off topic What I do to reduce my environmental footprint...

[Stoner]

Just got a $7,500 estimate on a new gas boiler. That ain't happening. My gas bill is $90 a month with an ancient American Standard boiler that might be 50 years old. Very energy-inefficient, but natural gas is pretty cheap and I keep the house chilly. The math: if I cut my gas bill in half with a new boiler, it would take 13.88 years for a new boiler to start paying off.

I just had the guy replace the thermocouple and we'll go from there. Sorry, Earth.

Edited August 3, 2018 by PASabreFan
The double clutch

[Drunkard]

6 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Just got a $7,500 estimate on a new gas boiler. That ain't happening. My gas bill is $90 a month with an ancient American Standard boiler that might be 50 years old. Very energy-inefficient, but natural gas is pretty cheap and I keep the house chilly. The math: if I cut my gas bill in half with a new boiler, it would take 13.88 years for a new boiler to start paying off.

I just had the guy replace the thermocouple and we'll go from there. Sorry, Earth.

I wish I had passed on my solar panels. Even with a tax break of 30% of the cost coming from Federal and 35% of the cost coming in a tax rebate from NC, at roughly $50 saved per month in electricity it's going to take me almost a dozen years to break even on the damn things.

[GASabresIUFAN]

14 minutes ago, Alkoholist said:

I wish I had passed on my solar panels. Even with a tax break of 30% of the cost coming from Federal and 35% of the cost coming in a tax rebate from NC, at roughly $50 saved per month in electricity it's going to take me almost a dozen years to break even on the damn things.

And they are ugly and hurt the re-sale value of the home.

[Eleven]

23 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Just got a $7,500 estimate on a new gas boiler. That ain't happening. My gas bill is $90 a month with an ancient American Standard boiler that might be 50 years old. Very energy-inefficient, but natural gas is pretty cheap and I keep the house chilly. The math: if I cut my gas bill in half with a new boiler, it would take 13.88 years for a new boiler to start paying off.

I just had the guy replace the thermocouple and we'll go from there. Sorry, Earth.

Jealous of a $90/mo gas bill, and my house isn't large.

16 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

And they are ugly and hurt the re-sale value of the home.

I don't think they're ugly, but that's in the eye of the beholder.  Do they really hurt the re-sale value, though?  I would think they would help, because someone else already has paid for and installed them.

[Stoner]

4 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Jealous of a $90/mo gas bill, and my house isn't large.

Are rates higher in the city? Do you like it hot? Some do.

[Eleven]

7 minutes ago, PASabreFan said:

Are rates higher in the city? Do you like it hot? Some do.

1.  I don't know.  The only places for which I've paid a gas bill are in Buffalo.  

2.  I don't keep it too hot.  68.  

[GASabresIUFAN]

19 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Jealous of a $90/mo gas bill, and my house isn't large.

I don't think they're ugly, but that's in the eye of the beholder.  Do they really hurt the re-sale value, though?  I would think they would help, because someone else already has paid for and installed them.

In some places they may be a neutral , say California, but in places like GA, NJ (where my brother installed them and cant sell his house because of them), and most places they are a negative.  They are working on solar roof tiles. Once that is perfected, that will change the game. 

Edited August 4, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[Eleven]

2 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

In some places they may be a neutral , say California, but in places like GA, NJ (where my brother installed them and cant sell his house because of them), and most places they are a negative.  

I genuinely am surprised.

[GASabresIUFAN]

12 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I genuinely am surprised.

Why?  Remember most people decorate with shades of beige.  They don’t want a house that is unique or different or has special maintenance or other issues.  They anology i’d use is a pool.  If you lease the panels, my bank looks at it as a neutral or negative.  If you own the panels, usually an investment of around 30K, in can be an asset, but in the right places.  

Going back to a pool.  Pools can be a positive in higher end neighborhoods in warm climates where the pool is a feature of bigger back yard and can be used year round or nearly.  However, pools require expensive and constant maintenance.  

The economics have to work.

Edited August 4, 2018 by GASabresIUFAN

[ubkev]

50 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Jealous of a $90/mo gas bill, and my house isn't large.

Mine is gonna be just over $90/mo after my reduction. And my house is, I guess medium sized. 1800 sq ft.

Is gas cheaper in Pennsylvania? I know I pay a fortune for frickin water! My water bill rivals my gas bill. In CNY I paid like $45 quarterly. Now I pay at least $79/mo!

[Eleven]

23 minutes ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

Why?  Remember most people decorate with shades of beige.  They don’t want a house that is unique or different or has special maintenance or other issues.  They anology i’d use is a pool.  If you lease the panels, my bank looks at it as a neutral or negative.  If you own the panels, usually an investment of around 30K, in can be an asset, but in the right places.  

Going back to a pool.  Pools can be a positive in higher end neighborhoods in warm climates where the pool is a feature of bigger back yard and can be used year round or nearly.  However, pools require expensive and constant maintenance.  

The economics have to work.

I guess I'm imagining rooftop panels, which really wouldn't interfere with decor.  

Pools are a plus for real estate even in Buffalo.

3 minutes ago, ubkev said:

Mine is gonna be just over $90/mo after my reduction. And my house is, I guess medium sized. 1800 sq ft.

Is gas cheaper in Pennsylvania? I know I pay a fortune for frickin water! My water bill rivals my gas bill. In CNY I paid like $45 quarterly. Now I pay at least $79/mo!

Maybe it is cheaper in Penna.  Because it's sure as hell not $90/mo. here.  And that water bill seems insane.  I think I see the connection:  fracking.

[GASabresIUFAN]

2 minutes ago, Eleven said:

I guess I'm imagining rooftop panels, which really wouldn't interfere with decor.  

Pools are a plus for real estate even in Buffalo.

Maybe it is cheaper in Penna.  Because it's sure as hell not $90/mo. here.  And that water bill seems insane.  I think I see the connection:  fracking.

Not according to the studies I’ve read.

[ubkev]

1 hour ago, Eleven said:

 

Maybe it is cheaper in Penna.  Because it's sure as hell not $90/mo. here.  And that water bill seems insane.  I think I see the connection:  fracking.

That's pretty probable.

[Eleven]

4 minutes ago, ubkev said:

That's pretty probable.

I was kidding.  But maybe it's actually right.

[Winston]

Some places around here have stopped serving plastic straws unless you specifically request one. 

I mean we aren’t quite California... but this is catching on.

 

 

[sodbuster]

3 hours ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

In some places they may be a neutral , say California, but in places like GA, NJ (where my brother installed them and cant sell his house because of them), and most places they are a negative.  They are working on solar roof tiles. Once that is perfected, that will change the game. 

They're already being manufactured right in Buffalo.

[Eleven]

7 minutes ago, sodbuster said:

They're already being manufactured right in Buffalo.

They've been everywhere for years...not sure what GA meant about "they're working on" them.

[GASabresIUFAN]

3 minutes ago, Eleven said:

They've been everywhere for years...not sure what GA meant about "they're working on" them.

I’m talking about solar roof shingles not panels.  The Tesla shingle cost about $50k for a roof and aren’t yet as efficient as the panels.  They will get there.  Once they get closer to a traditional roof in cost you’ll get much higher demand and they’ll be an asset to a home, especially places with a ton of sun like here.

[Eleven]

1 hour ago, GASabresIUFAN said:

I’m talking about solar roof shingles not panels.  The Tesla shingle cost about $50k for a roof and aren’t yet as efficient as the panels.  They will get there.  Once they get closer to a traditional roof in cost you’ll get much higher demand and they’ll be an asset to a home, especially places with a ton of sun like here.

Gotcha.  I still don't see the aesthetic problem with roof panels, but to each his own, I guess.  Of course, I do live in the City of Buffalo, where most houses are two or three storeys high, so the roofs aren't really that visible.

Edited August 4, 2018 by Eleven

[Stoner]

Eleven, do you have a gas bill handy? What's the rate?

[Eleven]

16 hours ago, PASabreFan said:

Eleven, do you have a gas bill handy? What's the rate?

I don't.  I'll make sure to look this month.

[StuckinFL]

Dunno if this has been discussed but in actuality you can't do squat in the grand scheme of things. You're one person. The way to effect change is to force companies to stop creating waste and make recyclable products rather than disposable ones. We used to require pop to be in glass bottles and the industry had to buy them back and recycle them. This drove up costs and they got together with a brilliant ad campaign to shift blame to consumers instead of themselves. This is why stuff like the straw laws are encouraging. People are making enviormentally friendly laws which can effect a much greater change than one individual could ever do alone.

California requiring cars to have higher emission standards has made more of an environmental impact then the creation of the hybrid car and Tesla combined. That's why the auto companies started making more fuel efficient cars. They weren't going to not sell cars in California and let a competitor make all the profits. Vote for canidates that take enviormental concerns seriously and purpose making laws that don't destroy buisness but hold it accountable towards making a better tomorrow. 

 

Edited August 5, 2018 by StuckinFL
Added more

[Eleven]

23 minutes ago, StuckinFL said:

Dunno if this has been discussed but in actuality you can't do squat in the grand scheme of things. You're one person. The way to effect change is to force companies to stop creating waste and make recyclable products rather than disposable ones. We used to require pop to be in glass bottles and the industry had to buy them back and recycle them. This drove up costs and they got together with a brilliant ad campaign to shift blame to consumers instead of themselves. This is why stuff like the straw laws are encouraging. People are making enviormentally friendly laws which can effect a much greater change than one individual could ever do alone.

California requiring cars to have higher emission standards has made more of an environmental impact then the creation of the hybrid car and Tesla combined. That's why the auto companies started making more fuel efficient cars. They weren't going to not sell cars in California and let a competitor make all the profits. Vote for canidates that take enviormental concerns seriously and purpose making laws that don't destroy buisness but hold it accountable towards making a better tomorrow. 

 

Very informative and interesting video.  Thanks.

I disagree that one person cannot make a difference.  One person can lobby, can run for office, can turn a company around.  Self-empowerment.

As for California emission standards, I'm old enough to remember the car prizes on The Price Is Right being described as having "California emissions."  It was a great move by a bunch of one persons in California to bring the automotive industry in line.

I do wonder how effective our $0.05 bottle fee is in New York.  It's time to raise it to a quarter, and also to stop exempting sports drinks and such.

Edited August 5, 2018 by Eleven

[StuckinFL]

5 minutes ago, Eleven said:

Very informative and interesting video.  Thanks.

I disagree that one person cannot make a difference.  One person can lobby, can run for office, can turn a company around.  Self-empowerment.

As for California emission standards, I'm old enough to remember the car prizes on The Price Is Right being described as having "California emissions."  It was a great move by a bunch of one persons in California to bring the automotive industry in line.

I do wonder how effective our $0.05 bottle fee is in New York.  It's time to raise it to a quarter, and also to stop exempting sports drinks and such.

What I meant by that is that one person just trying to reduce their own impact makes little difference. You have to change the herd's direction. 

Edited August 5, 2018 by StuckinFL

[Eleven]

1 minute ago, StuckinFL said:

What I meant by that is that one person just trying to reduce their own impact makes little difference. You have to change the herd's direction. 

Gotcha.  Correct.