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We are in the beginning (design) stages for a very low-tech solar heat system similar to the one I added onto our very old house in Wisconsin many years ago.
This is essentially a passive system -- a south-facing greenhouse with additional heat gathering material (such as black painted water drums, concrete floor over crushed rock, insulated from the ground, etc.) that is designed in such a way the that entire addition, plus the back wall (adjoining wall to the house) received sunlight in the winter and the majority of the addition is shaded in the summer.
To get the heat into the house, you just open the windows and doors that lead to the greenhouse.
After I designed and built this in WI I was told by the energy company -- which was offering rebates for solar heating at the time -- that it would not qualify because it was "passive" and would not work in that climate. In fact, even on a bright overcast winter day, it generated heat; less than on a sunny day but enough to be noticeable. When the end of that first heating season came around, that same energy company came calling, wanting me to give tours. The numbers spoke for themselves.
I am not sure how long it will take to get something similar built here, as it will be more expensive (due to inflation and the high cost of materials and additionally our home here has a much longer south face, which is both a plus and a minus!). Much of the cost of the WI project was saved by my being able to recycle many old storm windows that were removed from my neighbor's home when they remodeled. I am already collecting windows, as the structure is basically designed around them (framing to cabinet-makers standards, which maximizes the amount of glass and minimizes extra wood).
This time, when it is done, I will give tours! LOL
We are in the beginning (design) stages for a very low-tech solar heat system similar to the one I added onto our very old house in Wisconsin many years ago.
This is essentially a passive system -- a south-facing greenhouse with additional heat gathering material (such as black painted water drums, concrete floor over crushed rock, insulated from the ground, etc.) that is designed in such a way the that entire addition, plus the back wall (adjoining wall to the house) received sunlight in the winter and the majority of the addition is shaded in the summer.
To get the heat into the house, you just open the windows and doors that lead to the greenhouse.
After I designed and built this in WI I was told by the energy company -- which was offering rebates for solar heating at the time -- that it would not qualify because it was "passive" and would not work in that climate. In fact, even on a bright overcast winter day, it generated heat; less than on a sunny day but enough to be noticeable. When the end of that first heating season came around, that same energy company came calling, wanting me to give tours. The numbers spoke for themselves.
I am not sure how long it will take to get something similar built here, as it will be more expensive (due to inflation and the high cost of materials and additionally our home here has a much longer south face, which is both a plus and a minus!). Much of the cost of the WI project was saved by my being able to recycle many old storm windows that were removed from my neighbor's home when they remodeled. I am already collecting windows, as the structure is basically designed around them (framing to cabinet-makers standards, which maximizes the amount of glass and minimizes extra wood).
This time, when it is done, I will give tours! LOL
I hope you post some pictures too!!! This sounds great!
I hope you post some pictures too!!! This sounds great!
well don't get too excited... it will be a few years, likely, before it's done. $$ is tight... But, yes I will post pix. And next time I am in the garage and trip over my huge box of photos, I'll see if I can find any shots of the WI project.
I made one a couple years ago by constructing a frame approximately 10' wide x 14' long to fit on a deck leading off my dining room. I made arches out of 1/2" metal conduit (PVC would also work), connected the arches with horizontal pieces of conduit (held together with 1/4" bolts) and covered this frame with 6 mil clear plastic film and fastened frame to deck. It looked like a green house and could be used as one. Very inexpensive to build. For tools you just need a conduit bender $10-$15 and a drill (drill press works the best for drilling into round stock).
In winter it could be 20 degrees above with sun shining and it would be 70+ in the "greenhouse". Never actually tried to transfer this heat into house. It was initially built to keep cold air from infiltrating though patio door. It worked really good but DW didn't like appearance so I only used it for 2 winters and abandoned it.
I have a couple of these same type homemade structures in the "back forty" for storing my "collectible junk" but these are covered with regular tarps.
I made one a couple years ago by constructing a frame approximately 10' wide x 14' long to fit on a deck leading off my dining room. I made arches out of 1/2" metal conduit (PVC would also work), connected the arches with horizontal pieces of conduit (held together with 1/4" bolts) and covered this frame with 6 mil clear plastic film and fastened frame to deck. It looked like a green house and could be used as one. Very inexpensive to build. For tools you just need a conduit bender $10-$15 and a drill (drill press works the best for drilling into round stock).
In winter it could be 20 degrees above with sun shining and it would be 70+ in the "greenhouse". Never actually tried to transfer this heat into house. It was initially built to keep cold air from infiltrating though patio door. It worked really good but DW didn't like appearance so I only used it for 2 winters and abandoned it.
I have a couple of these same type homemade structures in the "back forty" for storing my "collectible junk" but these are covered with regular tarps.
I also made a large "temporary greenhouse" with pvc attached to the south face of a semi-underground, passive solar heated home I live in, in eastern WA state. The 1" PVC fit into holes drilled into 2x4s nailed about 8' up on the wall (it was a two-story home, only the second story was actually above ground) and into similar holes in 2x8s or 2x10s (don't recall which I had laying around, might have been some of both) on the ground. I duct-taped cross bracing PVC into place and rolled the plastic around lath which was nailed to the top and bottom plates. I don't recall how I did the ends, but likely the were loose and just rolled and tucked up against the house with wood leaning to hold them in place. I used this for holding my transplants for the garden. the whole structure was in an underground patio, protected from the wind and we did not get, and keep, the kinds of snows I have seen in ME.
I would not do that here because for now we have vinyl siding and I am leery of puncturing it. I hate living in a plastic house and it will be replaced.. eventually... but with no eaves on the house and the winds and snow I do not think such a structure would work for me here at all...
i saw something on tv about some college professor that used soda cans painted black to create some sort of convection solar heater. though, i dunno about its use at night
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