First winter in my new shack!!

[slimcake]

Money well spent. Fricken amazing. Just got my natural gas bill for the month of december. $106 bucks. Water heater had been running around 20 bucks so that means I kept my 1800 sq ft garage with 3 overhead doors at 50 degrees ( with a couple parties where I ran it up to 70 degrees) and my 3700 sq ft (ranch style with walkout basement) at 70 degrees for like 90 bucks!! Amazing!!!! Minnesota winter with avg high temp this december of 22 degrees. Last couple weeks been WELL below zero! Love it!

 

[Strouty]

That sounds like you did some insulating.

 

[Shiftless]

That really IS amazing!
I have less than half that sized house and 1/4 the size garage and my heat for DEC ran 4 times that much. 1950’s ranch style with lots of big single pane windows.
But I’m in the SanFran Bay Area !!!

 

[TheEquineFencer]

Money well spent. Fricken amazing. Just got my natural gas bill for the month of december. $106 bucks. Water heater had been running around 20 bucks so that means I kept my 1800 sq ft garage with 3 overhead doors at 50 degrees ( with a couple parties where I ran it up to 70 degrees) and my 3700 sq ft (ranch style with walkout basement) at 70 degrees for like 90 bucks!! Amazing!!!! Minnesota winter with avg high temp in december of 22 degrees. Last couple weeks been WELL below zero! Love it!

 

[slimcake]

Spray foam insulation on everything blown in ins. in the attic. Good Anderson 100 series windows and a Carrier Green Speed system. Amazing stuff guys. Garage is heated with a 70k hanging hot dawg heater.

 

[ThatSickRip]

Spray foam insulation on everything blown in ins. in the attic. Good Anderson 100 series windows and a Carrier Green Speed system. Amazing stuff guys. Garage is heated with a 70k hanging hot dawg heater.

By "new" do you mean you built it or you just bought it? I ask because our house has horrible insulation and Im in the beginning stages of researching ways to re-insulate it

 

[slimcake]

It's new construction. Don't know of you could ever get the same effect on an existing house.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

 

[ThatSickRip]

It's new construction. Don't know of you could ever get the same effect on an existing house.

Sent from my Moto Z (2) using Tapatalk

Yea, figured an existing house would be a whole different beast.

Thanks for the reply

 

[mrramsey]

Yea, figured an existing house would be a whole different beast.

Thanks for the reply

Actually you can! I heat 3000 sf of house and my 400sf 2 car garage for a little less. My house is 40+ years old. I did do some extensive remodeling but traditional methods. R-13 walls, I did upgrade the attic insulation to R-50, recently added insulation in the exterior walls of the garage. I also added new doors and windows.

 

[yeldogt]

Are you using the Greenspeed heat pump as well? Just wondering why you went with Greenspeed if you have natural gas.

I spray foam all my projects .. unbelievable stuff. People just don't get how good it is -- it's not just better vs everything else ... it's takes a space to a different level of comfort .. especially with radiant in the winter and a VS AC in the summer.

While costs for heating and cooling do drop -- it's really about the overall benefit you get living in the space.

 

[slimcake]

Are you using the Greenspeed heat pump as well? Just wondering why you went with Greenspeed if you have natural gas.

I spray foam all my projects .. unbelievable stuff. People just don't get how good it is -- it's not just better vs everything else ... it's takes a space to a different level of comfort .. especially with radiant in the winter and a VS AC in the summer.

While costs for heating and cooling do drop -- it's really about the overall benefit you get living in the space.

I have not been using the heat pump. Just always think ahead. For some reason gas got crazy high vs elec. or something with distribution. The modulation of the green speed is what sold me. Last night it got down to -15f and the furnace probably ran all night but at like 30%. Keeping the air moving= very comfortable!! I also love how efficient the AC unit is in the summer. I didn't have a elec bill over a 100 bucks all summer and this fat guy likes his AC!! The entire house is a consistent temp from one end to the other. Furnace room is on north end and her office is on south end and its the same temp in there as it is on the other end. That is what spray foam does for ya. Very happy with my decisions.

 

[yeldogt]

I have not been using the heat pump. Just always think ahead. For some reason gas got crazy high vs elec. or something with distribution. The modulation of the green speed is what sold me. Last night it got down to -15f and the furnace probably ran all night but at like 30%. Keeping the air moving= very comfortable!! I also love how efficient the AC unit is in the summer. I didn't have a elec bill over a 100 bucks all summer and this fat guy likes his AC!! The entire house is a consistent temp from one end to the other. Furnace room is on north end and her office is on south end and its the same temp in there as it is on the other end. That is what spray foam does for ya. Very happy with my decisions.

Yes -- Spray Foam makes for even temps -- no drafts. Carrier makes a great VS system. I went with the 5 speed Infinity compressor vs going for full Greenspeed. In my case it was the best bang for the buck. I have the same zoned system in two houses that also have radiant heat -- the one house is all propane so I use the HP with the radiant. The other house has NG radiant .. but I still use that HP in the shoulder seasons when I just want some heat for a few hours each day.

The ability of the system to match the heat load -- makes for a very quiet house with very little air movement. The more convention the higher the temps required to feel conformable.

My new build is going to get the same except I'm also installing the infinity furnace (propane) -- That allows me the HP/ propane furnace .. and full radiant when it gets real cold.

 

[theoldwizard1]

We are setting a record here is SE MI. The most consecutive days with high temp below 20F. I have "above average" insulation and good windows, so I will be curious to see to see our next gas bill.

 

[bullnerd]

That's a good looking house and great shop!

Not a fan of those huge Monte's though! LOL!

 

[slimcake]

That's a good looking house and great shop!

Not a fan of those huge Monte's though! LOL!

Its my first car. My first love. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. So its okay you don't likey cause shes not looking for a new home!! Fun to pull up to a stop light next to a modern car and my hood is as long as 3/4's of their whole car

 

[bullnerd]

Its my first car. My first love. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. So its okay you don't likey cause shes not looking for a new home!! Fun to pull up to a stop light next to a modern car and my hood is as long as 3/4's of their whole car

LOL! Yup, my buddy had one back in the 80s when we were in HS. I had a 67 Camaro. I remember busting on him because it was so far from the front bumper to the front of the engine! Has to be a record for the Longest fan shroud?

 

[slimcake]

I think I could fit 2 small blocks under there instead of just one.

 

[slimcake]

So winter still isn't over here. Currently under a winter storm watch with 6-11 inches of snow predicted. I just wanted to update my post. I have not had a gas bill over 150 bucks this winter. In fact just got my march bill in the mail saturday and it was 74 bucks!! With 20 of that the water heater!! Also my electric bills have been consistent @ 100-110 bucks a month with 34 of that being a "rural meter" charge. Super happy with how efficient my new house is!! Amazing!!

 

[Streetbu]

Glad to hear it! The wife and I are in the stages of planning our house. We're tearing down the rat trap and rebuilding. With spray foam of course!

 

[akpingel]

Sorry to hijack this but I just want to say that it's awesome you still own your first car!

Thanks for sharing your experience with spray foam.

Its my first car. My first love. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. So its okay you don't likey cause shes not looking for a new home!! Fun to pull up to a stop light next to a modern car and my hood is as long as 3/4's of their whole car

 

[sz0k30]

Too bad some guys can't appreciate a beautiful Monte.