Subj : Re: Heating Up Again
To   : Nightfox
From : n2qfd
Date : Sun Jun 30 2024 20:18:06

 Ni> Would it be feasible to get a central A/C system installed for your
 Ni> house? I've heard of people doing that, and I've heard it can cost
 Ni> between $5,000 and $10,000 (US), though I'm curious if it would be
 Ni> feasible with a house from the 1930s.

  So it would be prohibitively expensive to run duct work. We see a lot of mini-split systems around here with the older homes though. That involves only a few holes for supply/return lines from a unit in the room to a small condenser outside. 
  
  I had a coworker from Oklahoma once, an engineer, who said when we were talking permits and his countrymen being up in arms at our restrictions in the North East.... Brady said to me, Remember, they've grown up in a state that's younger than your house. We haven't learned what we need to safeguard yet for our young outlook." 

  I understand that the issue of having a lot of homes of certain vintages has been a thing in the UK as well. Just trying to get us up to better insulation levels will save megatons of emissions as a society and real dollars and cents as homeowners. 

  I added 36+ inches of high R insulation bats to the attic area last year and I should have the walls insulated done with a blown or foam agent in the future. The house is much tighter that it was designed for though and that comes with other issues like moisture. We used to use the fireplace more and you could hear the house sucking for all it's might to get air in. After replacing all the windows it's just so much tighter than it ever was in the past. I have a school desk sized boiler that runs natural gas vs what must have been a coal bunker at one time. Even the sewer line leaves the house on the wrong side as I think this side of town got service later and we all must have had septic tanks! 

  Still, it's a good house. In the last 20 years houses on average have grown 1000 sqft and the family hasn't. Our 1930's place is 1100sq feet and for the two of us it's perfect. I'm not trying to fill up or heat and cool more than I need. I can cut my grass with a push mower on a half acre and still have a decent garden out back. 

  A lesson from Europe was that in America we have lots of space we take for granted. I think we need to stop doing that with our homes, and probably our cars too! 

  N2

N2QFD{Queen City BBS}:// "Does this need to be said? Does this need to be said
by me? Does this need to be said by me right now?" - Craig Ferguson 

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Raspberry Pi/32)
 * Origin: Queen City BBS (21:1/154)

.