Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

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  • solar_dave
    solar_dave Solar Expert Posts: 2,397 ✭✭✭✭
    #32
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    I hear you! Working on replacing a 14 year old 10 seer Lenox 2.5 ton AC in Jan. with a Trane 3 ton 17 seer 2 speed heat pump. Should cut the load there by at least 50% over the old Lenox.

    Wondering if radiant barrier in the AZ attic might not help too.
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  • Jburgess
    Jburgess Solar Expert Posts: 130 ✭✭✭
    #33
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!
    solar_dave wrote: »
    Wondering if radiant barrier in the AZ attic might not help too.

    Solar_Dave, looks like your roof is already shaded with solar panels.

    Joking aside radiant barrier helps a lot with shingles, With a tile roof not as much, I guess the tiles already have an air gap to roof.
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  • tonystewart
    tonystewart Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    #34
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!
    Solar Guppy wrote: »
    The foam is good, but I'd still have R40 to isolate the living space ceilings from the attic

    And yes, conservation is fun and very cost effective!

    I will get an estimate to blow in fiberglass insulation over my existing batts, it would have to help the current 20 year old batts
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  • tonystewart
    tonystewart Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    #35
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    November usage bill arrived $121.97
    33 Days averaging 34 KWH per day = 1124 total kwh
    It has never been this low.

    Cooler Day & Night temperatures and consistent Solar Water Heating, Only needed to turn on Electric Water Heater for one tank full. This after 2 cloudy/rainy days.
    We realize how seasonal the "Former heat recovery systems were". This month we would have incurred a much bigger bill since a/c's didn't run. What a waste!

    The A/C's were off for 10 of the 30 days in November.

    One Solar Attic Fan in place with 40 watts feeding it.
    The second fan will be installed next week.

    We turned on the a/c heaters last night due to night time temperatures dropping to 38 degrees, poor farmers are taking a beating this week.

    Conservation is very good. ;)
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #36
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    Did you get the foam and fiberglass done?
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  • tonystewart
    tonystewart Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    #37
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    No
    CC Bayseal Foam is scheduled for 12/14
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #38
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    Don't forget the R40 blown in ... made a huge difference in my home
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  • tonystewart
    tonystewart Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    #39
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    Sure Temp Manufacturing called me again today. This time it was the finance manager wondering if I was going to sign the lease. Poor fellow had no idea what my situation was. I asked him should I sign a lease for $260 a month when my electric was less than half of that. He said "Only a fool would do that"

    Sure Temp Manufacturing is overstocked with Evergreen Panels, I wonder why?
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  • tonystewart
    tonystewart Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    #40
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!
    Solar Guppy wrote: »
    Don't forget the R40 blown in ... made a huge difference in my home

    I won't forget, hoping I can afford it after the CCF & Xmas.
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  • tonystewart
    tonystewart Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    #41
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!
    Solar Guppy wrote: »
    Don't forget the R40 blown in ... made a huge difference in my home

    What kind did you use? I am entertaining bids for fiberglass & cellulose.
    Your thoughts please
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #42
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    Fiberglass, the stuff they blown in and looks like snow. a blow-over should be in the 900-1600 price range based on all the homes I seen done around here ( based on my suggestion for efficiency improvements ), but you home is larger SF

    I am not a fan of cellulose, it compacts faster than fiberglass and regardless of the sales literature, I don't like the idea of more paper products in the attic for insect and fire reasons

    How did the foam work out? pictures?
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  • icarus
    icarus Solar Expert Posts: 5,436 ✭✭✭✭
    #43
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    I actually agree with SG about cellulose. That said, cellulose has more R-value per inch if my feeble memory serves. One thing to remember with all blow in insulation is that it will settle in time. I was in the attic of a house the other day that had R-40 blow in when I built it ~ 15 years ago. The white fiberglass had settled to about 1/2 as much loft as it had when new. Blow in is pretty cheap, so blowing in a new layer now and again is not a bad idea. Two other issues with blow in is making sure that the insulation doesn't block intake soffit vents, so proper baffling is essential and the other is to make sure that it is reasonably even throughout the attic. Blow crews are not known to make sure it is done evenly (or even completely) so it pays to check to see that you get what you pay for.

    Tony
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  • tonystewart
    tonystewart Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    #44
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    Thanks for the advice, I am waiting on 2 other bids for blown fiberglass.

    Foam looks good, pretty even at 1" throughout, smells odd.
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  • russ
    russ Solar Expert Posts: 593 ✭✭
    #45
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    Insulating values of various materials

    type R value per inch
    vac ins panel 54
    fiberglass 3,1 batts
    fiberglass 3,6 high density batts
    fiberglass 2,5 loose fill
    straw bales 1,45
    still air 5
    still air with 1 convective currents
    wood chips 1
    vermiculite 2,13 loose fill
    perlite 2,7 loose fill
    fiberglass 2,7 loose fill
    rock & slag wool 2,5 loose fill
    rock & slag wool 3 batts
    cementious foam 3
    cellulose 3 loose fill
    cellulose 3 wet spray
    cotton batts 3,7
    icynene spray 3,6
    urea-formaldehyde 4 foam
    urea-formaldehyde 4 panels
    phenolic spray 4,8 foam
    phenolic 4 rigid panel
    polystyrene 3,7 EPS - molded expanded low density
    polystyrene 4 EPS - molded expanded high density
    polystyrene 3,6 XPS low density
    polystyrene 4 XPS high density
    polyurethane 3,6 open cell spray foam
    polyurethane 5,5 closed cell spray foam
    polyurethane 6,8 rigid panel pentane expanded initial
    polyurethane 5,5 rigid panel pentane expanded after 10 years
    polyurethane 7 rigid paneş CFC/HCFC expanded initial
    polyurethane 6,25 rigid paneş CFC/HCFC expanded after 10 years
    polyisocyanurate 6,8 rigid panel pentane expanded initial
    polyisocyanurate 5,5 rigid panel pentane expanded after 10 years
    silica aerogel 10
    vac ins panel 30
    cardboard 3
    thinsulate clothing ins 5,75

    Russ
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  • tonystewart
    tonystewart Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    #46
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    After investigating the costs of blown fiberglass and viewing some completed homes we went a different route. Installed Radiant Barrier on January 18th, directly to the top of current fiberglass batt insulation.
    February usage bill arrived today $100.65 33 kw/day 28 days 929 kw's

    I could not ask for more. The uninsulated garage is the biggest surprise, it's just cool. 8)

    Next step for me is pv. I am looking into ground mounts for my backyard, any suggestions?
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  • Solar Guppy
    Solar Guppy Solar Expert Posts: 1,989 ✭✭✭
    #47
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    Well, that will be almost nothing ...

    You need insulation, a piece of tinfoil doesn't have any R value

    Radiant barrier is for keeping the IR from the shingles from heating the air below, since the air will still get heated, no improvement

    This time of year we all have low bills
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  • tonystewart
    tonystewart Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    #48
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!
    Solar Guppy wrote: »
    Well, that will be almost nothing ...

    You need insulation, a piece of tinfoil doesn't have any R value

    Radiant barrier is for keeping the IR from the shingles from heating the air below, since the air will still get heated, no improvement

    This time of year we all have low bills

    Thank You very much ;)
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  • tonystewart
    tonystewart Solar Expert Posts: 54 ✭✭
    #49
    Re: Leasing PV System in South Florida, need advice please!

    Thought I would share this thread for those who feel attic insulation and its unique ability to absorb & retain heat are important in South Florida.
    I know how Sikorsky felt.
    http://forum.solar-electric.com/showpost.php?p=78673&postcount=35
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