How would you prepare differently? (how much, living, safe)

[Retriever]

Originally Posted by exhdo1

Solar panels should be installed with a southern exposure. Many homes in my neighborhood have them on the front side. Just depends on how bad you want them. You can't just install them for aesthetic purposes.

Exactly!
How and where they are installed on your roof is dependent upon the placement of your house in terms of compass points. Because of the east-west orientation of my roof, I was told that it would take much longer to amortize the cost of the equipment, simply because the panels would be so much less effective with that type of orientation.

Originally Posted by annerk

Why would you install solar panels for aesthetic purposes? They aren't exactly attractive.

Well, in case you didn't realize it, you essentially stated that they are usually installed with an eye toward aesthetics.
In case you forgot, below is what you posted earlier on the topic:

Originally Posted by annerk

Properly installed solar panels are surprisingly resistant to storm damage and generally installed on the rear/sides of a roof so they don't affect curb appeal.

To most people, I believe that "curb appeal" is a major part of the aesthetics of a home.

And, yes, I do think that--despite a lot of overall value in your posts--you have exhibited too much smugness and superiority to people who are currently suffering.

[manderly6]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

The only thing I would do differently is have a battery-powered radio. Never thought of that. I'm going to get one.

You can also get an emergency radio that has a crank. We have one just in case we run out of batteries.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by Retriever

Exactly!
How and where they are installed on your roof is dependent upon the placement of your house in terms of compass points. Because of the east-west orientation of my roof, I was told that it would take much longer to amortize the cost of the equipment, simply because the panels would be so much less effective with that type of orientation.



Well, in case you didn't realize it, you essentially stated that they are usually installed with an eye toward aesthetics.
In case you forgot, below is what you posted earlier on the topic:



To most people, I believe that "curb appeal" is a major part of the aesthetics of a home.

And, yes, I do think that--despite a lot of overall value in your posts--you have exhibited too much smugness and superiority to people who are currently suffering.

Yes, an eye towards aesthetics not meaning that they are attractive, but just the opposite. They are installed anywhere but the front of the house. They do not have to face south, they can also face east as MANY in my neighborhood prove.

[bradykp]

Originally Posted by annerk

Properly installed solar panels are surprisingly resistant to storm damage and generally installed on the rear/sides of a roof so they don't affect curb appeal. Windmills are very controversial due to their size and the noise they make.

absolutely. and i've seen panels on front roofs, it doesn't bother me from curb appeal, but i understand why it would bother some. and ditto on the windmill thing. but you can get smaller ones for a home...still, they are unsightly to some. i was just thinking if you had a tree come down on your house - solar panels don't do you much good then. but overall...i wish even more i had them now. so what are your thoughts...better investment than a whole house generator...even though it'd be more expensive?

[bradykp]

Originally Posted by Retriever

Something that never occurred to me prior to the storm was that some modern water heaters would function w/o electricity.
Obviously, if you have an old water heater with a pilot light, that would be fine, but...what about a more modern water heater without a pilot light?

Well, the answer is that, if your water heater has Piezo-electric ignition instead of conventional electronic ignition, then your water heater was able to continue functioning just fine w/o electric power.

Several hours after the power went out, I was amazed that my hot water was still hot, and I thought...the insulation on that tank is really good! But then, after more than 24 hours w/o power, when my hot water was still hot, I realized that this was more than just a case of good insulation. Sure enough, reading the manual that came with the water heater revealed that it uses Piezo-electric ignition, which actually generates its own charge for igniting the gas flame.

Of course, it was still not pleasant to take a shower when the house temp was only 55 degrees, but by running the shower with the bathroom door closed, the room was acceptably warmed-up when I exited from the shower. And, of course, I was able to wash my hands with hot water all though the power outage.

I am not suggesting that everyone should junk their existing water heater, but, when it comes time to replace your water heater, I strongly suggest that you pay a bit more for one with Piezo-electric ignition.

we have a tankless heater with an electric thermostat...battery backup is going to be purchased for that! lol. i was so mad...i was thinking..."my water heater is gas". doh!

[bradykp]

Originally Posted by annerk

Do you know that candles are being officially named as the root cause of the Breezy Point fire? (And one of the house fires my husband responded to in NJ.) Don't use candles in an emergency, they are a critical fire hazard. Buy a battery powered lantern and an extra battery, it will last 10 days with prudent use and you'll safely have all the light you need.

if you have proper emergency candles, fire is not a huge risk. still a risk...and they can be knocked over. but emergency candles are the way to go (not candles people would use everyday). but you're right...why not eliminate the risk completely and use lanterns/flashlights.

[bradykp]

Originally Posted by annerk

Yes, an eye towards aesthetics not meaning that they are attractive, but just the opposite. They are installed anywhere but the front of the house. They do not have to face south, they can also face east as MANY in my neighborhood prove.

up here in the northeast, they really need to face south for it to be a cost effective decision. florida is a different nut as you have better sun exposure than we do. it can be done...but it often is not because of the longer breakeven periods.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by bradykp

absolutely. and i've seen panels on front roofs, it doesn't bother me from curb appeal, but i understand why it would bother some. and ditto on the windmill thing. but you can get smaller ones for a home...still, they are unsightly to some. i was just thinking if you had a tree come down on your house - solar panels don't do you much good then. but overall...i wish even more i had them now. so what are your thoughts...better investment than a whole house generator...even though it'd be more expensive?

I guess if I had a tree come down on my house I wouldn't really be too worried about much of anything except having a chainsaw, a ladder, a blue tarp, and a good insurance policy.

It's a tossup. One nice thing about solar panels is that you can often tax at least some tax deduction on their installation cost, and you can use them year round, not just when the power is out. The disadvantage is that if you get a lot of cloudy days, they aren't going to work, and they don't really store energy for long.

I might go with solar and have a $500 generator for back up.

Just my opinion.

PS--If you have a HOA, you may or may not be allowed to install them.

[annerk]

Originally Posted by bradykp

up here in the northeast, they really need to face south for it to be a cost effective decision. florida is a different nut as you have better sun exposure than we do. it can be done...but it often is not because of the longer breakeven periods.

I guess it also depends on the big picture. Even if they are east facing they would probably get enough sun to pay for themselves at some point. Once they are installed, there's very little maintenance cost.

[RobRiguez]

Luckily i only had a loss of power the night of the storm from 10:30pm to about 5am. I was asleep anyway so it really didn't affect us. No damage to the house. lost a panel of the rear fence...just gone, no idea where it went.

Maybe I would fill up the cars with gas before the storm.