-12 degrees F currently with -36 degree wind chill
-
coldest day here in upstate New York in a long time. My boiler at the house is working its butt off to keep us warm at 65 degrees F. Fireplace in the game room is roaring. Old house with base-board heating - ugh. :omg: I just noticed that the brass front door hinges are frosted over completely white on the inside of the house. Some of the windows where the seal is not so tight is frosted over as well inside the house. One can only guess how much energy I am losing to these poor seals and cracks. You win some and you lose some - it could be a lot worse.
Allow me a mini poll: How are building regulations in your country with regard to minimum insulation? Are you allowed to put up a new home from walls with no insulation whatsoever? Or are there minimum requirements to what is commonly called the 'U value' (earlier, it was called the 'k-value') of outer walls? The U value, in its metric version, is given in Watt / SquareMeter*TemperatureDifference. If your living room has an outer wall of 2.5 * 6 meters, i.e. 15 sqm, your indoor temperature is 20C, the outdoor temperature is -20C, and the wall has a U-value of 0.1, then your heat loss is 0.1 * 15 sqm * 40 K = 60 W. To keep the temperature unchanged, you need a living room heater of 60 W under these conditions. I believe that Norwegian requirements are rather extreme, with U=0.13 for the roof, 0.10 for floors, 0.18 for walls and 0.8 for windows. Is your country/state anywhere close to such requirements? For U values in 'English' units, there will be a simple multiplication factor to metric. I don't know which units are used - probably square foot and temperature in delta F. I assume that those who can provide English U-values can tell about the units!
-
Allow me a mini poll: How are building regulations in your country with regard to minimum insulation? Are you allowed to put up a new home from walls with no insulation whatsoever? Or are there minimum requirements to what is commonly called the 'U value' (earlier, it was called the 'k-value') of outer walls? The U value, in its metric version, is given in Watt / SquareMeter*TemperatureDifference. If your living room has an outer wall of 2.5 * 6 meters, i.e. 15 sqm, your indoor temperature is 20C, the outdoor temperature is -20C, and the wall has a U-value of 0.1, then your heat loss is 0.1 * 15 sqm * 40 K = 60 W. To keep the temperature unchanged, you need a living room heater of 60 W under these conditions. I believe that Norwegian requirements are rather extreme, with U=0.13 for the roof, 0.10 for floors, 0.18 for walls and 0.8 for windows. Is your country/state anywhere close to such requirements? For U values in 'English' units, there will be a simple multiplication factor to metric. I don't know which units are used - probably square foot and temperature in delta F. I assume that those who can provide English U-values can tell about the units!
On the left side of the pond we use the R-value[^] which is 1/U (just to be different). In southern Quebec minimum values are R-41 for the roof space, R-24.5 for above-ground walls and R-17 for foundation walls. (see this)[^] That would make something like U=0.3 for roof, 0.4 for walls and 0.6 for foundation walls. Edit: R values given are in imperial units. They have to be multiplied by 10 for metric units.
Mircea
-
coldest day here in upstate New York in a long time. My boiler at the house is working its butt off to keep us warm at 65 degrees F. Fireplace in the game room is roaring. Old house with base-board heating - ugh. :omg: I just noticed that the brass front door hinges are frosted over completely white on the inside of the house. Some of the windows where the seal is not so tight is frosted over as well inside the house. One can only guess how much energy I am losing to these poor seals and cracks. You win some and you lose some - it could be a lot worse.
We are expecting the coldest days of the winter in the next three days... It will be 2-7 C° (night-day)...
"Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid." ― Albert Einstein
-
coldest day here in upstate New York in a long time. My boiler at the house is working its butt off to keep us warm at 65 degrees F. Fireplace in the game room is roaring. Old house with base-board heating - ugh. :omg: I just noticed that the brass front door hinges are frosted over completely white on the inside of the house. Some of the windows where the seal is not so tight is frosted over as well inside the house. One can only guess how much energy I am losing to these poor seals and cracks. You win some and you lose some - it could be a lot worse.
No thanks. I like looking at pictures of snow, but wouldn't want to live in it. :) We have the opposite here, it hasn't dropped below 25C overnight for about week now, with daytime getting above 34C. Of course the air-con broke before xmas. 4 more days until the new one is installed.
// TODO: Insert something here
Top ten reasons why I'm lazy 1.
-
Allow me a mini poll: How are building regulations in your country with regard to minimum insulation? Are you allowed to put up a new home from walls with no insulation whatsoever? Or are there minimum requirements to what is commonly called the 'U value' (earlier, it was called the 'k-value') of outer walls? The U value, in its metric version, is given in Watt / SquareMeter*TemperatureDifference. If your living room has an outer wall of 2.5 * 6 meters, i.e. 15 sqm, your indoor temperature is 20C, the outdoor temperature is -20C, and the wall has a U-value of 0.1, then your heat loss is 0.1 * 15 sqm * 40 K = 60 W. To keep the temperature unchanged, you need a living room heater of 60 W under these conditions. I believe that Norwegian requirements are rather extreme, with U=0.13 for the roof, 0.10 for floors, 0.18 for walls and 0.8 for windows. Is your country/state anywhere close to such requirements? For U values in 'English' units, there will be a simple multiplication factor to metric. I don't know which units are used - probably square foot and temperature in delta F. I assume that those who can provide English U-values can tell about the units!
The building codes are mostly locally drawn up and enforced. The US is so big that required R values for construction can vary greatly. In the southern US the highest recommended R values are the lowest recommended values for the northern regions. A friend moved from Minnesota to Florida where he built a house. He mentioned how much less insulation was put in the new Florida house than was in his old place in Minnesota. He said it was a cost savings measure. Plus in Florida they are only cooling the house (or on rare occasions heating it) by 20 or so degrees F (~10C). Whereas in Minnesota you're heating the house 50-60 degrees F or more during the winter. This was in the 90s. Times have changed so I would expect that now his story might be different. R value is the thickness of the insulation divided by the thermal conductivity of the material. (That's a simplistic definition. It's actually a fairly complex calculation.) It's basically a measure of the resistance to heat transfer. The typical recommended R values (now) are: Ceilings/attics are R30-50 in the south, R50-60 in the north. Walls are ~R14 everywhere. Floors are R13-19 in the south, R25-30 in the north. The central US is somewhat in between these numbers, but tend to go as high as in the north. The current recommendations/requirements are all fairly new now that climate change is starting to cause regulation and the cost of heating and cooling are going up. There are a lot of older houses that don't even come close to current recommendations. In a lot of places, especially rural, it'll still come down to est. cost to heat vs cost of insulating rather than some regulation. Northern MN has lots of trees, you see a lot of wood burning. Southern MN has lots of corn you see more corn pellet burners. These are typically used to offset the cost of oil or gas heating and are easier and cheaper to add than insulation on older construction. The house I grew up in (northern Minnesota) was a drafty cold house in the winter - built in the 50s. You could feel a breeze come in some outlets. But, heating was cheap back then. You just upped the thermostat and/or wore a sweater. You also got used to it. My brother now lives in the old place and keeps the thermostat set to 67 and you dress up if it feels cold. He typically wears shorts and a t-shirt around the house - as I said, you get used to it.
-
Allow me a mini poll: How are building regulations in your country with regard to minimum insulation? Are you allowed to put up a new home from walls with no insulation whatsoever? Or are there minimum requirements to what is commonly called the 'U value' (earlier, it was called the 'k-value') of outer walls? The U value, in its metric version, is given in Watt / SquareMeter*TemperatureDifference. If your living room has an outer wall of 2.5 * 6 meters, i.e. 15 sqm, your indoor temperature is 20C, the outdoor temperature is -20C, and the wall has a U-value of 0.1, then your heat loss is 0.1 * 15 sqm * 40 K = 60 W. To keep the temperature unchanged, you need a living room heater of 60 W under these conditions. I believe that Norwegian requirements are rather extreme, with U=0.13 for the roof, 0.10 for floors, 0.18 for walls and 0.8 for windows. Is your country/state anywhere close to such requirements? For U values in 'English' units, there will be a simple multiplication factor to metric. I don't know which units are used - probably square foot and temperature in delta F. I assume that those who can provide English U-values can tell about the units!
the core part of my home is very old almost 100 years old. I have new additions to it though that are up to code for this area of new york. however, the older parts of the house need to really have the insulation upgraded to new code. those parts of the house are always the coldest.
-
coldest day here in upstate New York in a long time. My boiler at the house is working its butt off to keep us warm at 65 degrees F. Fireplace in the game room is roaring. Old house with base-board heating - ugh. :omg: I just noticed that the brass front door hinges are frosted over completely white on the inside of the house. Some of the windows where the seal is not so tight is frosted over as well inside the house. One can only guess how much energy I am losing to these poor seals and cracks. You win some and you lose some - it could be a lot worse.
While in the service, I spent one winter in Orlando FL, the next winter in Fairbanks AK. If someone offers you the choice, I recommend Orlando. Worst was -50 degrees F, working outside.
>64 Some days the dragon wins. Suck it up.
-
On the left side of the pond we use the R-value[^] which is 1/U (just to be different). In southern Quebec minimum values are R-41 for the roof space, R-24.5 for above-ground walls and R-17 for foundation walls. (see this)[^] That would make something like U=0.3 for roof, 0.4 for walls and 0.6 for foundation walls. Edit: R values given are in imperial units. They have to be multiplied by 10 for metric units.
Mircea
-
On the left side of the pond we use the R-value[^] which is 1/U (just to be different). In southern Quebec minimum values are R-41 for the roof space, R-24.5 for above-ground walls and R-17 for foundation walls. (see this)[^] That would make something like U=0.3 for roof, 0.4 for walls and 0.6 for foundation walls. Edit: R values given are in imperial units. They have to be multiplied by 10 for metric units.
Mircea
If U = 1/R, you made 10x math errors.
1/41 = .024
1/24.5 = .041
1/17 = .058Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius
-
If U = 1/R, you made 10x math errors.
1/41 = .024
1/24.5 = .041
1/17 = .058Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, weighing all things in the balance of reason? Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful? --Zachris Topelius
No, I was accounting for imperial/metric units. The U values are given in [W/m2*K] while the R values are in [K*ft2/W]. When given in metric units, R values are usually called RSI (like R in SI). Given that 1sq m ≈ 10sq ft, I multiplied the 1/R values by 10.
Mircea
