It's helpful to hear the explanation of this issue from a perspective "in the moment" ( the view of the temp on your dashboard !) .... Along with the practical considerations re/ the issues .... Helpful !!
Getting ready to build our 80 x 54 foot shop this year .Really like the idea of a heat pump system .But we are also going to install our clean burn waste oil furnace for situations like today
That's a good solution. There are some different cold weather rated heat pumps. I think our Trane is rated for -13 but the efficiency drops before that point.
30 years ago, I designed and built my home as passive solar and super insulated. I have wood stoves as backup. Cooling is mostly attic ventilation and allowing hot air to go up the attic stairs. The number of sunny days has dropped over the years so I have to burn some wood. Good Luck, Rick
Very interesting. We are south facing so I anticipate that we will have a good bit of solar gain and have given a lot of attention to air sealing. What other factors did you utilize from the design to be passive?
@@woodlyz My house is oriented true east-west. The walls are 8" thick with the inner 2 x 4 studs and outer 2x4 studs lined up. The 1/2" space between the studs was filled will Great Stuff to insulate and lock the two studs together. The top plate and sole plates were 2 x 8 s with the 2 x 4 walls flush with the face they were closest to. Sheathing was 3/4" BC plywood that I had used to form the basement. I used 5/8" fireproof sheetrock on the interior. The ceiling beams are 2 x 12 and fully insulated. I put extra sliding glass doors on the south side and only 50% of normal windows in the north side. South facing glass is NOT low E. The floor between the basement and living area is 11 1/2" of reinforced concrete. This absorbs the solar heat on sunny days and then slowly releases it when there is no sun. If you want to add solar heating to an existing building, you can set up heat grabbers on the south side. Build them from old sliding glass doors(NOT low E). There are many videos about heat grabbers. They work on the principal that heat rises. I have a wood stove in the basement that will supplement the heat in the slab. It takes 8+ hours for heat to come through the slab. I also have a small wood stove in the living room to take a chill off and when the power is out(frequently here) I can cook on it. Good Luck, Rick
Why don't you have a ground source heat pump? If you have a ground loop, you are back to extracting heat from a 52 degree base. That is the best way to go with a heat pump when the frost can possibly go down 3 feet like an area that has -24 degree winter temp. In any event, it would be good to have a significant back up system. Both propane(inground tank) and a good sized generator.
It was a cost factor. The ground source were significantly more expensive. We have a 20kw Cummins whole house generator and the propane furnace as well. I think that overall money is best spent in the exterior walls and in the envelope decreasing the overall heating and cooling load
@@woodlyz Excellent idea. Insulation/design saves so much in the long run. Less heat needed, less propane, less wood if you have a wood stove for atmosphere. It also may allow you to heat some of your house by just cooking diner. In the video, you have green foam in the outside walls. Are they 2x6 or 2x8 walls? This is the first of your videos, so I am not familiar with your build yet. Have a good day.
@@gibblespascack1418 2x6 with closed cell spray foam. We also have zip system for an air barrier. As homes become tighter wood becomes more problematic in my opinion b/c you need some kind of make up air
@@woodlyz You may have to add an ERV(energy recovery ventilator) in order to ensure that the moisture is not built up on the inside of the walls. Well it is a great design with lots of ideas in this home.
@@gibblespascack1418 we have an ERV in the works. We had gone back and forth on it and then made the final call that it is a necessity with the tightness.
It's helpful to hear the explanation of this issue from a perspective "in the moment" ( the view of the temp on your dashboard !) .... Along with the practical considerations re/ the issues ....
Helpful !!
The -24 day is a strong reminder of what you need to plan for.
Getting ready to build our 80 x 54 foot shop this year .Really like the idea of a heat pump system .But we are also going to install our clean burn waste oil furnace for situations like today
That's a good solution. There are some different cold weather rated heat pumps. I think our Trane is rated for -13 but the efficiency drops before that point.
30 years ago, I designed and built my home as passive solar and super insulated. I have wood stoves as backup. Cooling is mostly attic ventilation and allowing hot air to go up the attic stairs. The number of sunny days has dropped over the years so I have to burn some wood. Good Luck, Rick
Very interesting. We are south facing so I anticipate that we will have a good bit of solar gain and have given a lot of attention to air sealing. What other factors did you utilize from the design to be passive?
@@woodlyz My house is oriented true east-west. The walls are 8" thick with the inner 2 x 4 studs and outer 2x4 studs lined up. The 1/2" space between the studs was filled will Great Stuff to insulate and lock the two studs together. The top plate and sole plates were 2 x 8 s with the 2 x 4 walls flush with the face they were closest to. Sheathing was 3/4" BC plywood that I had used to form the basement. I used 5/8" fireproof sheetrock on the interior. The ceiling beams are 2 x 12 and fully insulated.
I put extra sliding glass doors on the south side and only 50% of normal windows in the north side. South facing glass is NOT low E. The floor between the basement and living area is 11 1/2" of reinforced concrete. This absorbs the solar heat on sunny days and then slowly releases it when there is no sun.
If you want to add solar heating to an existing building, you can set up heat grabbers on the south side. Build them from old sliding glass doors(NOT low E). There are many videos about heat grabbers. They work on the principal that heat rises.
I have a wood stove in the basement that will supplement the heat in the slab. It takes 8+ hours for heat to come through the slab. I also have a small wood stove in the living room to take a chill off and when the power is out(frequently here) I can cook on it. Good Luck, Rick
Why don't you have a ground source heat pump? If you have a ground loop, you are back to extracting heat from a 52 degree base. That is the best way to go with a heat pump when the frost can possibly go down 3 feet like an area that has -24 degree winter temp. In any event, it would be good to have a significant back up system. Both propane(inground tank) and a good sized generator.
It was a cost factor. The ground source were significantly more expensive. We have a 20kw Cummins whole house generator and the propane furnace as well. I think that overall money is best spent in the exterior walls and in the envelope decreasing the overall heating and cooling load
@@woodlyz Excellent idea. Insulation/design saves so much in the long run. Less heat needed, less propane, less wood if you have a wood stove for atmosphere. It also may allow you to heat some of your house by just cooking diner. In the video, you have green foam in the outside walls. Are they 2x6 or 2x8 walls? This is the first of your videos, so I am not familiar with your build yet. Have a good day.
@@gibblespascack1418 2x6 with closed cell spray foam. We also have zip system for an air barrier. As homes become tighter wood becomes more problematic in my opinion b/c you need some kind of make up air
@@woodlyz You may have to add an ERV(energy recovery ventilator) in order to ensure that the moisture is not built up on the inside of the walls. Well it is a great design with lots of ideas in this home.
@@gibblespascack1418 we have an ERV in the works. We had gone back and forth on it and then made the final call that it is a necessity with the tightness.