On Mon, 29 Mar 1999, eric + michiko wrote:
>
> I built the system myself, so there is no brand name except on individual
> parts. We are heating the floors of our down stairs (880 s.f.) and not
> heating the upstairs (so far this seems okay, never getting more than a
> couple degrees cooler than down stairs). We are using a domestic 50 gal.
> natural gas hot water heater with a heat exchanger to provide the heat. We
> were told that it would provide plenty of BTU compared to our heating
> needs. This seems correct, as we have had no problems with insufficient
> hot water - actually, the system usually only runs at night when we're
> asleep adn not using hot water.
This is similar to what the Conservation Coop uses for heat. Each unit has
a separately metered gas water heater. If I'm understanding it right, the
heated water is sent through pipes and air is blown over the pipes and
into the apartment through ceiling level vents. We don't know how well
this works yet as the passive solar heating of the apartment has kept it
warmer than what we are used to. We do know someone else in the building
who finds they rarely have to turn on the heat at all through the winter.
Fresh air is brought in through an electric powered heat recovery
ventilation system.
It seems a good halfway there system. Passive solar has been incorporated
into the design. Right now full sun comes into the apartment through all
windows and reaches right to the back walls of the aprtment. I think that
in a few weeks to a month from now, no direct sun will come in through the
two largest windows. The balcony above us will shade the two largest
windows through the hottest part of the summer.
sph
Sandra P. Hoffman
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.flora.org/sandra/
