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4 new entries added after 7/22/08

  • 11/23/08-12/3/08 Quicksand 3
  • 11/23/08-12/3/08 Quicksand 2
  • 11/23/08-12/3/08 Quicksand 1
  • 11/14/08 Footprints in the sand
  • All old woodworking projects except the deck fence have been copied (but not removed) from here to Woodwork. Now you'll have two pages to come see for updates on my projects!
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    Footprints in the sand - 11/14/08

    Long long ago I started up the process of making my house just a little big greener. Better appliances, lower powered electronics, more efficient heating and of course, compact flourescent bulbs.

    As far as the appliances go the fridge, washer and dryer were all swapped for newer (though all used) options. Less water, more less power and more capacity. In the case of the washer, it consumes about 1/10th what the old one did. All around a good deal.

    Recently I decided to adjust things upstairs. I used to have a 19 inch tv and two 19 inch monitors. I bought a 22" lcd monitor and now use it for both my tv and my computer. Ballpark this changes power used from about 400 down to 40 watts.

    With the new plumbing over the amount of pipe used was reduced by about 100 feet. With less water to heat on the way to the fixtures, water use is reduced as is gas to heat the water. Also in the plumbing realm, I updated all the faucets to lower flow aerators. The shower heads are now both replaced with versions of a really nice shower head that I found a little while back. Each run about 2 gallons per minute at the point I have adjuseted them to. I am not sure what the old faucets and shower heads ran. The nice thing is that with the combination of more efficient water heating and lower flow faucets, hot water lasts much longer.

    Now with the lighting. This is where the obvious change in power consumption comes in, though maybe not the most. Recessed lights were swapped from 50w to 14w (400w -> 112w). Overhead lights upstairs went from 60w to 15w (360w -> 90w). Lamps moved from 100w to 19w (400w -> 76w). Kitchen over head lights went from (5)40w to (3)12w (200w -> 36w). In the batroom downstairs I replaced a fixture that had 4 40w bulbs with one that had 2 14w bulbs (160w -> 28w). Several of the fixtures still have older lights in them but I don't use them very often. Outside I changed the flood lights from 150w to 26w (300w -> 52w). Some of this is off the top of my head but all in all it works out to be 1820w -> 394w. About 1/5 of the previous power used. I intend to also replace the lights in the spare rooms dropping 240w to 72w.

     

    Right before I had the floors done I bought some new furniture for the living room. Of course that meant that shortly after the floors were done, I had new couches and tables! After another week or so I picked up a new chair as well. I'll post that picture once I figure out where I put it. Liza is a big fan of all of them.