New Shack/ Shop

[WA1GFZ]

I disagree HUZ and invite you to visit my beach QTH on a winter day to stand in front of the windows facing south. Or ask Dean KNX about my solar set up.
He stopped by on a cold winter day to enjoy 85 degrees next to my south facing windows.

[Steve - K4HX]

Yes, you have a solar set up. You are using the sun on purpose. Of course that 85 kinda sucks in the summer, so I wonder if there is any net gain. In cases where one is not, windows should not allow cold air in. They should not allow sun in either (unless you like high AC bills).

[WA1GFZ]

Carefully designed overhang above windows keeps the sun out this time of the year.
The cat loves the nice cool stone floor. Barely gets past the window sill now. Winter it will come in 15 feet when the sun is low.

[Steve - K4HX]

Hmm. You must have magic grass and dirt to stop the reflection.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

Actually many newer windows are designed to allow in radiant sunlight at a particular lower angle and block it at others, basically letting you benefit from it in winter while blocking it in summer. Something like polarizing or such, I forget. If you just use stock glass, all bets are off. We pay hell here in summer due to a lack of tall shade trees close in to the house. But nothing has fallen on the roof in the hurricanes, tornadoes, or windstorms either.

But hey - Joe's garage has no windows. Moot point, yuppies or otherwise. 

[WA1GFZ]

Garden is directly outside the windows. There isn't much reflection.
When there is show on the ground it really reflects energy at the windows.
You can't stand near the window for very long on a sunny day during the winter if there is snow on the ground.

[W1RKW]

I have a similar setup on the back or south side of the house as Frank. Lots of glass. It approaches 80 during the dead of winter. Zone 1 rarely comes on during the day under full sun.  Got trees that are in full bloom during the summer to provide some shade. Cooling not a problem.

[K1JJ]

Interesting techniques -   using glass that favors lower angles for winter and trees that are transparent in winter, but grow shade in summer.

I remember being in Frank's sun room in the winter. It was actually too hot for comfort, but that was the idea - to store up heat for the night.


Maybe the ultimate Yuppie option would be a moveable astro-dome over the whole house, caw mawn.


My best effort for winter was putting in a FB coal stove and real chimney a few years back. One 200 gallon oil tank from Sept - April is 1/2 used. The coal stove is extra work but the glow and heat is fun.

For summer, being at 805' elv and breezy generally keeps us about 10 degrees cooler than at sea level.

T

[ve6pg]

..nice, and this should push me along...mine looks almost the same..it is 30x46, big 15foot sliding door, and smaller regular door... it was a grow-op before i owned the place...slowly getting it organized...only taken 5 yrs to get to painting the inside walls...

tim..

..sk..