Posts: 1,846
10/16/12 11:24 A

Our house is so old and drafty, I can't imagine it could ever be that well sealed! One could hope!

Just seems like we could save so much energy heating the water with solar, even if the heat is not used to heat the house. Still researching. It's just frustrating because I want the "greenest" option possible. Although, considering what we are replacing, anything will be an improvement!

current weight: 140.0

170 159.25 148.5 137.75

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Posts: 966
10/15/12 5:12 P

i'm from new york so we only use solar hot water for domestic hot water and in the winter we still have to give it a heat boost. if you get a high efficiency gas furnace, i'm sure you will be very happy with it. i have replaced a very old oil furnace with a new one and that alone cut my oil usage almost in half. sealing the house is always good, as long as you crack a window open to get fresh air

Posts: 1,846
10/15/12 11:33 A

I am currently participating in Energy Upgrade California, a rebate program offered by municipalities and local utilities to offset some of the costs of home improvement projects that improve energy efficiency.

We want to replace the furnace that was installed when the home was built in 1956. Has anyone replaced a furnace lately? We are looking at either a very high-efficiency gas furnace or a hydronic system with solar water heating. Any recommendations?

One contractor recommended sealing the whole house. Another recommended just sealing the attic, because sealing the rest of the house doesn't work very well. Any thoughts?

If you've done something to make your home more energy efficient, I would love to hear about your projects!

current weight: 140.0

170 159.25 148.5 137.75

127