Prefersdirt
Solar Enthusiast
- Joined
- Sep 28, 2019
- Messages
- 377
I don’t know if this will be fun for you or not. I have a love/hate view of these challenges. Especially since I will be paying for this one!
I am moving to a new house that first must be renovated. Completely renovated. House is well over 100 years old (original part is over 140 years old). House is solid so renovating and updating insulation, etc should hopefully be smooth. Here is my request for the gurus here: How would you power, heat, and cool a house so you can be off-grid and very comfortable? While money is an issue, figuring out a plan has to start somewhere.
Here is some more information: Location is Indiana, so get nice and cold plus nice and hot, with high humidity. 1500 sq feet primary floor. Attic will be finished and used as a second floor. House has a basement. Wells for water (I don’t know current pump requirements) exist.
Power system needs to be able to expand as demands increase. This will be a working farm, and power requirements will increase as a walk-in cooler and freezer are installed in the future. (Currently we have 2 chest freezers) Goal is to use electric golf carts for chores to charge off solar.
Plenty of land for solar. Easy to put panels on a barn that unfortunately has the roof facing East/West but is open to full sun. Ground mounts are an option.
Please don’t tell me to do an energy assessment as figure this is a completely empty building. So hard to do an assessment when nothing exists.
My initial thoughts are to go to radiant solar floor heat. Mini-split units for A/C and backup heat. Or do I figure out geothermal? Ductwork requirements would make this more difficult. Specific units and designs are not yet there.
Grid exists there now. Start with grid and then build solar?
Final glitch - everything must be able to pass inspection for the refinance.
Hope this is ok. Thanks
I am moving to a new house that first must be renovated. Completely renovated. House is well over 100 years old (original part is over 140 years old). House is solid so renovating and updating insulation, etc should hopefully be smooth. Here is my request for the gurus here: How would you power, heat, and cool a house so you can be off-grid and very comfortable? While money is an issue, figuring out a plan has to start somewhere.
Here is some more information: Location is Indiana, so get nice and cold plus nice and hot, with high humidity. 1500 sq feet primary floor. Attic will be finished and used as a second floor. House has a basement. Wells for water (I don’t know current pump requirements) exist.
Power system needs to be able to expand as demands increase. This will be a working farm, and power requirements will increase as a walk-in cooler and freezer are installed in the future. (Currently we have 2 chest freezers) Goal is to use electric golf carts for chores to charge off solar.
Plenty of land for solar. Easy to put panels on a barn that unfortunately has the roof facing East/West but is open to full sun. Ground mounts are an option.
Please don’t tell me to do an energy assessment as figure this is a completely empty building. So hard to do an assessment when nothing exists.
My initial thoughts are to go to radiant solar floor heat. Mini-split units for A/C and backup heat. Or do I figure out geothermal? Ductwork requirements would make this more difficult. Specific units and designs are not yet there.
Grid exists there now. Start with grid and then build solar?
Final glitch - everything must be able to pass inspection for the refinance.
Hope this is ok. Thanks