Winters Coming, Again. It Is Always Coming.

[18hammers]

Nearly had frost this AM. This used to be the time to play chicken with the coming winter and see how long I could go before having to fire up the wood stove. I could go quite a while, the house is well built and holds heat well. Times have changed over the decades. I am no longer the man who enjoyed seeing how big and heavy of a log I could carry out of the bush to buck up, No longer do I enjoy the cutting and stacking, it is just needed labour now, not enjoyed. I really don't use much wood, 4 cord or is it Chord? of poplar wood would heat my house fine. I have 2 wood stoves, one up stairs and one down in the walk out basement. I used to mostly live upstairs but for roughly the last 7 years I live mostly downstairs in winter, and keeping the downstairs fire going by default keeps the upstairs a ok temperature (at greater than -20 I do need to light the upstairs stove as well). Then I found that by closing off the rooms I don't use in the basement, I cut maybe 3/4 of a cord off my wood use in a winter. About 4 years ago I hooked up a Diesel air heater to blow hot air into the downstairs sitting area. Right onto the sofa I sit on. It uses so little fuel. I then ran floor to ceiling curtains enclosing the sitting area, the wood stove, the output from the diesel heater. A area exactly 18 feet by 9  or 162 square feet. Of a house that must be 2300 sqft I live in my house within a house (of curtains ) of 162 feet. That's the only area I now keep heated proper in the winter. This curtained off area is heated just with the diesel air heater, wood stove , electric blanket, two of them. One on the sofa I sit/ sleep on the other under a throw rug in front of the sofa. The wood stove only fired up if temps go below -15. This now cuts my wood use down to 2, maybe  2.5 cord.

[RE]

Not in March!  Then it's leaving.  Only 6 months to go!

I'm the same way about heating, though not with a wood stove.  I set up my living space about 15' square, in the old days with my office chair in the center, now with my electric wheelchair.  Swiveling around 360 degrees are my computers, my recliner,  shelves with stuff I use on them and my bed which I no longer use for sleeping, I just throw clothes, lap blankets and go bags of various kinds I use when I go out. When I was living in my own place, I set the apt thermostat at 55 and kept an electric space heater under the desk in front of me, pointed out toward my feet.  The desk kept the heat from going up so it all radiated towards me.  If it was really cold outside, I would put a lap blanket on over my knees and the space heater.  I only had to turn it on for a few minutes each hour to keep warm.

Here in the Gulag, they keep the whole building a pretty steady 70, so I have the maintenance guys turn off the valve for the radiator in my room.  The ambient heat from the rest of the building coming into my room from the doorway (I keep it open) is enough on all but the coldest days.  On those days I turn on the electric space heater rather than getting maintenance to come turn the valve back on.

Definitely way too many people with central heating in large McMansions use double or triple the amount of BTUs they need to stay comfortable in the winter.  Turning down the thermostat, closing off rooms you don't use often, wearing warm clothing in layers and using space heaters right or electric blankets and heating pads in your own spot in the McMansion are easy fixes that cost next to nothing.  Really, your home only needs to stay warm enough that the pipes don't freeze.  In the not too distant future, people will be doing this by necessity of course.

RE

[K-Dog]

An electric space heater under the desk in front of me, pointed out toward my feet.

For a minute when I sit down.  Then I turn my heater to the back of the desk so the hot air has to mix and turn around.  Otherwise I will burn my feet.

[Nearings Fault]

I would

Not in March!  Then it's leaving.  Only 6 months to go!

I'm the same way about heating, though not with a wood stove.  I set up my living space about 15' square, in the old days with my office chair in the center, now with my electric wheelchair.  Swiveling around 360 degrees are my computers, my recliner,  shelves with stuff I use on them and my bed which I no longer use for sleeping, I just throw clothes, lap blankets and go bags of various kinds I use when I go out. When I was living in my own place, I set the apt thermostat at 55 and kept an electric space heater under the desk in front of me, pointed out toward my feet.  The desk kept the heat from going up so it all radiated towards me.  If it was really cold outside, I would put a lap blanket on over my knees and the space heater.  I only had to turn it on for a few minutes each hour to keep warm.

Here in the Gulag, they keep the whole building a pretty steady 70, so I have the maintenance guys turn off the valve for the radiator in my room.  The ambient heat from the rest of the building coming into my room from the doorway (I keep it open) is enough on all but the coldest days.  On those days I turn on the electric space heater rather than getting maintenance to come turn the valve back on.

Definitely way too many people with central heating in large McMansions use double or triple the amount of BTUs they need to stay comfortable in the winter.  Turning down the thermostat, closing off rooms you don't use often, wearing warm clothing in layers and using space heaters right or electric blankets and heating pads in your own spot in the McMansion are easy fixes that cost next to nothing.  Really, your home only needs to stay warm enough that the pipes don't freeze.  In the not too distant future, people will be doing this by necessity of course.

RE

I would speculate people would be more likely to shrink the house size or increase the density of people in the house. There is an argument to double insulate existing houses; basically creating a super insulated subspace in an existing house. Very doable with existing tech and resources. It would support doubling up in existing houses as well. I really am proud of our new place but honestly it is not an easy to implement solution for everyone.

[18hammers]

Actually a method of doubling a existing homes insulation exists, it is called a Larsen Truss. Can be built into new construction or because it is non load bearing added to older homes. I speak of it because I have it. My home has 1 foot thick walls, I can't remember now as it was over 30 years ago but somewhere around R32-R36 insulation. I also insulated all interior walls to R12 both upstairs and down.

[K-Dog]

All About Larsen Trusses

A detailed history of John Larsen's system for building thick superinsulated walls



Larsen trusses are non-structural
These lightweight trusses are tacked onto the sheathing after a house is framed and sheathed. In most cases, conventional 2x4 studs hold up the roof load, and the 2x4s are sheathed with plywood or OSB. The Larsen trusses get installed late in the construction schedule, after the roof is on.

A Larsen truss is a type of wall truss used to build a thick wall — thick enough to provide room for above-average amounts of insulation. It was developed in 1981 by John Larsen, a builder in Edmonton, Alberta.

In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Larsen truss, the time has come for a definitive article on the invention. This report includes an interview with the inventor of the Larsen truss, a history of its use, and a discussion of its advantages and disadvantages.

Defining a Larsen truss
A Larsen truss is usually site-built. Because the truss is not required to bear any roof load, its components are light. The original Larsen truss consisted of two parallel 2x2s connected by small rectangular gussets of 3/8-inch-thick plywood. The gussets measured 6½" x 8¼" each and were spaced 24 inches apart. A completed Larsen truss looked like a ladder with rectangular plywood rungs.

Although early Larsen trusses were 8¼ inches deep, they can be built to a variety of depths. Many builders have made 12-inch-deep Larsen trusses.

Larsen trusses are designed to be attached to the exterior surface of the wall sheathing of a new home. In most cases, these homes were framed with conventional 2×4 or 2×6 studs. Larsen trusses can also be used in retrofit work, in which case they are installed on top of the existing siding.

Many builders confuse Larsen trusses with wall trusses. If a truss is designed to bear the roof load, it is not a Larsen truss; it's a wall truss. For example, some builders create double-stud walls with the inner studs bearing the roof load. They may connect the two rows of studs with gussets in order to allow the outer studs to cantilever off the foundation. Such trusses are properly called wall trusses, not Larsen trusses.

[Nearings Fault]

I've worked on a few su

All About Larsen Trusses

A detailed history of John Larsen's system for building thick superinsulated walls



Larsen trusses are non-structural
These lightweight trusses are tacked onto the sheathing after a house is framed and sheathed. In most cases, conventional 2x4 studs hold up the roof load, and the 2x4s are sheathed with plywood or OSB. The Larsen trusses get installed late in the construction schedule, after the roof is on.

A Larsen truss is a type of wall truss used to build a thick wall — thick enough to provide room for above-average amounts of insulation. It was developed in 1981 by John Larsen, a builder in Edmonton, Alberta.

In honor of the 30th anniversary of the Larsen truss, the time has come for a definitive article on the invention. This report includes an interview with the inventor of the Larsen truss, a history of its use, and a discussion of its advantages and disadvantages.

Defining a Larsen truss
A Larsen truss is usually site-built. Because the truss is not required to bear any roof load, its components are light. The original Larsen truss consisted of two parallel 2x2s connected by small rectangular gussets of 3/8-inch-thick plywood. The gussets measured 6½" x 8¼" each and were spaced 24 inches apart. A completed Larsen truss looked like a ladder with rectangular plywood rungs.

Although early Larsen trusses were 8¼ inches deep, they can be built to a variety of depths. Many builders have made 12-inch-deep Larsen trusses.

Larsen trusses are designed to be attached to the exterior surface of the wall sheathing of a new home. In most cases, these homes were framed with conventional 2×4 or 2×6 studs. Larsen trusses can also be used in retrofit work, in which case they are installed on top of the existing siding.

Many builders confuse Larsen trusses with wall trusses. If a truss is designed to bear the roof load, it is not a Larsen truss; it's a wall truss. For example, some builders create double-stud walls with the inner studs bearing the roof load. They may connect the two rows of studs with gussets in order to allow the outer studs to cantilever off the foundation. Such trusses are properly called wall trusses, not Larsen trusses.

I've worked on a few super insulated shells and done at time of construction they are great. My only issue with the system shown above is as a retrofit to the outside it grows square footage and forces you to refinish the outside; the most expensive part. I've been a part of two reframing from the inside projects. The outside finishes stayed intact we gutted the inside. Cellulose in a hollow core for one then a new frame and spray foam. The second was stripped of drywall, reinsulated and a steel stud wall installed one inch off the existing and insulated. Both turned out pretty good. I was a part of it not in charge so could not say how they have worked out.

[Nearings Fault]

Actually a method of doubling a existing homes insulation exists, it is called a Larsen Truss. Can be built into new construction or because it is non load bearing added to older homes. I speak of it because I have it. My home has 1 foot thick walls, I can't remember now as it was over 30 years ago but somewhere around R32-R36 insulation. I also insulated all interior walls to R12 both upstairs and down.

sounds like a great space

[18hammers]

Over night lows hitting 0c now, hard frost in the low areas. Now is the time my life contracts to less than 200 sqft for the winter.
 It is not a hardship of any kind just a adaptation I do for the winter so I am  not needing to needlessly burn wood heating spaces I don't need or use (first world problems).
 I have window insulating panels that get put on the outside of many of the windows (plywood glued to pink insulating board, then deep pile carpet glued to the insulating board. inretrospect I think the pink foam insulating board was over kill. T o build them again I would have just glued the carpet to the plywood direct, carpet side to the window glass).
 The curtains have gone up in the walk out basement enclosing the sitting area with the wood stove, computer system, gaming system, music system, it is all very comfortable. The diesel air heater is running, blowing warm air right at the sofa I sit on and will sleep on this winter. Burning 1.5 liters to 3 per day. The electric blankets are now installed onto the sofa. One electric blanket just for the pack of the sofa. Pro tip, you only need to set this blanket to 20 watts, that is all that is needed to keep the back of the sofa biased slightly warm, it you want to go crazy push it to 25 watts max.
 On the seat of the sofa, across its length, spread another electric blanket letting the extra flow over the front of the sofa to the floor. This blanket needs A little more power, try 35 watts. Go up 5 watts if you really need more heat, down 5 watts if it's to hot and you need less.
 Now I have a third electric blanket spread out on the floor in front of me, over top the carpet. I lay out the blanket and then cover it with a 8X10 area rug. This electric blanket I run at 40 to 50 watts, this keeps my feet warm. So I am burning roughly 115 watts total to keep the surfaces I touch, sit on, lay on, walk on warm. Works for me, and should help me get to late Oct or Mid November before I have to fire up the wood stove.

[18hammers]

It went to -5C last night. I forgot how good the heat is for my old bones, sleeping with a electric blanket under me. Slept like a baby. Even the dogs were happy having a heated floor to stretch out on. By the way, I have learnt that the electric blankets on the floor and the one on the back of the sofa seem to last forever but the one under me doesn't make the winter, even the ones sold as mattress heaters fail before winter is over. I suspect it is rougher use being used on a sofa that causes the conductors to break down. I have found that I can source cheap electric blankets from Value Village, pay 10 to 20 bucks for them but I go on seniors day so that I get 30% off that price.

[18hammers]

Another aid to getting through a Canadian winter is insulated jeans. I switch to wearing them come October. Just like ordinary jeans but with a layer of flannel sewn inside. Makes a hell of a difference.

[18hammers]

Winter proper has not come yet. No snow, and temperatures that maybe hit -10C at night but rise to 2 or 3 C during the day. Only twice back in Oct did I have to light the wood stove when the lows were hitting -16C at night. Other than those couple nights I have been getting by just with electric blankets and a diesel air heater burning a couple Litres a day of fuel.
 Diesel fuel is something like 1.50 a liter  but back in 2020 when everything shut down due to covid the price at that time dropped to 75 cents a liter, I put away 6 barrels of the stuff so I am drawing down my reserve a bit.

[TDoS]

Diesel fuel is something like 1.50 a liter  but back in 2020 when everything shut down due to covid the price at that time dropped to 75 cents a liter, I put away 6 barrels of the stuff so I am drawing down my reserve a bit.

Back in the old days, and in many places of the L48, wood stoves seem to be a quite nice alternative to burning liquid fuels. Grew up with them, used them later in life, heating substantially more than just 200 sq. feet, is wood burning not allowed in your area or something?

[18hammers]

Diesel fuel is something like 1.50 a liter  but back in 2020 when everything shut down due to covid the price at that time dropped to 75 cents a liter, I put away 6 barrels of the stuff so I am drawing down my reserve a bit.

Back in the old days, and in many places of the L48, wood stoves seem to be a quite nice alternative to burning liquid fuels. Grew up with them, used them later in life, heating substantially more than just 200 sq. feet, is wood burning not allowed in your area or something?

See my first post in this thread, but briefly with just me in the house now it is crazy for me to heat 2300+ square ft with wood when I don't use 3/4 of the house I have (first world problem). When real winter comes with real cold temperatures then I will let the wood do the heavy lifting heating wise. Right now I am getting by with a modest use of diesel and saving greatly on wood consumption.

[18hammers]

The weather made the news today, the driest Sept, Oct, Nov on record for Alberta. So dry that Grass fires are a concern. Not a bit of snow anywhere, and mild temps. I have maybe burnt 3 or 4 arm loads of wood so far this winter and the forecast is mild right into December.