Ok -- I am in MAJOR conservation mode. It looks like we'll be stuck where
we are for another couple three years courtesy of the local real estate
market and job market, and the energy cooperative announced last month gas
was going up 20% on 3/1 for the second time...then they announced last week
they were going to raise it ANOTHER 20% on 4/1. Needless to say, ole JNJ is
in the market for saving energy and cutting expenses.

One thing I want to do is reduce the need for heating and/or AC consumption.
Now, our property is lined with lots of trees in the back and a few in the
front plus the neighbors are on the property line. The lot's only about
50x250, so there's not much room to work with either -- and there's a nice,
big hill that we call our back yard.

Can anyone think of any improvements we can make on the OUTSIDE to increase
energy efficiency in the house? Last year I pruned all of the trees up to
about the 6-7 foot level. There are shrubs along the perimeters and they
grow more every season. There's always room for another tree or two, but we
want to keep SOME sunlight out there for some veges this year. I'm
going to terrace the back a bit, put in some small walls (about 2-3 feet
tall each) to handle some drainage issues -- I plan on grabbing this run off
in some barrels for later use in the yard (save $$ from the water works!).

What else can be done -- any thoughts? I figure every little bit counts in
the big scheme of things so....

James

JNJ wrote:

...I'm
going to terrace the back a bit, put in some small walls (about 2-3 feet
tall each) to handle some drainage issues -- I plan on grabbing this run off
in some barrels for later use in the yard (save $$ from the water works!)...




Barrels won't do it. You should consider building a cistern or a small
pond. A one inch rainfall on 1000 square feet of area is 144,000 cubic
inches of water, which translates to more than 600 gallons. That means
you need a lot of barrels, and you have to plumb them together to make
use of the water. Building a pond and lining it with plastic sounds like
much less work to me, and is probably more attractive than a back yard
full of barrels.

JNJ wrote:

...One thing I want to do is reduce the need for heating and/or AC consumption.
Now, our property is lined with lots of trees in the back and a few in the
front...


Depending on how your house is situated, planting deciduous trees to the
south of the house (on the assumption that your house is in the Northern
hemisphere) will help in the long term. They will shade the house in the
summer and allow the sun to come through in the winter. This is a long
term solution, since the trees have to be fairly tall in order to
provide shade in the summer when the sun is high.

Awnings on the windows facing south can also help reduce solar heating
in the summer. If they're at the right level, they will let the winter
sun in and block the summer sun. Otherwise they can just be removed for
the winter (or retracted).

Barrels won't do it. You should consider building a cistern or a small
pond. A one inch rainfall on 1000 square feet of area is 144,000 cubic
inches of water, which translates to more than 600 gallons. That means
you need a lot of barrels, and you have to plumb them together to make
use of the water. Building a pond and lining it with plastic sounds like
much less work to me, and is probably more attractive than a back yard
full of barrels.

True, but the positioning might prove more than a little difficult even on a
property as small as this one. Much of the water will end up being consumed
by various plant life, especially the trees, and a few additional plantings
should assist as well. I am considering putting in a water feature
alongside the house (which would be perfect for the runoff of a wall) so I
could likely direct some runoff into that as well. Hmmmmm....

One thing I wonder with gathering runoff like that -- sediment. Trying to
filter it out/clean it out might be a problem.

Thanks for the idea -- my spring/summer plans are beginning to expand.

James

Depending on how your house is situated, planting deciduous trees to the
south of the house (on the assumption that your house is in the Northern
hemisphere) will help in the long term. They will shade the house in the
summer and allow the sun to come through in the winter. This is a long
term solution, since the trees have to be fairly tall in order to
provide shade in the summer when the sun is high.

Gots 2 big ole maples in the front yard that cover a good sized chunk of the
south as well a pair of smaller trees (one of which has potential to go up
about another 20 feet). Unfortunately, other areas of the house that were
once shaded are no more -- trees that had to come down due to disease and/or
proximity to the structures.

Awnings on the windows facing south can also help reduce solar heating
in the summer. If they're at the right level, they will let the winter
sun in and block the summer sun. Otherwise they can just be removed for
the winter (or retracted).

We have awnings on 4 windows, all around the south & west sides of the
house. It never occurred to me that there might be a reason there was no
awning on the north & east sides.

James

"JNJ" wrote:


Can anyone think of any improvements we can make on the OUTSIDE to increase
energy efficiency in the house?

You failed to tell us where you live.

Shade screens?

Tsu

--
To doubt everything or to believe everything
are two equally convenient solutions; both
dispense with the necessity of reflection.
- Jules Henri Poincaré

You failed to tell us where you live.

Zone 6, SW Ohio.

Shade screens?

In what form?

James

"JNJ" wrote in message ...
Ok -- I am in MAJOR conservation mode. It looks like we'll be stuck where
we are for another couple three years courtesy of the local real estate
market and job market, and the energy cooperative announced last month gas
was going up 20% on 3/1 for the second time...then they announced last week
they were going to raise it ANOTHER 20% on 4/1. Needless to say, ole JNJ is
in the market for saving energy and cutting expenses.

One thing I want to do is reduce the need for heating and/or AC consumption.
Now, our property is lined with lots of trees in the back and a few in the
front plus the neighbors are on the property line. The lot's only about
50x250, so there's not much room to work with either -- and there's a nice,
big hill that we call our back yard.

Can anyone think of any improvements we can make on the OUTSIDE to increase
energy efficiency in the house? Last year I pruned all of the trees up to
about the 6-7 foot level. There are shrubs along the perimeters and they
grow more every season. There's always room for another tree or two, but we
want to keep SOME sunlight out there for some veges this year. I'm
going to terrace the back a bit, put in some small walls (about 2-3 feet
tall each) to handle some drainage issues -- I plan on grabbing this run off
in some barrels for later use in the yard (save $$ from the water works!).

What else can be done -- any thoughts? I figure every little bit counts in
the big scheme of things so....

James

If you can get large, deciduous trees on the south side of your home,
they will shade you in the summer and let sun through in the winter.
That is probably the major improvement to any given yard.

"JNJ" wrote in message ...
Depending on how your house is situated, planting deciduous trees to the
south of the house (on the assumption that your house is in the Northern
hemisphere) will help in the long term. They will shade the house in the
summer and allow the sun to come through in the winter. This is a long
term solution, since the trees have to be fairly tall in order to
provide shade in the summer when the sun is high.

Gots 2 big ole maples in the front yard that cover a good sized chunk of the
south as well a pair of smaller trees (one of which has potential to go up
about another 20 feet). Unfortunately, other areas of the house that were
once shaded are no more -- trees that had to come down due to disease and/or
proximity to the structures.

Awnings on the windows facing south can also help reduce solar heating
in the summer. If they're at the right level, they will let the winter
sun in and block the summer sun. Otherwise they can just be removed for
the winter (or retracted).

We have awnings on 4 windows, all around the south & west sides of the
house. It never occurred to me that there might be a reason there was no
awning on the north & east sides.

James

This won't do much for when the heat and ac are running, but it is a
little known trick from the olden days....
Everyone opens the bottom "sash" of a window (that is a "double
hung" window, what most folks think of as a normal window)..... well
that is not the correct way to do it! The TOP needs to be open in
order to let out HOT air since it rises! If you have a two story house
open the top sashes on the second floor (yes those are the ones that
have been painted shut for years) and the bottom sashes on the first
(technically the first floor windows should be open LESS than the
second floor windows), keep all the interior doors open and feel the
breeze blow! OK it isn't a hurricane that comes through, but it cools
the house much better than only opening the bottom of all the windows.
If you have a single story open the top and bottom, open the top wider
to help create more draft.
JC

"jcart003" wrote in This won't do much for when
the heat and ac are running, but it is a
little known trick from the olden days....
Everyone opens the bottom "sash" of a window (that is a "double
hung" window, what most folks think of as a normal window)..... well
that is not the correct way to do it! The TOP needs to be open in
order to let out HOT air since it rises! If you have a two story house
open the top sashes on the second floor (yes those are the ones that
have been painted shut for years) and the bottom sashes on the first
(technically the first floor windows should be open LESS than the
second floor windows), keep all the interior doors open and feel the
breeze blow! OK it isn't a hurricane that comes through, but it cools
the house much better than only opening the bottom of all the windows.
If you have a single story open the top and bottom, open the top wider
to help create more draft.
JC

Although this won't work in the hottest most humid part of the summer where
you live, in late spring and fall you can eliminate the use of the AC by
opening all the windows in the house, putting a strong fan blowing out on
one end of the house and a strong one blowing IN at the other end. The
earliest riser in the household needs to get up before 8 am and slam all the
windows shut, turn off the fans, and pull any shades that allow sun to shine
into the house. (In my region, which has much lower humidity than the
midwest, we can do this all summer long and never use AC, even if the
daytime temp is well over 90). This works best if the night temperature is
at least falling into the low 60's. Obviously, it does very little good when
the night temps are 80!

A standard landscaping suggestion for winter is to plant dense evergreen
trees or shrubs on the north side of your house, or whichever direction the
coldest strongest winds come from in your region. These will deflect the
winds from your house, and slow bitter cold air from seeping into your
windows. The more "dead air" spaces you can create, the better, because the
air itself acts as a type of insulation. (The theory behind double pane
windows).