Looking for ways to cut energy usage.Possible move to RE.Please advise.

[upstateman]

I own a couple house trailers, or mobile homes if you prefer.Due to some complications in life,we have decided to gut and remodel my 14x60.I will add on a utility room,a bedroom,and enclosed front deck(non conditioned).We currently live in a very uninsulated 14x70.When we remod the other trailer,I plan to use multiple layers of insulation through out,quality low E windows for a house,along with all other electric equipment being standard house stuff.All of our current appliances are 27 years old or older.So we will be buying all brand new energy star approved appliances that have the lowest power usage rating.Depending on what climate map you look at,i am on the border of 7a and 7b.We rarely have snow.Once every few years.mostly cold rains through winter.

Now lets talk usage numbers.I know we all love that. Last year was and extremely hot dry year and our usage was 1570KWH yearly average.Our max usage was 1870KWH.I tweaked some of our appliances and didn't run AC this year,plus we had a cool summer.I got us down to a yearly average 990KWH with a high of 1150KWH.The old window AC units,a bad fridge seal and settings drove our bill up last year.My bills are averaged from the month I had the power connected, July to July.Our power company says that an average 3 bed 2 bath house uses a yearly average of 1100KWH.So I am close to that with my trailer being a 3 bed 2 bath unit with separate kitchen and living room.The trailer we are redoing is a 2 bed 1 bath unit with a combined kitchen and living area.I know I can get down to a yearly average of 950KWH.I'd like to hit that magical 600KWH yearly average.Below is a list of things I plan to do to help eliminate or reduce power usage.

Smaller Low E windows with outer storm windows with UV reflective coating.I will be eliminating some windows and reducing the size of some.Who needs 36x48 windows behind a couch or 4 just in the kitchen.They really don't let in as much light as one would think.
New doors with smallish window at top and quality storm doors.
All new insulation in the 2x4 walls with moister barrier,dry wall inside,sheeted with OSB outside,wrapped with tyvek,and vinyl siding backed with insulating foam.
Double insulation under the floor(2x10 joists) with vapor barrier,and non electric thermally controlled crawl space vents.May add solar powered fan if needed to vent crawl space.
The roof will be trussed A frame roof with light colored singles,double insulated,soffit vents, and ridge vent.I may add a fan if needed.
Complete rewire of the entire trailer,including all boxes,and master panel.I will be doing a lot of GFCI,surge,and lightening protection.Experience dictates.
All appliances will be high efficiency units.I may add solar water heating since I will have such a long distance between the utility room and the kitchen.
Heating will be a small boxwood stove with either electric or wood furnace.I'm trying to eliminate 220v appliances as much as possible.I know 220v is more efficient,but stacking inverters gets expensive.
AC will be two smallish window units,if I can't get my DIY geo therm system worked out.It's to hot here for me to go without some way to cool down.
All lighting will be fluorescent or LED.
Everything that presents a phantom load will be put on a surge protected power strip.
I am also considering lighting motion sensors in some areas.


Please advise on lowering energy consumption for a possible off grid solar install.I can't put up a wind genny because I live close to 3 short field airports.I do have an old areal antenna pole that could take a DIY VAWT.I just can't get high enough(150'+) to receive clean airflow to a whirligig.FAA has already said no to the farms behind me.

[DamonHD]

Hi,

Just to be clear that we're on the same page, when you say "our usage was 1570KWH yearly average" do you mean that you used 1570kWh for the month or for the entire year?  The first would be (for example) high by UK standards and the second very low.  (We are very careful and our gross consumption for the entire year, ignoring out solar PV, is about 1500kWh per *year*; typical UK electricity usage with natural gas for heating is about 3300kWh per *year*.)

Rgds

Damon

[upstateman]

Hi,

Just to be clear that we're on the same page, when you say "our usage was 1570KWH yearly average" do you mean that you used 1570kWh for the month or for the entire year?  The first would be (for example) high by UK standards and the second very low.  (We are very careful and our gross consumption for the entire year, ignoring out solar PV, is about 1500kWh per *year*; typical UK electricity usage with natural gas for heating is about 3300kWh per *year*.)

Rgds

Damon

It was the average for 12 months of the year,July to July.Our utility company sends out a usage report to each residence.They average everything together by adding all 12 months then dividing by 12 to get the average.Ours is considered to be higher than average houses in our area of the same size,but not grossly high.

[dnix71]

A/C and refrigeration are the big consumers of electricity.

You live in a "manufactured" home. Since 'mobile' homes usually never get moved after they are bought and set on a lot, they aren't really mobile, like a van or bus converted to live in is.

A serious issue with manufactured homes is outgassing. If you make your home air tight to keep heating and cooling costs down you may need an air-to-air exchanger to prevent the buildup of toxic fumes inside.

Paint, vinyl blinds, carpet and particle board all outgas different chemicals. In the US it is only recently that the EPA set standards for indoor air for formaldehyde outgassing from carpet and particle board glue used in mobile home construction.

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formaldehyde.html

http://www.smarthome.com/50938/Broan-AE60-Whole-House-Air-Exchanger/p.aspx   The Broan AE60 would be large enough for your home and costs about $500 US. It has a thermostat control to limit exchanges when the temp outside gets too high or low.

[upstateman]

A/C and refrigeration are the big consumers of electricity.

You live in a "manufactured" home. Since 'mobile' homes usually never get moved after they are bought and set on a lot, they aren't really mobile, like a van or bus converted to live in is.

A serious issue with manufactured homes is outgassing. If you make your home air tight to keep heating and cooling costs down you may need an air-to-air exchanger to prevent the buildup of toxic fumes inside.

Paint, vinyl blinds, carpet and particle board all outgas different chemicals. In the US it is only recently that the EPA set standards for indoor air for formaldehyde outgassing from carpet and particle board glue used in mobile home construction.

http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formaldehyde.html

http://www.smarthome.com/50938/Broan-AE60-Whole-House-Air-Exchanger/p.aspx   The Broan AE60 would be large enough for your home and costs about $500 US. It has a thermostat control to limit exchanges when the temp outside gets too high or low.

OK,lets try this again.More detail is needed from me.I get what you are saying.This MH was set up by may father in 1976.Yes,this MH will be air tight like a house.It will have an air handler like a house.The one I am looking at passes the air back through an air to air heat exchanger so the out going air can have a chance to warm the incoming air a little.I have a friend in the HVAC biz that can get the unit cheap.Yay me.Also,I'll have an energy audit done once the MH is sealed up to get an idea of how much cooling we will need.It's been estimated at 3 tons.I really don't think it will be that much with the work I plan to do.It was good with a 22,000BTU window unit in the living area and a 8500BTU window unit in the end bedroom.It stayed under 80 inside on a 100* day.More insulation will help that.I hate window units BTW.

I will not bring chemical laden products into my house because it will kill me quickly due to my health conditions.I can't have chemicals freely out gassing.This will be where I spend my money,paint,flooring,and furniture.I can't have carpet in the next place I live.I know there will be some fumes given off,but it can be extremely minimized.A lot of stuff will be reclaimed or recycled if possible.I don't foresee needing constant AC through the summer.Currently,I have only wanted it on the days where outside temps went above 85*F with high humidity 70%+.With the insulation and windows I am planning,I don't think I will want AC as much as I do now.We have decided that we will not move in until the house is 100% done.The lady of the house and myself have both lived in construction zones before.We won't do it again.Also,when I say we are remodeling this MH,I mean we are going to the studs and removing the bow roof for a truss roof.I will be doing hurricane brackets through out,and running the tie down straps up through the roof,instead of just through the floor joists.All new wiring.The current wiring is aluminum and I do not trust it.NO! NO!

Refrigeration.A converted chest freezer and another small one for a freezer.We estimate we spent about $30 for the whole year to run our 3.4CF chest freezer.I think it's 3.4CF inside.It's roughly a 42 inch cube on the outside.It rarely runs and it's sitting in an enclosed unconditioned back porch.This unit will remain a freezer.We only keep about 2 weeks worth of chilled or frozen food for 3 people.We do freeze veggies and meat for winter.Our current fridge is a small top mount freezer unit about 6 foot tall.I am also going to put the fridge/freezer on the opposite side or the room, away from the stove, on the northwest facing wall.

Keep the idears rolling.

[dnix71]

3 tons a/c isn't bad. My next door neighbors 1 bedroom apt is cooled by a 2 ton unit. I'm not allergic to much but it's suprising how much nasty stuff there is in new goods. I bought a new bicycle and the fumes from the tires were sickening. I got rid of carpet years ago because it is impossible to keep clean.

Your air to air heat exchanger is exactly what you need in an air-tight building.

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-08-20/news/9708200073_1_district-plans-broward-schools-west-hollywood
As old as this article is, the issue has still not been resolved here in south Florida.
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-10-16/news/fl-epa-mold-broward-schools-20101016_1_combat-mold-water-stained-broward-schools  13 years later grand juries have to threaten officials to get results.

Air-tight buildings require balanced a/c ventilation and humidity control. They still don't have it right.

Trees help cut heating and cooling costs. Plant some fast growing shade trees if you can. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20355714,00.html

[upstateman]

3 tons a/c isn't bad. My next door neighbors 1 bedroom apt is cooled by a 2 ton unit. I'm not allergic to much but it's suprising how much nasty stuff there is in new goods. I bought a new bicycle and the fumes from the tires were sickening. I got rid of carpet years ago because it is impossible to keep clean.

Your air to air heat exchanger is exactly what you need in an air-tight building.

http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1997-08-20/news/9708200073_1_district-plans-broward-schools-west-hollywood
As old as this article is, the issue has still not been resolved here in south Florida.
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2010-10-16/news/fl-epa-mold-broward-schools-20101016_1_combat-mold-water-stained-broward-schools  13 years later grand juries have to threaten officials to get results.

Air-tight buildings require balanced a/c ventilation and humidity control. They still don't have it right.

Trees help cut heating and cooling costs. Plant some fast growing shade trees if you can. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20355714,00.html

I know about mold problems.It's bad here this year after all the rain.

I don't have enough space on the lot for shade trees without getting into power lines.It would also block my sun for solar set up,if I end up going that way.

[bob g]

not knowing the details of your home, many of the older units had relatively flat roofs
this made for minimal insulation in the ceiling and much heat gain in the summer months.

if this is the case with this home, you might consider building up some trusses and putting on a traditional roof, with vents in both ends and along the peak/ridge line to allow heat to escape and not be shoved into the home.

bob g

[upstateman]

OK,lets try this again.More detail is needed from me.I get what you are saying.This MH was set up by may father in 1976.Yes,this MH will be air tight like a house.It will have an air handler like a house.The one I am looking at passes the air back through an air to air heat exchanger so the out going air can have a chance to warm the incoming air a little.I have a friend in the HVAC biz that can get the unit cheap.Yay me.Also,I'll have an energy audit done once the MH is sealed up to get an idea of how much cooling we will need.It's been estimated at 3 tons.I really don't think it will be that much with the work I plan to do.It was good with a 22,000BTU window unit in the living area and a 8500BTU window unit in the end bedroom.It stayed under 80 inside on a 100* day.More insulation will help that.I hate window units BTW.

I will not bring chemical laden products into my house because it will kill me quickly due to my health conditions.I can't have chemicals freely out gassing.This will be where I spend my money,paint,flooring,and furniture.I can't have carpet in the next place I live.I know there will be some fumes given off,but it can be extremely minimized.A lot of stuff will be reclaimed or recycled if possible.I don't foresee needing constant AC through the summer.Currently,I have only wanted it on the days where outside temps went above 85*F with high humidity 70%+.With the insulation and windows I am planning,I don't think I will want AC as much as I do now.We have decided that we will not move in until the house is 100% done.The lady of the house and myself have both lived in construction zones before.We won't do it again.Also,when I say we are remodeling this MH,I mean we are going to the studs and removing the bow roof for a truss roof.I will be doing hurricane brackets through out,and running the tie down straps up through the roof,instead of just through the floor joists.All new wiring.The current wiring is aluminum and I do not trust it.NO! NO!

Refrigeration.A converted chest freezer and another small one for a freezer.We estimate we spent about $30 for the whole year to run our 3.4CF chest freezer.I think it's 3.4CF inside.It's roughly a 42 inch cube on the outside.It rarely runs and it's sitting in an enclosed unconditioned back porch.This unit will remain a freezer.We only keep about 2 weeks worth of chilled or frozen food for 3 people.We do freeze veggies and meat for winter.Our current fridge is a small top mount freezer unit about 6 foot tall.I am also going to put the fridge/freezer on the opposite side or the room, away from the stove, on the northwest facing wall.

Keep the idears rolling.

not knowing the details of your home, many of the older units had relatively flat roofs
this made for minimal insulation in the ceiling and much heat gain in the summer months.

if this is the case with this home, you might consider building up some trusses and putting on a traditional roof, with vents in both ends and along the peak/ridge line to allow heat to escape and not be shoved into the home.

bob g

I touched on that subject.3/12 pitch is what most newer MH roofs are built to.That is my plan.I'll have between 6 and 8 inches of insulation.One layer will be 1/2 inch reflective foam board.The rest will be bat insulation.