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Drainback to protect against overheating | 25 comments (25 topical, editorial)

Re: Drainback to protect against overheating (3.00 / 0) (#17)
by eliyahu (eliyahu@godspot.org) on Fri Dec 14th, 2007 at 01:00:08 AM MST
(User Info)

Moving may prove to be best. Can you move to an apartment while you start from scratch and build? If you build an apartment can offer some life stability, especially since building is very stressful. Straw bale, tire houses and poured concrete forms sound really appealing from a design perspective. If you can build into the side of a hill then you've got thermal mass. Plan on a root cellar and passive solar greenhouse on south side. Buying raw land at least in my part of the world would save substantially in the long run. Though financing can be harder to secure.

A couple who live near me built a house out of tires. They were paid to take the tires and when they were done after 3-4 years of grueling work. They now have a house that will last that is warm in the winter and cool in the summer and NO mortgage.

Would be my plan if changing.

Looks like big economic storm is rolling in. They are trying to keep everybody happy spending while they look for assets that will escape massive depreciation. Reading the financial rags to see the roaring and tossing is mind boggling. This will keep the world wondering for quite a few years, and may provide a substantial melt-down in ability to access capital. Real-estate with big poorly built and insulated housing on it could depreciate dramatically. It sounds like that is now happening in the U.S. Looks like back to basics, as such houses that won't require a lot of external energy inputs will be smart.

There are housing developments in Alberta that have sunk large insulated storage tanks that use summer heat. Apparently they are working fabulously.

Hope this is helpful..

[ Parent ]

Re: Drainback to protect against overheating (3.00 / 0) (#18)
by DamonHD (d@hd.org) on Fri Dec 14th, 2007 at 01:27:35 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.earth.org.uk/

Hi,

I earn most of my living from one of the big US investment banks (announced its results yesterday). Everyone was glum, since they did bonuses the same day, but no one's jumping off the roof. I expect a little more market turbulence, but I think my contract is safe for now for example, and we have money in the bank, and no debt other than our mortgage.

Anyway, that means that I need to stay within commuting distance of London, and even finding land to build on looks tough.

So we're looking for the best existing property we can: one bedroom more than we have now, a bigger garden (for playing in and burying a thermal store!), a nice place to live, good doctors and schools for our daughter (turned 2 today!), easy commute to London by public transport (possibly with the assistance of a small electric car), and of course a nice south facing unshaded aspect (eg on the roof) for solar thermal/PV...

Rgds

Damon

[ Parent ]

Re: Drainback to protect against overheating (3.00 / 0) (#19)
by DamonHD (d@hd.org) on Fri Dec 14th, 2007 at 01:33:10 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.earth.org.uk/

Once recent development in the UK (and the rest of the EU) is that all houses for sale must show how energy-efficient they are) very soon, which will certainly be one of the aspects we'll be considering.

Rgds

Damon

[ Parent ]

Re: Drainback to protect against overheating (3.00 / 0) (#20)
by eliyahu (eliyahu@godspot.org) on Sun Dec 16th, 2007 at 01:55:23 PM MST
(User Info)

Space is at a premium in Europe, frequent visitors to Canada from Europe have been known to make comments like they would see Halifax on Monday, Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa on tuesday and wednesday, Calgary on thursday and Vancouver for the weekend. I know from a short trip to France and the Netherlands that it took us 5 hours by train to go from Amsterdam to Paris. In Ontario 5 hour drive will get you from Ottawa to Toronto. It can take 3 days (8 hours) to get out of Ontario driving from Ottawa going west. I don't see cities as safe places. Most people are still convinced that they can pour toxic chemicals down the drain, coupled with a plethora of hormones and industrial solvents etc. So my inclination would be to get out of dodge. But that has it's costs and consequences. Adding a long commute doesn't seem wise. I would definitely want to be able to have a large garden and would choose land over building. How long would you have to drive to get out of London and hit country? Cheers

[ Parent ]

Re: Drainback to protect against overheating (3.00 / 0) (#21)
by DamonHD (d@hd.org) on Mon Dec 17th, 2007 at 01:26:04 AM MST
(User Info) http://www.earth.org.uk/

Very much depends what you call 'country' and 'London'!

From where I do most of my work in Canary Wharf over to the east of London, 30 miles or less could get you into relatively open space. It's certainly a line of investigation for me.

Rgds

Damon

[ Parent ]

Drainback to protect against overheating | 25 comments (25 topical, 0 editorial)

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