HVAC
GE Geospring hybrid heat pump. $1,434.Can operate in heat pump mode, electric resistance, or combination. Needs approximately 7x7 ft room minimum to draw air from. Otherwise introduce ventilation or louver door. Heat pump cools the place where it is located. Good thing in summer. Not so good in winter, which would require our air source heat pump for space heating to work harder. However, if it outside temps were super cold, we could switch to electric resistance mode or simply shut off water heater. Needs a drain for condensation. Latter implies that it will be removing water (humidity) from air. Water heater is less efficient the cooler the space it is located in. I believe it automatically shuts down when the space is 45 degrees or 120 F. https://www.myapstore.com/GEStore/Appliances/BuyOnline/Specifications?sku=GEH80DFEJSR&productlanding=yes
http://extension.unh.edu/Heating-Wood/Buying-Installing-and-Maintaining-Woodstove Recommended by greenbuildingadvisory.com as the best resource for choosing a stove. " ONE The chimney runs inside the building envelope (inside the heated space) so air and flue gases stay at least as warm as the air in the house until they are expelled outside. TWO The chimney penetrates the highest part of the building envelope so the chimney always functions better as a chimney than the house does, even when there is no fire burning. THREE The chimney is tall enough and its top is clear of obstacles to wind flow so it can produce stable draft and it has a chimney (rain) cap because without one any chimney is vulnerable to adverse wind pressures. FOUR The chimney flue is insulated and is the correct size for the appliance so flue gases are kept warm and flow quickly through the system. FIVE The flue pipe (if there is one) runs straight up from the appliance to the chimney and the chimney has no offsets because each change in direction presents resistance to flow. SIX The appliance and venting system are reasonably well-sealed because leaks introduce cool air and big leaks make the system more vulne...
example integrating duct unit into the interior design "According to Shapiro's estimate, which is based mostly on manufacturers' specifications, a ductless minisplit heating system can be expected to operate at an average coefficient of performance (COP) of 2.3 — that is, 2.3 times as efficient as an electric resistance heater." http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/heating-tight-well-insulated-house
radiant cove heat as backup to air source heat pump during extreme cold temps. Alternative to electric radiant heat in slab "Before moving on to right-sized solutions, it’s worth mentioning that it rarely makes sense to install radiant-floor heat in a superinsulated house." "According to Shapiro's estimate, which is based mostly on manufacturers' specifications, a ductless minisplit heating system can be expected to operate at an average coefficient of performance (COP) of 2.3 — that is, 2.3 times as efficient as an electric resistance heater." http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/heating-tight-well-insulated-house
This is the system that came up on Mitsubishi's site when I entered in our square footage, number of rooms, and highest SEER value of 15. This outdoor unit is capable of 8 multi split indoor units. The important lesson is that we do not have to have the same time type indoor unit. For instance, the wall mounted is most efficient. We could combine that with a floor mounted unit in the great room, recessed ceiling units in bedrooms, etc My understanding is that the indoor unit concealed is also compatible with ventilation. Does this mean we could integrate as ERV intakes, in combination with the ERV's stand alone exhaust. Spot ventilation in bathrooms and maybe kitchen. Then we could still have forced air electric furnace as backup. But we wouldn't need to drop a multi-split into the plenum, which could be mounted in the attic, if space is too limited in mechanical room. Remember, we will have to periodically clean filters, so access and our ability to do so need to be considered, giving wall and ceiling mount options.
Madison, Wisconsin location for ERV https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26RTxYeupO HRV in the summer and only reject some of the heat in the air. It can not reject moisture (humidity). ERV in winter can reject some of the indoor humidity being exhausted to help prevent over drying the home in the winter. Inversely, during our humid summers, the ERV can reject some of the humidity from the incoming air. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6m6yg91Ukc
ventilation and energy recovery. Recommended by AE Building Systems. Exhausts stale air. Filters air incoming air, heat exchange, and controls humidity. Air distribution through duct system. Exhausts radon. ERV and HRV reduce dust. However, as I understand it, ERV will help control humidity, whereas HRV does not. Why is preferred placement in basement? Requires ceiling level exhaust and near floor level intake. AE Buildings recommends a dedicated duct system for EVR. However, can run hybrid, if so, best to have returns from humid areas be dedicated, such as from bathroom. Recommends keeping return 6 to 8 ft away from shower. Can incorporate kitchen hood to recycle air. http://www.ultimateair.com/default.aspx "To find the proper size you can multiply the square footage of the home by the ceiling height. Then divide your answer by 60. Finally, multiply that answer by .35 and you will have the unit size in cfm. http://www.hvac-for-beginners.com/energy-recovery-ventilators.html "the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), which sets standards for good residential indoor air quality, recommends continuous ventilation of 0.01 cfm per square f...
An argument for ductless mini-splits. http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/just-two-minisplits-heat-and-cool-whole-house IVRF (variable refrigerant flow) air source heat pumps. mini-splits in living room and our bedroom for zone conditioning. Zone conditioning is not just about efficiency. Rather, zoning also offers comfort as users of a room can adjust the heating and cooling as desired. Control system will be important so that we can most effectively separate outdoor and indoor spaces and control the exchange: heat, air, and moisture between them. See also: http://healthyheating.com We should be able to apply the HVAC modeling to help with decisions regarding cost effectiveness of building envelope factors, such as glass, insulation, and other construction details http://www.slideshare.net/ToddWitt/step-4-properly-sized-designed-installed-and-commissioned-hvac-systems "Another issue is that mini-splits systems do not have a way to recirculate and balance the air as a duct system does. Central air based duct systems are balanced so that the return air capacity matches the supply air capacity preventing indoor air turbulence. Mini-split systems have no return ...
http://www.hometips.com/buying-guides/heat-pumps-sizing-quiet-options.html Two-speed compressors allow heat pumps to cool or heat only at the capacity needed at any given time, while heat pumps with a standard compressor can only operate at maximum capacity. This feature not only saves on energy costs, but it also reduces wear and tear on the compressor. If you have a large home with a zone-control system, a two-speed heat pump connected to automatic dampers will allow you to keep different rooms at different temperatures. Houses Need to Breath "In general, though, there are three approaches to whole-house ventilation—exhaust, supply, and balanced systems—each a little more involved and more expensive than the last." http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/sites/default/files/Houses%20Need%20to%20Breathe%20Right_FHB178.pdf
>Woodstock Soapstone (woodstove.com) See Keystone model. cast iron with soap stone. catalytic combuster. 45K max BTU, 1.9 grams phr. $2,399 >blazeking is steel plate. The Briarwood II has a large wide-screen viewing area at 22” x 11”. and will take a 22” log. The 2.1 cu. Ft. firebox will give you warmth for up to 7 hours and has the ability to heat from 600 to 1,200 sq. ft. 3.5 grams per hr >Jotul stoves are cast iron. Includes about 6 models in the 1,000+- sq ft range. > Mosul 3440 outputs 35K BTU, 3.5 grams emission, uses 15 inch logs >hearthnhome, Yosemite is cast iron >quadrafire 2100 Millenium has brick lined firebox http://www.woodstove.com/ http://www.blazeking.com/ http://jotul.com/us/products/stoves/jotul-f-100-nordic-qt#technical-area http://hearthnhome.com/ http://www.quadrafire.com/Products/2100-Millennium-Wood-Stove.aspx http://www.unforgettablefirellc.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/kimberly_stove.png http://www.heatredefined.com/englander/stove/Englander-Tranquility-1200-Sq.-Ft.-Wood-Stove
https://store.nest.com/product/thermostat/Very high-efficiency heat pumps come with a desuperheater, which utilizes waste heat from the pump’s cooling mode to heat water at a rate two to three times faster than an ordinary water heater. Scroll compressors, unlike the piston compressors used in standard heat pumps, do a better job of forcing the refrigerant into smaller and smaller areas. This not only results in a longer and quieter operating life, but it also provides 10 to 15 degrees F. warmer air when in the heating mode.
Air source heat pump. The two Japanese models released in 2014 operate well below zero. mitsubishi - effective to -13 degress Fujitsu - effective to -15 degrees. What is the best side of the cabin to mount units? Mounting at ground level is not going to cut it in the winter. I have also seen pictures where people place a small snow roof over the unit, but no so close as to hamper air flow. When selecting a heat pump, look for a unit with an outdoor sound rating of less than 7.6 bels (76 decibels). Also, talk to the dealer about the availability of noise-reducing platforms and sound screens. We also want VRF (variable refrigerant flow) so that the condenser adjusts to the needs of the heat load. Testimonials from women https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfTRdb88_Hw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgccHdspxKQ Good source to shop for ductless mini-splits, as well as ask questions. Mitsubishi offers a 6K BTU and 9K BTU unit that might work for our bedroom, with a one or more larger units in the great room. https://www.goductless.com/ Mitsubishi http://www.mitsubishipro.com/en/professional/products/heat-pump-systems/m-series-multi-zone/m-series-heat-pumps---indoor-units-(mul...
Is it cost and energy effective to run the air intake through an "earth tube" some 7 feet or so deep where there is more constant temp? Pre-heat or pre-cool air before it reaches heat exchange or energy exchange ventilator. Designing A Passive Solar Slab http://www.homepower.com/articles/home-efficiency/design-construction/designing-passive-solar-slab "remember that a heat pump doesn’t have the capacity to quickly bring a cold house up to temperature" Good overview of the mix-and-match capability of indoor units, from floor mounted, ceiling recessed, wall mounted, or concealed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyRa_KAf4EI Illustrates the different Mitsubishi indoor units http://www.mitsubishicomfort.com/media/279976/conbro_consumerbrochure_lowres.pdf
Honeywell console humidifier is supposed to be quieter than many and can condition up to 1900 sq ft $129.99
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