UncleRocks

[03'svtlight]

The soil test came back extremely soft and too far from bedrock for a slab foundation on this particular lot I had a deposit on. The final sale was "pending" the results of the test. Based on the engineer, the foundation would have required approx. 80-90 piers and a multitude of ties just to be safe. We are talking around $60k for a foundation when it should about $25k. So I'm back at square one lookin' for some cheap land, so I'll slide those plans your way when its necessary. BTW, are heat pumps any good?? pros, cons??:cool:

[03LightningRocks]

The soil test came back extremely soft and too far from bedrock for a slab foundation on this particular lot I had a deposit on. The final sale was "pending" the results of the test. Based on the engineer, the foundation would have required approx. 80-90 piers and a multitude of ties just to be safe. We are talking around $60k for a foundation when it should about $25k. So I'm back at square one lookin' for some cheap land, so I'll slide those plans your way when its necessary. BTW, are heat pumps any good?? pros, cons??:cool:


There was a time when I would have said gas heat is the cheapest to run....my last gas bill makes me question that theory.

Heat pumps are 100% efficient, meaning that all the heat produced, is used for heating the house. Electric heat is also 100% efficient, but uses alot of electricity. Heat pumps are less expensive to operate than gas heat in temps above 35-40 degrees. This is where they lose their ability to produce enough heat to keep the home at a comfortable temperature. They tend to go into a cycle to defrost too much to heat the home affordably at temps below 40 degrees.

If I where doing my own home right now, I would put in a 90+ efficient furnace with a 16 SEER or better heat pump. This set up allows for the best of both worlds. You can set it up to use gas heat below like 45 degrees and to use the heat pump at 45 and above. I would also zone out the house with stats in each bedroom and the living areas. This will be a high dollar system, but will provide years of low cost heating and cooling, with total temperature control through the entire home environment.


Rocks

[Beaudee]

The soil test came back extremely soft and too far from bedrock for a slab foundation on this particular lot I had a deposit on. The final sale was "pending" the results of the test. Based on the engineer, the foundation would have required approx. 80-90 piers and a multitude of ties just to be safe. We are talking around $60k for a foundation when it should about $25k. So I'm back at square one lookin' for some cheap land, so I'll slide those plans your way when its necessary. BTW, are heat pumps any good?? pros, cons??:cool:
Freekin Texas Gumbo Clay!!!The more you walk in it the taller you get.

[dboat]

There was a time when I would have said gas heat is the cheapest to run....my last gas bill makes me question that theory.

Heat pumps are 100% efficient, meaning that all the heat produced, is used for heating the house. Electric heat is also 100% efficient, but uses alot of electricity. Heat pumps are less expensive to operate than gas heat in temps above 35-40 degrees. This is where they lose their ability to produce enough heat to keep the home at a comfortable temperature. They tend to go into a cycle to defrost too much to heat the home affordably at temps below 40 degrees.

If I where doing my own home right now, I would put in a 90+ efficient furnace with a 16 SEER or better heat pump. This set up allows for the best of both worlds. You can set it up to use gas heat below like 45 degrees and to use the heat pump at 45 and above. I would also zone out the house with stats in each bedroom and the living areas. This will be a high dollar system, but will provide years of low cost heating and cooling, with total temperature control through the entire home environment.


Rocks
You are correct on this as usual.. however, heating isnt the huge issue its cooling.. (I know I am hijacking this thread now) its just the opposite up here. Its all about the heating.. my furnace (gas) is 97% efficient. Plus I have a DC fan motor that has a low flow cycle on it so that it constantly moves the air in the house and keeps the house within 1 degree upstairs and downstairs.. well worth the money and very very quiet..
My issue in Dallas was the heat.. I was wondering what you thought about CoolDeck for the roof and having solar powered vent fans or a gable fan on a thermostat.. (just thinking for the future when I return)
Dana

[03LightningRocks]

You are correct on this as usual.. however, heating isnt the huge issue its cooling.. (I know I am hijacking this thread now) its just the opposite up here. Its all about the heating.. my furnace (gas) is 97% efficient. Plus I have a DC fan motor that has a low flow cycle on it so that it constantly moves the air in the house and keeps the house within 1 degree upstairs and downstairs.. well worth the money and very very quiet..
My issue in Dallas was the heat.. I was wondering what you thought about CoolDeck for the roof and having solar powered vent fans or a gable fan on a thermostat.. (just thinking for the future when I return)
Dana


Your right about cooling being expensive in Texas. That same 15 SEER heat pump becomes a 15 SEER air conditioner in the summer.

IMHO...anything you do to remove heat from around the conditioned space is beneficial. The heat outside is constantly trying to get to the cool inside. Making changes to improve that barrier will show real savings.

Solar screens.....atic fans....better insulation...all help to reduce cooling bills. To address your specific question about cool deck. My only experience with cool deck was around a swimming pool. If that is the material your talking about...two issues come to mind. One...ugly as all get out for a roof. Two...seems like it would be too heavy for a roof material.

Rocks

[03'svtlight]

There was a time when I would have said gas heat is the cheapest to run....my last gas bill makes me question that theory.

Heat pumps are 100% efficient, meaning that all the heat produced, is used for heating the house. Electric heat is also 100% efficient, but uses alot of electricity. Heat pumps are less expensive to operate than gas heat in temps above 35-40 degrees. This is where they lose their ability to produce enough heat to keep the home at a comfortable temperature. They tend to go into a cycle to defrost too much to heat the home affordably at temps below 40 degrees.

If I where doing my own home right now, I would put in a 90+ efficient furnace with a 16 SEER or better heat pump. This set up allows for the best of both worlds. You can set it up to use gas heat below like 45 degrees and to use the heat pump at 45 and above. I would also zone out the house with stats in each bedroom and the living areas. This will be a high dollar system, but will provide years of low cost heating and cooling, with total temperature control through the entire home environment.


Rocks
I appreciate info bro:beer: The plans call for 4 units adding up to about 12 tons. Thats about all I know, that's why I called on the expert. I'll be back at NTB starting next week. I got a driver for my truck so I can be at home instead of being gone 2 to 3 weeks at a time. BTW, happy B-day, and may ya have many more.:tu:

[Tex Arcana]

There was a time when I would have said gas heat is the cheapest to run....my last gas bill makes me question that theory.

Heat pumps are 100% efficient, meaning that all the heat produced, is used for heating the house. Electric heat is also 100% efficient, but uses alot of electricity. Heat pumps are less expensive to operate than gas heat in temps above 35-40 degrees. This is where they lose their ability to produce enough heat to keep the home at a comfortable temperature. They tend to go into a cycle to defrost too much to heat the home affordably at temps below 40 degrees.

If I where doing my own home right now, I would put in a 90+ efficient furnace with a 16 SEER or better heat pump. This set up allows for the best of both worlds. You can set it up to use gas heat below like 45 degrees and to use the heat pump at 45 and above. I would also zone out the house with stats in each bedroom and the living areas. This will be a high dollar system, but will provide years of low cost heating and cooling, with total temperature control through the entire home environment.


Rocks


Rocks, what about ground-coupled heat pumps? Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds? :tu: (and you wonder why I keep bugging you to talk to you!)

[03LightningRocks]

Rocks, what about ground-coupled heat pumps? Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds? :tu: (and you wonder why I keep bugging you to talk to you!)


You probably mean ground source heat pumps. No they are not the best of both worlds.

1) They are extremely over priced, due to the high cost of proper installation.

2) They are trouble proned due to having so many variables in the install that can come back to haunt you after a year or two.

3) We don't have the space in our area to allow a proper install.

Rocks

[wesman]

I appreciate info bro:beer: The plans call for 4 units adding up to about 12 tons. Thats about all I know, that's why I called on the expert. I'll be back at NTB starting next week. I got a driver for my truck so I can be at home instead of being gone 2 to 3 weeks at a time. BTW, happy B-day, and may ya have many more.:tu:


Another off topic :)

How about another alignment day ? :)

--wes

[dboat]

To address your specific question about cool deck. My only experience with cool deck was around a swimming pool. If that is the material your talking about...two issues come to mind. One...ugly as all get out for a roof. Two...seems like it would be too heavy for a roof material.
Rocks

I know about the pool stuff.. I was talking with a roofer in Dallas and he told me about it.. its the decking with a foil and foam backing built into it.. reflects a lot of the heat back out.

I have used the solar screens and they work great. They are on almost every house in Las Vegas. I used some tinting in Dallas on a few windows there, the rest were shaded or north facing.
I once saw where someone had a water cooled a/c unit that hooked up to your water spigot.. said it used a lot less energy since the water could cool so much better than the air cooled method used universally.. Saw it on Michael Holigan.

Dana

[Tex Arcana]

You probably mean ground source heat pumps. No they are not the best of both worlds.

1) They are extremely over priced, due to the high cost of proper installation.

2) They are trouble proned due to having so many variables in the install that can come back to haunt you after a year or two.

3) We don't have the space in our area to allow a proper install.

Rocks

1) hell, yeah, damn them. :mad:

2) I would think that depends on your system and installation, but you would know better. :tu:

3) *I* have the space, for sure.

[:ron:]We've got a friend who installed one in his home in Bowie, they drilled 4 wells in his front yard, from 75' to 125', and ran the heat exchanger lines down 'em... he gets honest 110-120deg air in winter, and his bills overall are quite reasonable. Of course, that's part of the source of my question. [/:ron]

[Tex Arcana]

I know about the pool stuff.. I was talking with a roofer in Dallas and he told me about it.. its the decking with a foil and foam backing built into it.. reflects a lot of the heat back out.

I have used the solar screens and they work great. They are on almost every house in Las Vegas. I used some tinting in Dallas on a few windows there, the rest were shaded or north facing.
I once saw where someone had a water cooled a/c unit that hooked up to your water spigot.. said it used a lot less energy since the water could cool so much better than the air cooled method used universally.. Saw it on Michael Holigan.

Dana

THAT reminds me of the other question!! :hammer:

[:ron:]I had a coworker, back in the Kodak days, who worked on the IBM copiers, like I did. The photoconductors in those were 25-odd foot strips of aluminized mylar, with the photoconductor material deposited on that (organic, btw), on aluminum rolls, two to a drum. Typically, after a PC replacement, we'd toss the rolls and film. Well, we all got to a point where we would take them home and stip out the aluminum for recycling; the coworker went another step and stapled the strips to the roof joists, top-to-bottom, shiny-side up.[/:ron:] The reasoning was similar to what you state with the pool deck thing, reflect the heat back out the roof, and I've heard of similar consumer-type stuff being used for the same reason.

Which brings me to the question: ROCKS, is there a product out there now that can do just that? :tu:

[03'svtlight]

Another off topic :)

How about another alignment day ? :)

--wes
Hey bro, I'm here 2 help whatever the case may be. Ya know that deal was set-up from above, but it doesnt have to be an alignment day to get thu hook-up. You feel me??;) Just gimme a few days to feel out this new manager/poser and you're in.:cool:

[Tex Arcana]

Hey bro, I'm here 2 help whatever the case may be. Ya know that deal was set-up from above, but it doesnt have to be an alignment day to get thu hook-up. You feel me??;) Just gimme a few days to feel out this new manager/poser and you're in.:cool:

Push that to a week or so, and I'll be ready for one as well... :D