Following is disclosure of all sources of heat coming into the Turbopalace.
Sources of intentional heat (have not yet had more than one on at a time):
1) Oil-filled electric radiator, 1500 watts maximum, usually run at 500 or 1000W power level.
2) Forced-air ceramic electric heater, 1500 watts max, usually run at 750W power level.
3) Hairdryer, 1800W, only a few minutes a day.
Sources of incidental heat:
1) Electric lights: Incandescents in the kitchen throw some warmth. Compact fluorescents elsewhere, not much.
2) Electric appliances: Refrigerator generates a bit of heat, though it barely needs to run anymore. Laptop, a few watts. Others, not much.
3) Natural gas: Cook stove and oven warm the kitchen a few degrees when making coffee & oatmeal. No pilot lights.
4) Oil: On-demand hot water turned on for about 30 min/day. Showering & doing dishes release some heat.
5) Solar: Minimal. No southern wall (see below). Black roof might be picking up a bit, but is shaded by neighbor.
6) Human: Just me. No one seems to want to visit anymore.
7) Feline: 14 pounds of metabolism. But is well-insulated.
8) Other: Turbopalace shares one wall with neighbor who owns the other half of the house, so I'm probably poaching a bit of heat from her side. But she has the whole south-facing side of the house. I suspect she gets more solar heat through her windows than gets passed to me through the wall.
posted by Turbo at 11:09 AM
5 Comments:
What about the clothes dryer?
The clothes dryer, until yesterday, was venting outside-- so if anything it was a source of negative heat (sucking cold air into the cellar).
But I'm working on that. Not that it's going to make much difference, with the frequency with which I do laundry. But if I were a family of six, it would start to add up.
I can't even read this. Teeth chattering.
You use a hairdryer?
My reaction was the same as fibby's. Also: do you use the oven for making the coffee or the oatmeal?
Post a Comment
<< Home