Comments on: A house-cooling strategy http://williamostrem.net/nl/2008/07/15/a-house-cooling-strategy/ A Voice from the Upper Midwest, by William Ostrem Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:51:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: bill http://williamostrem.net/nl/2008/07/15/a-house-cooling-strategy/comment-page-1/#comment-25661 bill Wed, 16 Jul 2008 14:00:59 +0000 http://williamostrem.net/nl/?p=341#comment-25661 Karen Youso's StarTribune column dealt with this home-cooling strategy (available for a limited time online): http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/25418444.html?location_refer=$urlTrackSectionName This excerpt reminded me to run the fan only intermittently. Fortunately, we had a timer installed on a furnace fan that lets us control when it runs, with the ability to do so in 15-minute increments: "Continuous operation of the furnace fan as a solution to your problem can be expensive. The typical furnace fan in most homes uses a good deal of electricity. Newer furnaces with variable-speed fan motors can save up to 80 percent and may be the best option for continual fan option. If your fan isn't one of these, then run it intermittently." Karen Youso’s StarTribune column dealt with this home-cooling strategy (available for a limited time online):

http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/homegarden/25418444.html?location_refer=$urlTrackSectionName

This excerpt reminded me to run the fan only intermittently. Fortunately, we had a timer installed on a furnace fan that lets us control when it runs, with the ability to do so in 15-minute increments:

“Continuous operation of the furnace fan as a solution to your problem can be expensive. The typical furnace fan in most homes uses a good deal of electricity. Newer furnaces with variable-speed fan motors can save up to 80 percent and may be the best option for continual fan option. If your fan isn’t one of these, then run it intermittently.”

]]> By: bill http://williamostrem.net/nl/2008/07/15/a-house-cooling-strategy/comment-page-1/#comment-25659 bill Wed, 16 Jul 2008 13:51:45 +0000 http://williamostrem.net/nl/?p=341#comment-25659 Thank you for the great ideas, Bright! They really make sense. Thank you for the great ideas, Bright! They really make sense.

]]> By: Bright Spencer http://williamostrem.net/nl/2008/07/15/a-house-cooling-strategy/comment-page-1/#comment-25640 Bright Spencer Tue, 15 Jul 2008 21:54:12 +0000 http://williamostrem.net/nl/?p=341#comment-25640 I love these kinds of things to help reduce use of energy and lower costs. Another thing to consider is how much heat we are building up inside the house by using appliances and computers. I no longer leave my computer running when I leave to do other things. I minimize my time heating up foods by using the warm up time in the oven, turning off burners during the last few minutes of cooking things like soup because once hot, they will continue to cook for 15 minutes or longer depending on your pan and type of heat source. This is also true of casseroles in the oven, they will continue to cook for fifteen minutes or more without the heat on. You can cook boiled eggs by putting the eggs in tap water at room temp, bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat source, and let the eggs sit for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size and number of eggs, it's not all that crucial, and you will get tender cooked eggs. Turn off lights and TV when not in use, and try to use natural daylight to read and do close work. It's better for your eyes, imho, and saves more energy. Pull out all those plugs to small radios, toasters, hair dryers and curlers, shavers, and battery chargers when not in use, they do create a bit of heat and expense for no good reason. Use cold water for lightly soiled clothes and skip the dryer. Do full loads, and not just the same pair of jeans over and over again all by themselves. Wear light fabrics and drink plenty of water to keep hydrated. Take a cool shower, skip the humidity as it makes you feel warmer. Have fun doing these extra little things and you will find it will soon become second nature. I love these kinds of things to help reduce use of energy and lower costs.
Another thing to consider is how much heat we are building up inside
the house by using appliances and computers. I no longer leave my
computer running when I leave to do other things. I minimize my
time heating up foods by using the warm up time in the oven,
turning off burners during the last few minutes of cooking things
like soup because once hot, they will continue to cook for 15 minutes
or longer depending on your pan and type of heat source.
This is also true of casseroles in the oven, they will continue to cook
for fifteen minutes or more without the heat on.
You can cook boiled eggs by putting the eggs in tap water at room temp,
bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat source, and let the eggs sit for
15-20 minutes, depending on the size and number of eggs, it’s not all
that crucial, and you will get tender cooked eggs.
Turn off lights and TV when not in use, and try to use natural daylight
to read and do close work. It’s better for your eyes, imho, and saves more
energy. Pull out all those plugs to small radios, toasters, hair dryers and curlers, shavers, and battery chargers when not in use, they do create a
bit of heat and expense for no good reason.
Use cold water for lightly soiled clothes and skip the dryer. Do full loads, and
not just the same pair of jeans over and over again all by themselves.
Wear light fabrics and drink plenty of water to keep hydrated. Take a cool shower, skip the humidity as it makes you feel warmer. Have fun doing these extra little things and you will find it will soon become second nature.

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