2 No-Power Solar Survival Tips
Around our house, on any given day, you’ll probably find me fiddling with the windows and shades. No, it’s not because we have peeping toms, it’s because I’m constantly getting free heat and cooling from the outdoors.
In the winter, the first thing I do in the morning is open all the blinds along the east and southern face of the house to let the sun heat the house. After the sun passes over I will often close the blinds and curtains to trap the heat. In the evening all windows and blinds are buttoned up tight.
In the summer, we keep the windows open at night to let the cool night air in. Then we trap that air in the morning by closing the windows. And we close the blinds and curtains during the day to keep the sun’s rays from heating up the place.
I bet if you looked closely at your windows and doors there is a way you could use passive means to help heat or cool your house. You can install some awnings or shades to block the sun in the summer. Deciduous trees are another great way to provide shade in the summer and sun in the winter after the leaves fall off.
Even your houseplants can help! Block sunny windows off with large or hanging house plants. They’ll absorb the heat, clean your air, and help cool the house.
You can learn more about really capturing the sun’s heat with the DIY Solar Heater guide that is included in your Power 4 Patriots system. This is a simple introduction to passive solar heating. If you build it and install it right, this is hands down the easiest way to capture the sun’s energy and turn it into something that can help you right away.
So how do you use the sun’s free energy? Let me know in the comments!
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What can you do when you would love to open your windows at night to let the cool night air in to save on A/C costs, but the neighbors light bonfires and campfires in the evening most nights in this neighborhood. I can’t stand the smell of smoke coming in my house. Most of these fires are illegal as we have ordinances in the city against bonfires without permits (most of them do not get them) and burning leaves and other greenery (such as pine boughs) is strictly forbidden. But small fire pits are legal according to the firemen we have talked to and that even stinks coming in the house. So my electric bill is sky high in the summer. It really stinks, literally. Also we have the occasional skunk coming through the yards stinking the air up. You just can’t win!
Is installing an attic fan a good idea for a 2 story house in southern California? Is it hard to do, do I need a electrician? a permit?
I AM AN 82 YR OLD LADY. A NATIVE TEXAN. WHEN I ARRIVED IN CENTRAL TEXAS FROM THE RIO GRANDE VALLEY I KNEW TO SHOP FOR A HOME CORRECTLY, I’M CONVINCED. MY DAUGHTERS TOLD ME I WAS TOO PICKY WHEN WE DROVE AROUND THIS SENIOR COMMUNITY. I CHOSE A HOME THAT FACE THE STREET BETWEEN NORTH/WEST WITH A FRONT PORCH AND TREES PROPERLY PLACED B THE ORIGINAL OWNER. THE HOUSE HAD TO FACE A WESRERN TREE AND NORTH FACING GARAGE. THE BACK YARD HAD TO HAVE AN OAK TREE WITH A BACK PORCH. I MOVED IN AND STARTED WORKING ON THE YARD. I WAS TOLD MY YREES WERE DAMAGED AND DYING. oak’s ? ICALLED THE COUNTY AGENT FOR INFO. IT TOOK SOME YEARS TO FILL MY OAKTREE WELL (2 1/2 DEEP) WITH LEAVES, GREEN SAND, AND DRIED MOLASSES. THE GROUND IS LEVEL NOW AND I HAVE ONE OF THE TALLEST TREES. MY PEAR TREE FACING THE WEST HAD TO HAVE A LARGE BED TO COVER ROOTS. MONEY WENT INTO THE YARD. MY SHADE TREES ARE NECESSARY IN TEXAS. I CLOSE MY SHADES AT NIGHT AND IN THE WINTER. I CLOSE OFF THE VENT IN THE GUEST BEDROOM TO SAVE ON HEAT AND AC BILLS. CUT OFF THE CENTRAL AT NIGHT AND HAVE A SMALL HEATER IN MY BATH THAT ALSO HEATS THE BEDROOM. I HAD FANS INSTALLED IN EACH ROOM TO CIRCULATE WARM OR COOL AIR. I NEVER OPEN MY WINDOWS. TOO MUCH CEDAR IN THE AIR OR OTHER BUGS I DON’T WANT IN THE HOUSE. I LIKE LIGHT AND USE ONLY SHEERS OVER THE WINDOWSPROTECTED BY THE PORCHES AND SHADE TREES. NOW WATER IS A PROBLEM IN TEXAS. WHEN I HAVE COMPANY I USE MY DISH WASHER AFTER THEY LEAVE, BUT OTHERWISE I USE A SMALL PLATE, BOWL, GLASS, COFFEE MUG. WHAT ELSE DOES ONE NEED. SELDOM EAT OUT BUT BRING HOME A DOGGY BAG WHEN I DO. I STORED 72 HR CASES FOR YEARS BECAUSE THE RED CROSS SUGGESTED IT. NOW I HAVE MY PATRIOTS FOR FOOD STORED IN MY OFFICE CLOSET. MY 72 HR.PACK JUST INSIDE FROM THE GARAGE. I TOO BELIEVE IN GREEN BUT I FINALLY GAVE UP MY PLANTS IN EACH ROOM BECAUSE I REALLY CAN’T HANDLE THEM ANYMORE, BUT BOUGHT ROOM PURIFERS TAT I CLEAN ONCE A MONTH. IF I WANT TO ENJOY THE OUTSIDE , I HAVE AN OUTDOOR LIVING ROOM UNDER MY LARGE OAK TREE IN LATE AFTERNOONS OR EVENING AND A SHADIED FRONT PORCH TO DRINK MY COFFE IN THE MORNINGS AND LISTEN TO THE BIRDS. I’LL SHUT UP NOW. OLD WOMEN ARE LONG WINDED OR MAYBE ITS BECAUSE I’M A PROUD TEXAN.
I believe your caps lock may be stuck in the in position.
Bettyray,
It sounds to me like you grew up in a generation where people were taught to think their way through life. As the Aussies would say, “Good on you!”
My house was built with Passive Solar Space Heating and Solar Water Heat back in 1983- but I cannot take advantage of this since I have a Neighbor who REFUSES to cut down his 100 foot pine tree which was planted in the 1990 – This tree’s shadow block my Passive Solar from 11:00 AM until 5:22 Pm and my Solar Panels from 1:30 until sunset. There are Fedearl adn AZ State Laws whihc prohibit interference with a Property’s Owners rights to Renewal Energy Sources, there is NO AGENCY to enforce theses laws and force my neighbor to cut down his tree- In the past 6 years I have send him pictures and Certified Letters but he refuses. I am on a KW Demand and Time of Day Meter to this tree totally inhibits my peak time of the day for capturing Solar Power. And of course the Utility Company will not help since I pay PREMIUM fro Electricity from Noon-7:00 PM
They make slingshots capable of shooting small water balloons. I think several of those full of roundup or some other heavy duty systemic root killer could take care of your tree problem.
That might open a wile can of legal worms (the worst kind).
Roundup kills bees. Suggest some more ecological solution.
Your neighbor might want the shade from the tree and the wind break from it . It sure cost less to plant a tree than to put in what you have. what I would say you should of bought a place where you wouldn’t have neighbors so close having a house close to someone things will happen
The courts can act if the executive will not.
Sue the neighbor. The mere act of filing a case might be enough to convince him to fix the situation.
You could sue, not only to have him cut down the offending tree/branches, but for all the lost energy (damages) over many years (probably seven, you waited a long time to file), and punitive damages, as well.
I am not a lawyer. I am not YOUR lawyer. Please take my suggestion with the proverbial grain of salt. But any decent lawyer should be able to address the question. And, if he’s on his toes, he can make a lot of money himself by making sure the neighbor pays court and legal costs, as well.
With just two in the house – at last – and two sets of dishes and utensils to wash, I run my two 100 ft. garden hoses,connected together, from my deck, out in the back yard and back to the kitchen window for about an hour while we’re eating dinner. When plate washin’ time arrives, my better half just fills both sinks half-way with water that is almost too hot to put your hands in.
what is the hose made of,, have you tasted the water from the hose?
I have been heating my workshop for several years with a simple “drain-down” solar collector. My shop is 500 square feet with 8 ft. ceiling, so I am really heating 4,000 cubic feet of space. I have a 300 gallon water storage tank in the rear corner of the shop and connected to it is a small (35 Watt) circulator pump. This is connected to 200 feet of 3/4 in. black water hose that is placed on my south facing roof in a slightly tilted “Z” pattern. This allows all of the water to drain back to the tank when the pump shuts off. On a typical winter day of approximately 35 degrees F, I will see a temperature rise of about 12 degrees above the input water temp. This spread will continue for 5 or 6 hours during the sunniest part of the day. After the pump shuts down the heat is released into the shop by simple convection, as the tank is not insulated. Now this isn’t an elaborate system, but my shop is a comfortable 60 degrees in the daytime and very seldom drops below 50 degrees at night. Nothing has ever frozen in the shop since I put this in operation. Total cost: maybe $100.00 as the pump is a salvaged unit about 40 years old and the hose was on sale.
Nice! Show us pictures — I love this sort of thing.
Doesn’t everybody use curtains and blinds to keep the sun out in the summer and at night in the winter? Doesn’t everybody already open their windows at night in the summer to cool the house? i only need the air condition (one small window one) to cool the house a few days each summer when the night time temperatures are above 20 C for a few days in a row. No A/C needed if night time temperatures are low enough and the windows and blinds closed in the morning.
The thing that most people don’t yet do is BUILD their house to use passive solar power. i oriented by house to the south and minimized north windows and reduced the size of East and West windows. South windows are double paned while North, East and West are triple paned. Also build stone masonry walls and concrete floor with stone tiles where the south facing windows will heat them during the day in winter to increase the passive heat storage. Further, I put R 60 insulation in the attic and built offset double 2 x 4 exterior walls to increase the insulation of the exterior walls.
Thus, it is all about getting the sun in as much as possible during the day during winter and storing it inside at night.
In the summer, I put up cedar lattices over the south facing windows and keep the blinds down in the day with windows all closed. In the evening, all blinds are up and the windows open. It is all about not letting the sun in, and cooling the house down at night so it stays cool all through the next day.
That was quite helpful. Thanks. -LRC
very good ,love it
Hello,
I did this very thing that you suggested: In the summer, we keep the windows open at night to let the cool night air in. Then we trap that air in the morning by closing the windows. And we close the blinds and curtains during the day to keep the sun’s rays from heating up the place.
Guess what I got? MOLD!!!!!!!!!! The “disaster” company stated that was one of the reasons, so $35,000 LATER, I NEVER open a window. What people probably do not realize is that mold spores enter you house everytime a door or window is open and if the conditions are right, MOLD>
Especially true in Florida….
A dehumidifier may help, but, I do not know if it totally solves moisture problems….
Thanks for the heads up. -LRC
A couple years ago I picked up a electric heating mattress pad at Kmart. It has an adjustable controller to vary the temp. Since my solar system is my source of power, this low draw item allows me to stay very comfortable on cold nights without turning on the cabins propane heating system.
Has anyone converted an old Satelite dish antenna to a solar oven/water heater? There has never been cable or internet at my home place. My dad bought the tv dish when he retired, but it wasn’t long after till the signals were scrambled. It’s been sitting there ever since in a southwest facing position. I’m thinking of cutting flat sheet aluminum in pie shapes to fit this thing. Then polishing the aluminum. Next I would install a bracket to mount a cook surface on or maybe a tank from a small water heater and run the lines into the house.
I haven’t – but it’s been done: http://hackaday.com/2013/01/08/satellite-dish-solar-cooker-bakes-potatoes-and-more/
We use the sun to brew our tea by placing a large glass jar with the tea bags and water in the south window, we also keep a 25 watt solar panel in the south window to keep a deep cycle battery charged at all times, and in the summer we dehydrate vegiets we grow.
The ancient Greeks used to position the house to take advantage of the sun’s warmth in the Winter, usually South facing. Builders can do the same 2,000 years later to do the same.
I plan to add a family room to back of my East facing house at some point in the future. The plan is to make the north wall out of brick with a layer of insulation between the inner and outer courses of brick, and make the south wall mostly thermopain glass windows. in the summer when the sun is high in the sky the sun’s rays can not reach the brick wall even if the shades are open, but in the winter when the sun is low in the south, the sun’s rays will strike the brick wall and warm it up and when the sun goes down the heated wall will radiate warmth back into the room helping to reduce the cost of heating the room. Some window manufacturers have coatings that will reflect high angle sun back away from the house but still all the low angle sun to freely pass through the glass to give this system even more efficiency.
Frank put tin foil on the out side of the black shade to reflect the heat. Use white shades. Black soaks up heat and holds it white reflects heat. Black only works if its very thick. Black blocks light that helps but check out fashion never wear black in the heat. Make sure the white shades are very shinny.
I have a screened-in back porch on my house that faces west. It is 57 in. of screen height with about 2 ft. enclose above the screen and about 3 ft. below the screen. In the fall I appy clear plastic to it and it turns in into a sun or solar room. We can open kitchen windows and door and the heat comes in the house. I use the very clear window plastic you buy from Wal-mart. It says it for indoors but believe me, it will last all winter. The screen behind it acts as a backing support if the wind blows violently and it does on this mt. I live on in north al. Never had it blowed out. Occasionally a bird will fly into it and creates a small hole or tear that I repair with clear packageing tape. I’ve been doing this for almost 20 yrs. at 3 different addresses. We also move plants from the exposed front porch to the back during the winter. I have blinds that I can close if it gets to hot out there.
Anyone that isn’t using the sun already is unaware of how much they stand to gain over the period of a year. Next tip would be to do what I’ve done. I’ve put together a portable power plant.
Where ever I go with my B.O.B., I’ve got the ability to generate power. Sure, I can’t power a whole house, but when you’re outside in your four (4) season tent ten miles from Sunday, I can heat water, make & STORE electricity, and enjoy a few creature comforts that make being away from home a little easier to handle.
With a few tips, you’d be surprised at what you can make happen! Thanks for keeping this gift from God in the focus of our minds.
Garry, What is your B.O.B.?
That is what I was wondering….what is a B.O.B.?????
Carol, BOB is an abbreviation for Bug Out Bag – basically pre-packed bag with everything you might need if you need to leave the house in a hurry. I’ve got a good primer available here: bugoutbag4patriots.com
Where did you get your portable power plant? How does it work?
Years ago, Co-Evolution Quarterly magazine had a blurb about uses of Solar. 2-3 story homes that were situated with windows on East & West sides were cooled, in days before A/C, by the slight breeze created by opening the upper windows on the East & the lower windows on the West & then reversing the arrangement as the sun was at its highest point.
They also published a picture, taken of the San Francisco roof tops before 1903, of all the solar water heaters in use.
Your landlord sounds like most landlords…..he has an investment that makes him money to pay his mortgage and doesn’t concern himself with your comfort. The other option is to contact the fair housing commission and see if you have any recourse to hold your rent payments in exchange for hiring a contractor to come blow in some insulation up in the attic space. My suggestion….find a new place and let the landlord find another pigeon.
My other suggestion:
Do you like the color pink? Do you have an electric screwdriver?Do you know how to use spackle?Can you locate the ceiling joists? If your landlord won’t do the job your rent is paying for, how about a DIY job of foamboard insulation on the underside of the ceiling? Find the joists and using screws with a perforated base insulation hanger (so the screws don’t go through the board and will hold the foam up) It is easy to cut to fit with a drywall saw, it’s, light to lift up,will not add any weight to your overhead joists and depending on your region and the thickness, it will at least give you somewhat of a break. if you are on a tight budget…. buy just one sheet at a time. You only need to put the screws on the four corners of the 4×8 sheet as it is so light!!! Every inch of foam adds an R value of 8. It is not terribly expensive. After it is up, duct tape to seal the seams so there is no added osmosis of your electric thermoregulating.If you don’t like the color of it, pin up a parchute!!!! Even if you do just your living room and bedroom, it would be better than nothing. The foam comes in white/pink/blue and it is removable so you can take it down and just plug the holes with some spackle when you find a new place to move to so your landlord will just have to return your deposit. Also, be very careful not to miss a stud and hit an electrical wire! Otherwise it could get real HOT, real Quick!
Other than some of the ones you have listed above, I have also used the sun to create a fire (for heat or cooking outside while camping) through the use of a magnifying glass, and also have used it to make “sun tea”, as we call it in Virginia. You can also use the sun to heat up water, like the water inside those hanging shower set-ups that they sell for camping. Those are just a few of the ways that I have used the sun’s free energy.
A white rock roof? Is it relatively flat? I seen people place I inch thick slabs of concrete over a 1/2 inch mesh that allows for drainage the concrete slabs reflect some heat and provide shaded area for the black shingles. Patio furniture and a non- permanent Trellis for hanging out door plants or roof top type garden can also accent your new out door living area if the roof itself is suitable. The key factor is weight and ease of access to the rooftop.
great if you own a home. I live in a tiny 1 bedroom apartment on the top floor. the owner put a new roof on.A black shingles roof. the old one was a white rock roof. they had to replace alot of bad wood plankes. I told the owner, you should put insulation in while they have the boards off. he said he could no afford i. then he puts brand new windows in his front house. it gets 100 degrees in my apartmnet if it’s 90 outside. winter all my heat goes through the cieling and my wall heater is always going off and on. my windows are open all the time and when its hot i run a fan and a portable airconditioner. It still does not cool off . my apartmnt is an oven even on days when where in the low 80’s.
Paul…if you go buy Reflectix (http://www.reflectixinc.com) solar foil and put it in your windows. A $22 roll should do it for you. It will keep the heat out of your place and you will not have to use your air conditioning as much.
I use three very large American Bulldogs, about 80 pounds each and a .45 revolver. The best security system I’ve ever had. If a prowler makes it past the two girls loose on the property at night without being eaten alive, they won’t make it past the big boy in the house at night and me with my peashooter.
Great ideas Thanks.
That’s a no braner, we have been doing this for years!
Frank–thank you….after investing in black-out panel curtains for the eastern & southern windows where we rent, we;re 20-30 degrees cooler than past years!1 We can’t avail ourselves of all power4patriots good ideas but this one sure has helped! Kimberly & Patrick Thompson.
i burn the skin on my back
Good Idea Frank, we have been doing this for years in Southern California. It would help more if your windows and doors are upgraded. That is Double pane glass windows and solid doors. Also have a look at your roof to ensure that it is in good repair. This cost me $5000.00. The inside temperature dropped a good 10 degrees. And using the shade in the day and open windows at night has saved me and my wife a lot of money. The only problem we face is when the temperature goes past 95 degrees outside the house; it is then I use the AC to refresh the air inside the house and keep the temperature at 84 degrees. Thus the interest in your power4patriots. Best investment I’ve made since I have upgraded my house.
Good Idea Frank, we have been doing this for years in Southern California. It would help more if your windows and doors are upgraded. That is Double pane glass windows and solid doors. Also have a look at your roof to ensure that it is in good repair. This cost me $5000.00. The inside temperature dropped a good 10 degrees. And using the shade in the day and open windows at night has saved me and my wife a lot of money. The only problem we face is when the temperature goes past 95 degrees outside the house; it is then I use the AC to refresh the air inside the house and keep the temperature at 84 degrees. Thus the interest in your power4patriots. Best investment I’ve made since I have upgraded my house.
We have been doing that for years. Opening shades in winter to let the sun light in. In the summer closing the shades, and opening the windows at night, anything to save money. My husband and I are both in our late 60’s. We do our own canning and our own garden.
I live in the desert imperial Valley in Calexico Ca.and what we need is to block the sun with what ever, most of the homes are not insulated for this weather i am following your advice of Solar panels wich they are not to many at homes. i have relatives in mexico just across the border and i am going to do something in the other side because of all legal and permits that i have to get in the usa is not for me.
what do you advice .
A Question.
i ask for your CD in what section is the wiring of the solar to the enfhase and to the normal energy box.
i really appreciate
LEO.
Yes, this CAN work in Florida for quite awhile, I only turned my air on about 3 weeks ago. And I don’t have a highly insulated home. Also, the old method of creating a cool current by opening the window just a bit at the bottom on the cool side of the house, then open the opposite windows just a bit, on the hot side, at the top if you have double hung, or upstairs. Brings in cool air at the bottom and then transports and exits out the the hot side. This is what they did before A/C. And also why you see the huge porches on old houses.
Another thing I do, I have roll down hurricane shutters. I keep them all rolled half way down in the summer, it does wonders to keep the heat out.
The summer trick won’t work in the South – the nighttime air isn’t cool enough for that. In the winter I do like everyone else. I am, after all “green”
Try using a fan at night. It doesn’t help with the humidity but it will keep you cool.
More info on the “free” entergy
I HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MANY YEARS!
I’ve used the blinds for controlling heat and light as well. I can’t effectively use the windows for cooling because our house isn’t set up well for it and we live too close to refineries. The other way I use the sun is by turning on my black garden hose and closing off the nozzle. I then turn off the spigot, leaving the hose full and sitting in the sun. When I get done with outside chores, I can turn the spigot on, open the nozzle and get hot water for cleanup. It lasts long enough to loosen dirt and grass so when it cools, the item still gets clean.
I have always kept my blinds open during the day and closed at night for privacy. Thanks for these ideas. Maybe I’ll try them. But I don’t think it would be wise to leave windows open during the night.
My security system would not work if a window is left open.
You can have your windows armed at whatever spot you want to open them. Then if they are moved at all when armed, the alarm will be activated.
I use a Rottweiler. The greatest family dog ever. Very protective of his family. :-)
This is what my Grandmother taught me to do 50 some years ago .
For once I have been doing something right
Thanks, we do most of this, working on my solor system for the RV as we are retired and getting ready for full time
We have 3 very large insulated picture windows on the western wall of the house. We priced custom made curtains for them and estimate was over $2,200.00. Instead, we bought 6 of those shower curtains that are part fabric and part heavy vinyl. Very insulating, and the perfect cream color for that room. That was over 10 yrs. ago; and they show no wear so far and work perfectly. Cost probably $50 or so. We put up cheap skinny rods and put the curtains on plastic shower rod rings with cheap wooden slider pulls attached to the curtains in the middle of each set of panels. Looks nice and so far we haven’t needed to launder them.
Thanks for the tip(s) Frank. As the wife and I are retired and full time RVers, we already do the window and shade heat/cooling and I would have to say I totally agree. It is a very good way to save on your heating and cooling bills. I rarely use the A/C in the summer and try to minimize the use of the heater in the winter (no fireplace in our unit so….lol). We do close up the sleeping area and use an electric blanket during the winter. Warming the bed just before retiring makes it more cozy when we crawl in. We do turn the heat off when we are covered and let the body heat do the rest. Oh, it is also interesting that our silk comforter retains so much of the heat (far better than a wool blanket or quilt). Not sure why that is but it does work.
As of this writing, I have not constructed the solar panels or the wind generator but I have watched the video and am certain that the time and effort are going to be productive. I want to set mine on the roof of my unit with something that rotates them toward the sun as it moves through the sky (any thoughts?). I will also need some sort of regulator so I do not overcharge the batteries. I do use mostly 12 v lighting (yes, I have the 110 system plugged in too but I try to keep the use on that down – I do not have storage room to but a bank of batteries in order to go full solar/battery or I would do so.
I first got interested in solar when I lived in the Hawaiian island. I met a gentleman there that sold solar and did all of his home with it (this was in the 80s). I put a couple of purchased panels aboard my live-aboard boat and lived off strictly solar and propane (cost me about $15 a month for propane fills and, of course, the electric was free.
Now I have found out how to generate my own electric with wind and solar and am sure that the future will be much like the past. I am thinking I will change to a 12v/110/propane refrigerator and drastically reduce the electrical draw for that. Next should be figuring a way to do the same for the stove and then the heater (when I do use it). As I am a new-be to much of this, I want to tell you, it is nice to have someone passing on info that I can use. Again Thank you. Sincerely, Bruce
I do that all the time
Hey Thanks for that . I like all the Info you send . So keep it going . THANKS
I thought about the south facing picture windows, but forgot the south facing bedroom windows. One house I saw had brick wall opposite the large windows to absorb the heat during the day,
I LIVE IN A 1700 SQ FT BERM HOME IN SUNNY/COLD/HOT WYOMING. IT IS AN ALL ELECTRIC HOME & WE FIND IT VERY QUIET (WIND WISE) TO LIVE IN. WE HAVE A BERM ON THE WEST, NORTH & EAST SIDE. WE HAVE GRAVEL STORAGE UNDER THE ONE LEVEL HOME. ALL OF OUR WINDOWS WERE TOTALLY REPLACED ABOUT 5 YRS AGO WITH CUSTOM SIZED LO-E GLASS & WE HAVE NOTICED A SUBSTANTIAL DIFFERENCE IN INSIDE TEMPERATURE CONTROL. WE ALSO HAVE A REMOVABLE AWNING TO CONTROL THE SUN IN THE HOT MONTHS, AS ALL OF OUR WINDOWS FACE THE SOUTH. I HAVE FOUND THE USED OF BAMBOO ROLL DOWN SHADES (OUTSIDE) ALSO REDUCE THE REFLECTION OF HEAT OFF OF OUR SHADED PATIO. DO YOU HAVE A RECOMMENDATION ON INSULATION IN THE ATTIC? THANKS FOR ALL YOU HELP.
Hey Frank I do basicall you the same thing you do. I am still working on my solar panels and I of Have made some improvements of my own.
2 THINGS I NOTICED- 1) he obviously doesn’t live in Texas- in Texas the evening temp may be 95 at 10 pm. There is NO opening the windows to ‘let in the cool air’ (lol!!!) 2) WHEN IT IS OVDER 95 IN THE SHADE- TREES DO HELP BUT YA GOTTA LOVE TEXAS!!!
For many years we have planted lots and lots of trees around our house, the natural perspiration of the trees can reduce the temperature of your house by 10 degrees or more and when the leaves fall off in the winter it gives a path for the sun to heat your house.
For 25 years in the summer I always put the tops of my windows down to let the cool air in at night. I then close the bottom portion of the blind for priviacy. I guess that’s why the blinds you can lower from the top were designed, but not all blind stores carry them. In the winter I have always open blinds and curtins when sun is available and close as the sun moves I continue the process around to the next side of the house. If you do have blinds and you do lower the top window you can use the spring loaded rod and have half curtians on the bottom for your priviacy, like people who use wooden shutters.
Frank,
For a minute there I thought you were going to share my e-mail with your readers about the blinds and curtains and how I enhanced mine. You must not have read it yet. Anyway, take an old vinal pull down blind. Spray down the inside with craft spray glue and attach a mylar emergency blanket. You know the ones that look like see through aluminum foil, you can get in the sporting goods department at most Walmarts? Then spray that down and cover it with a thin dark colored or black (works best) fabric. Put up the longer slotted brackets on both ends. In the summer time turn the white side out and 90% or more of the sun’s heat is reflected right back outside. Turn them around in the winter and you have a solar heater. Just put a strip of that mylar blanket at the top of the window frame with scotch tape pieces that almost raise it up off the top of the blind roll. When the sun hits the blind it heats up quickly and the warm air raised the flap at the top letting all that hot air into the room. When the sun stops hitting it, the flap closes and forces the warm air over the inside part of the blind reflecting the heat back toward the center of the house. I just hang the blankets as they are over the north facing windows (after I seal them with box tape) behind the curtains. Between the curtains and the venetian blinds. I just thumb tack them to the wall on either side and make sure that they are snug to the wall at the top of the window.
The south facing all steel door can be turned into a really good solar heater. First you need a good sealing full view storm door. Put a vent in the casement between the two doors at the top, Then, duct it either into the room or wherever you need the heat. Put another cold air vent at the bottom of the casement between the doors or in the bottom of the inside door. These vents work best when the top one is temperature sensitive opening and closing automaticlly. Spray down the exterior of the inside steel door and apply black fabric. Ta da! you have a really good solar heater that will produce lots of free heat. In the summer pull off the fabric and clean the door to a bright white or silver to reflect the sun’s heat away from the house.
These two ideas have saved me a fortune on heating and cooling. Also you can put the emergency blankets inside curtains for almost the same results although curtains have that big gap at the top and you don’t want those curtains to have plastic venetian blinds between them and the window. The blinds will melt. That is how much heat you are reflecting right back outside.
Another tip for the guys: Is you wife always cold? FREEZING? Even when your siting there in you shorts sweating? Try attaching the emergency blankets to the bottom of her chair and to the bottom of the box springs on her side of the bed. You can also put it on the back side of furniture especially on furniture that is backed up against outside walls. I think you will be amazed how she will quit complaining about freezing even at temperatures where your comfortable. You will probably have to remove these in warmer weather though or she will be hot all the time.
There are many other uses for the Mylar emergency blankets and they are less than $3 for a 52″x 82″ sheet. I will let you discover how many uses you can find.
You are quite inventive. Where do you get such good ideas?
I would like to see you post a youtube video of your designs….very inventive! However, a little clarification of exactly HOW you do it would be very helpful! Reading it, is a little hard to picture….
Frank,
I also use the sun power in the fall and winter. I hadn’t thought about opening the windows at night. When it starts getting hot in May I will open them up and get a cross breeze by leaving the master bathroom door open with the bathroom and bedroom windows open.
Thanks for the heads up.
Marsha
I have been using this method for years and it works.If yousit your tea in the bay window in a thick plastic pitcher in the morning its still worm when you get home from work.
Howdy, How many watts inverter do you have for the whole house? What size generator should an average home need? How many batteries do you have in your system? Are the solar panels from Harbor Freight any good? How about their inverters? They have a 5000 w. inverter for $399.00 and 45 watts of solar panels for $139.00. These prices seem reasonable but is Chicago Electric components any good….reliable? Thanks Frank. I do the blinds and windows all the time also. Thanks for all you are doing to help us all. Take care and God Bless you and yours. Dale
You can get a much better price on solar panels on ebay and other places. You should get 1,000 watts for less than $1,000.00. You can buy individual 160 watt to 240 watt panels too for less than a dollar a watt. The Harbor Freight inverters work ok for just 12 volt systems – just be aware of that. Also, 45 watts is not enough to do much. You can charge your battery over a period of time.
I ALSO COVER OUR 3 LIVING ROOM WINDOWS WITH 1/2 DOW STYROFAOM AT NITE IN THE WINTER. THESE 3 WINDOWS ARE VERY CLOSE TOGETHER & OUR COUCH SET’S IN FRONT OF THEM. MY WIFE IS ALWAYS COLD & SHE SIT’S ON THE COUCH A LOT. I HAVEN’T HAD AS MANY COMPLAINT’S OF BEING COLD SINCE I INSTALLED THEM. I HAVE THEM ON THE INSIDE. I PULL THE BLIND’S UP MOST OF THE WAY, SLIDE THE FOAM UP UNDER THEM & REST THEM ON CLIP’S THAT I MADE , THEY FIT INTO THE SLOT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDOW’S. HOPE THIS WILL HELP SOME ONE. I TAKE THEM DOWN IN THE MORNING& PUT THEM UP IN THE EVENING.
The cd was disappointing It was geared I think to people who dont have any basic skills . I found myself fast forwarding through most of it . The important details like controllers, batteries,and tying in to power up items is missing . This is like giving out only half a recipe After reading some of the comments i am glad i didnt order any items from you
Our house in the country faced south & the atrium doors/windows let in enough heat that in the winter I had to turn off regular heat.I did baking in the evening in summer & opened the windows at night to cool our earth-bermed house. My sister, in building her house, had a brick floor in the living room so the sun would heat it & warm the house. Passive solar heat lowers electric bills so much.
a friend built his house to incorporate passive solar processes and also put in a outside wood heating system with radiant floor system and after five years has not used his wood heater at all the passive system has done good on its on . he hooked up a small solar water heater to a coil inside a vent pipe in his attic and used that to draw cool air from the basement for air conditioning it worked well , he stated that on a cool summer night it worked to well .
about the garden, most people dont knwow what vegetables even look like,plant stuff like spinach,carrots,squash,etc,in unassuming places like around shrubbery or a weedy fence line,make sure to leave a decoy garden thats obvious to the untrained eye so the unpreparred and the nieve will quickly be discouraged,make sure you go organic so you can continue on without chemicals,witch are harmful to you anyway
Greetings, I was surprized that you mentioned this info about the blinds in the winter. Were doing this currently. Thanks
I have serious doubts about the workability of a garden. How do you keep hungry neighbors and roving bands of desperate people from running to snatch up anything that grows and is edible? How can a person protect their garden to maturity and harvest? None but the most affluent can prepare an indoor area large enough to grow what is needed, and furnish it with the light needed for growth, warmth (or cooling), and maintain it until ready for harvest. I see insurmountable problems here for the average person. Trying to protect what you have against invasion cannot have a pleasant ending.,
I do that, too. It seemed logical. Another trick, they used to use in the old days, is putting sheets and bedding out in the sun, not just to dry, but to bleach. There was a dingy rug in my bedroom I threw over the fence and forgot about it for about a week. I recently took it in, and was pleased with the results, as I really get frustrated with rug cleaners. My son’s shoes are impossible. Usually 2 to days in the sun freshens them up to at least wearable.
Great simple ideas.
I received your solor tapes and books. Looks good but where do I find the materials to build these things
Thanks Charlie
I already heard about doing that and it does make a difference . I have been wandering about those solar window heaters that u can build do they really work ? has anyone ever built one that works ? like your tips thanks James R Scribner
SOME 25 YRS AGO I TOOK REGULAR WINDOW SHADES AND TOOK SILVER TAPE AND ATTACHED A SILVER MATERIAL MADE FOR INSULATION THAT LOOKED LIKE A WEAVED ALUMIUMFOIL….I ATTACHED IT SO THE SHADES WOULD WIND UP WITH THIS ON THE SHADE..SO I COULD PULL IT DOWN WHEN THE SUN WAS OUT IN THE SUMMER TO REFLECT THE HEAT FROM THE SUN…. LOWERING THE TEMPERTURE…THUS HELPING TO KEEP MY HOME COOLER WITH LESS USEAGE OF ELECTRIC WITH MY AIR CONDITIONING…
I ALSO FOUND IN THE WINTER THIS SHADE WITH THE FOIL HELP TO INSULATE AGAINST THE COLD….LIKE YOU…RAISING THE SHADE WHEN THE SUN WAS OUT TO USE THE SUN TO WARM THAT SIDE OF MY HOME….
Always love your tips even though I new above passive solar heating. I keep all your info so I can share with friends that are like minded.
Thanks again Frank
I think these are great tips…..I used to have plant in my house….but thur the years I got lazy …..but these are great ….will try to put this to practice….thanks
The sun is a GREAT energy source for free.
I do know about the sun, Living in west Texas we get plenty. TH
Frank how does your cds work with Windows 8 ? I seem to have trouble getting windows 8 to accept new programs that are loaded after the operating system is installed
Thank You Charles Hathaway
I have been a home builder for 34 years. Many of my homes were built as sola passive. A brick floor, with glass front of the home that allows sunlight to heat the floor, will provide heat for the home, for a cold day or night.
I have had customers ask me,” how much would solar energy cost them for there home. My reply, I could recommend a system that would save them more than any appliance in there home for around $20. It could be purchase at most hard ware stores. It is called a clothes line. A clothes dryer uses more energy than most house hold appliances.
Thanks Frank,
You continue to bring real use to solar.
Thanks Again
Frank,
I am so excited about the Power 4 Patriots system. The bad news is that my husband I would love to convert our home to solar with this program but my husband is not a hands on guy except with duck tape. LOL I bought this system because it is a comfort to know that I could be able to power my home in a crisis. Do you have any work shops to attend or online so that we can see this whole system being put together?
Hi Frank ! I have been using such methods for decades. I live in south Florida, so when we built our house (small country cottage) we didn’t put windows on the south side. That is a huge help. We built a north a and south exposure. Then we ordered lined shades from Country Curtains. They are even washable. I will at some point be able to change our windows to triple pained and storm doors. Thank you for being so helpful! Sharon
That was very interesting and coincidental. I do the very same thing when I am home each day. It is obvious what a difference it makes with the indoor temps etc. Glad you shared. Thanks B J
WE HAVE DONE THE THINGS YOU TALKED ABOUT ALL MY LIFE (75 yrs.). we orignally lived in the uper mid-west moving to arizona 20 yrs. ago. I BUILDT A THREE BEDROOM HOME HEATED AND COOLED BY SOLAR IN 1979… WE PUT 4 FEET OF #2WASHED GRAVEL UNDER THE BASEMENT FLOOR AND A CHEMANY FILLED WITH #2 WASHED STONE IN THE CHIMANY AS WELL FOR USE AS A BATTRY TO HOLD THE HEAT TAKEN IN FROM
OUR SOLAR COLLECTOR MOUNTED ON THE ROOF OF THE HOME. WE INSTALLED 4- 12 VOLT ELECTRIC MOTORS TO MOVE THE HEAT INTO THE UNDER GROUND BATTARY.
IT WORKED WELL. WE HAD ELECTRIC BASEBORD HEATING FOR BACKUP,BUT WE NEVER USED IT AFTER IT WAS INSTALLED. THE FIRST WINTER WE HAD A LOW TEMP.
OF -35o (below zerow) in spring we reverst the 12 volt motors, and cooled the house with 51 degree air coming out of the battary and natural ground temp. we did have to install a dehumidafhyer as humidity was a problem… this was all in 1979 whitch only verafies what you
have said about our electric companys and government wanting to keep us in the dark about
less expensive sources of power heat etc. but I guess we like it as we were silly enough to vote
for much more of it on November 6th!!!!!!
Long before there was a power crisis, I lived in Illinois, hot summer and cold winter. In the summer I used a exhaust fan in the attic to bring in the cool air in the morning. By turning it in for about five minutes, I was abel to cool the house and not use the AC unit until late afternoon.
It is a nice thin to use if you have one. Although it may be too costly to install after the fact.
Drive on with power4patriots
We have a greenhouse along the south side of our basement. On most winter days it will heat to over 80 degrees so we open a window with a fan inserted and heat the basement. Window is sealed for the summer.
We live in West Virginia but will spend 3 months in DeLand Fla. We bought a place this summer and want to use solar to heat with and water also. Then later use solar and wind for elect.
I have been looking at differant ways of build solar panels and think I have a way to build one out of rec. material that I havn’t seen yet. Thanks for all your doing John
PS Will be there 1st of Jan.
You are Sooo correct in your article. I live in an abandoned grocery store. I purchaced it because it was on the north side of the street and had 10ea 4×8 windows. I remodeled the inside of the 7000 sq ft. building… and it is sweet. The beauity of south facing (verticle) panels is that in the summer, the sun is overhead and does not shine in. In the winter, (when the sun is low in the south) they are fully illuminated. Last week the outside temp was 27 degrees and the front living space of my home was 85 degrees. I was ducting air into the rear of the building in effort to save heat and drop the temp. The building came with a HUGE gas furnace, which I built into a room. 20 years later… I have no gas and have not seen the furnace as I never had the need to install a door into the room. Thanks for all the insightful suggestions you send. mf
We have used this method in our home in the past when we had pine trees (before the beetles hit). We did not have to turn on AC until the temp. outside reached almost 100. We have two attic fans and when it got cool outside at night, we used the fans to draw the hotter house air out while letting the open windows bring in cool air. Early in the morning we shut all windows and drapes and were comfortable until around 6:00 p.m.
Hi Frank,
I bought your Power4Patriots. Thank you. I enjoy your blogs. Its mostly the sanity in a insane world that brings the most confort. Any thoughts on a carpenter getting a job or keeping a 6th grade boy in line. Luv you Frank.
Robert
Your actions really will help reduce the energy needed to keep warm and cool. Thanks for sharing the ideas.
I have a way to help heat the house in winter and would share that with you. There is nothing really new, as I think you have done some air heaters already, but I have succeeded in making something that really works and is not hard to build and is low cost.
I have designed and built some solar air heaters. I wanted them to be totally passive, but the convection airflow was not sufficient and the panels actually overheated causing the plastic heat gathering black panels to warp and almost melt. So I gave in on passive as I did not want to spend the money for metal panels. What I did do was add an inexpensive fan and moved the air at 100 cubic feet per minute on a 3′ X 4′ panel. The fan only draws 5 Watts and the small panel generates 800 watts in the noonday sun. I will build a 4′ X 8′ panel which is expected to generate 2000 Watts in the noonday sun. It will probably use 2 of the small fans, therefore need about 10 Watts of fan power.
One could even spend the money to have solar cells, in that same sunlight power the fan, and I think that is passive, yes? I have not wanted to spend that money for solar cells as yet, but the fan I bought would make it easy as it is really a 12 VDC fan and uses a small converter from 120 VAC to the 12 VDC.
Just wanted to say Thanks again for the tips, anything and everything we can do to help with the energy bill’s is always welcomed!
I like Sam wonder if there are hard copies available. I have CD – Rom but the guy I have hired to help me with this does not “do” computers.
Of course–
http://power4patriots.com/hardcopy.php
Hi,
I am writing to you from the Chiangmai mountains in Thailand.
I also capture the sun’s wonderful energy by installing a Poly-Ethylene (PE) pipe grid on the roof which faces South-West (not PVC). I painted them black for better capture.
P-E pipes are used in factories to transport hot liquids.
They are a bit more expensive to install than PVC but well worth the investment.
I have connected this heated water to the washing machine and kitchen
and to the bathroom which provides a warm shower until 5.30pm in Winter and 7pm in Summer.
Here in the highlands, we do have cooler nights, unlike in Bangkok which is hotter day and night.
I easily got into the habit of taking my evening shower earlier
as this sunheated water is so wonnnderful and energising.
If I do come home later, I have a standby gas waterheater but I rarely use it.
I will be happy to send you a picture if you need it.
Have a great day,
Cory
The orientation of Home with living areas facing Sun and utility areas on cold side, with full height windows facing Sun are important considerations to maximise the passive Solar effect.
Hi, I live in South Africa and the sun here is good, very good. I am also teaching engineers on solar system design so far more than 500 Pr. Electrical Engineers.
So, when I am reading about solar I am there with both feet.
Thanks so far for dispensing good, sorry excellent ideas on solar and conservation..
Attilio
I have been doing the same thing at home, it really works!
I have had a problem… being a female of 68, I want to put a couple of solar panels up on my roof but have no idea how to hook them up to my box or the meter on the outside of the house. Is there a way I can get someone to help me on this problem? thanks
We had a glassed in garden room attached to the house with rock floor (just large gravel, really)…after the sun went down, the rock gave off all that absorbed heat from the day and kept the room above freezing in NE Missouri all year around. Also we installed a fan to blow the warm air into the house! :)
Yes, I always open my shades on the east & South sides of my house in winter.If the suns out there open.
I am retracting my statements below – I had expected hard copy manuals like the ones in the pictures that I can use while I work on my project in my garage, and didn’t realize they were on the CD-ROM until I went back and watched your presentation again tonight. Sorry about that. The CD-ROM skips and is hard to see and there was no menu for navigation.
I want to get the hard copy manuals of the solar and the wind power that I mistakenly thought I was to receive.
Frank – I have been trying to get through to your company to find out where the items I paid for are, but I get put on hold indefinitely. I’ve tried 7 times in the last week to try to find out where my order is and not once did anyone pick up the phone on your 800 number – I get put on hold listening to an automated message asking me to hold on and garbled music and then after 10 minutes the phone stutters and starts ringing off and on chaotically on your end.
I owned my own business and we always had someone answering the phone. I don’t understand how you do not have anyone there to answer your business line during business hours.
I wanted to get going on this project, but all I have gotten so far is a free CD-ROM that I can’t even watch because it is so poorly done. My computer is capable of playing any format, and I see here that others are having trouble seeing it too. It doesn’t take 6 to 8 weeks to put a few manuals and DVDs in a box and ship it. It’s not rocket science.
In fact, the quality of the CD-ROM is so poor I’m wondering what I’m getting into as far as the things I ordered and paid for – and have NOT received. It’s not about the money, it’s that I haven’t got the items I paid for in a timely manner and am also concerned about their quality.
Your advert was on Sean Hannity’s website, and also on Glenn Beck’s. You came highly recommended, yet I am beginning to wonder. I can’t even get started on my project.
I want to know when my order – which I paid for roughly two months ago – is going to get here. Please respond ASAP.
Last year I spanned my patio (which lies between my home and garage) with 2X6’s. For a roof I used bamboo fencing. Rolled out in the summer it lowered the temp on the patio about 20 degrees. In the winter I roll it up and store it in the garage, letting the sun hit the side of the house…passive solar heating!
I’m rather proud of myself for that one!!
Hi Frank,
We live in the Minneapolis area in the summertime.
In addition to some of the techniques you describe, we make use of a whole house fan for night time cooling. We replaced our original a couple of years ago with one from Menard’s that cost less than $100.00. I suspect Home Depot probably has them too. The new designs can be installed in existing construction without any modification of the framing.
The fan louvers take a space slightly less than 2′ x 2″ in the hallway leading to the bedrooms. When the temperature cools at night during the summer, we open the windows and turn on the fan. Cool air flows through the windows and hot air is exhausted into the attic. Then in the morning, we close everything up as you have suggested.
We have a central air conditioning unit but I don’t think we used it more than twice this year and it was a really warm summer here.
The fan has a louver system that only opens when the fan is running. The seal on the louvers is good enough that we don’t get any cold drafts in the winter.
Best regards and keep up the good work.
T. Mike
I like how honest and caring you and your people are, I know some tips from my beautiful, brillant Mother who birthed 15 children, she loved a cool home and a pretty home, she use to get hot ice or a big block of ice and a fan infront of it and cool us off in the summer, also, we kids would wear hats and skock and gloves if the furnces was down. I miss my Mother so very much. Thanks guys for being a classy bunch…Rosee
I already do the same these things , we think alike
Your CD on how to wire all the electrical on your solar panels is very poor ,and not clear at all.The CD installer explain what color wires he is putting togeather,and the camera man did a poor job of vidio.
Sorry the production quality did not meet your expections, Tim. Maybe these videos will help? http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLakmwUgMPqRNyJi_0Rft1zawuSCj6Jmer Frank