I have been thinking a lot lately of ways to lower our summer utility bills. I have looked at some different options and wanted some feedback from others on what works and what does not. Closing off areas we do not use such as the spare bedroom and the work shop helps a lot. This pretty much involves closing a few HVAC vents and shutting off the Air conditioner in the work shop. Of course, I had to move a work bench into the house for the summer and I have less room to work in but the cost savings is substantial.
What about installing a black pressure tank in an unshaded area as a preheater for the hot water heater? Would the savings add up enough to cover the cost of materials? Perhaps a few dozen yards of black pipe on the roof would serve the same use.
Last year I saw a home made swamp cooler using 12 volt fans and pumps run off of solar panel array to cool a 32 ft travel trailer. Again I wonder if the materials woud be too costly to scale this for a large 2 bedroom house?
I have seen plans for installing a large series of ducts about 6 feet deep in the ground and then circulating house air through it to cool a house. The question I have concerns the soil temperature during the hottest months. The soil may not be cool enough for this to work well during these times.
I would be interested in what others are doing and considering to save on energy bills.
You can comment on this blog or go to the energy forum for discussions on this subject.
Thanks, Bill