How much is your electric bill? (credit, heat pump, calculator)

[BriansPerspective]

Originally Posted by DellNec

Is the home exterior brick?

It's some form of wood siding. The majority of the house is some kind of thick fiberboard and then wood panel siding on top of that. The additions are plywood and then wood panel siding on top. We have pretty decent insulation in the attic. I don't know the R value though.

I suppose an interesting test would be to turn the A/C off for a week and then look and the change in the electric usage. It doesn't run much though, as we keep the house around 80 degrees. We also have a whole house fan that we mounted on some 2x4 'feet'. When the evening cools down, we stick that in the exterior garage door and open a few windows at the end of the house. The house cools down dramatically in about ten minutes.

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by BriansPerspective

It's some form of wood siding. The majority of the house is some kind of thick fiberboard and then wood panel siding on top of that. The additions are plywood and then wood panel siding on top. We have pretty decent insulation in the attic. I don't know the R value though.

You can measure the attic R value by using a yard stick. http://www.ehow.com/how_2026043_save-energy-attic.html

You mentioned that you were considering stucco, I would recommend using James Hardie fiber cement siding. It would be 100x better than stucco. Plus it would be much easier and less money than converting to a stucco exterior, since you already have a siding exterior.

James Hardie: the HardieZone System | Residential Siding from James Hardie

Stucco does not do well in high winds, hail and below freezing applications. All of which are common in Prescott.

If you ever do that project, I would also recommend having insulation blown into your walls after you remove the siding. They can access behind the sheathing to do it. Otherwise you would have to rip the entire drywall out from the inside to do so. Lastly, I would have the home wrapped with a thermal/moisture barrier. This goes on top of the sheathing on the outside. The siding then goes over that.

Recommended Levels of Insulation : ENERGY STAR

[BriansPerspective]

Originally Posted by DellNec

You mentioned that you were considering stucco, I would recommend using James Hardie fiber cement siding. It would be 100x better than stucco. Plus it would be much easier and less money than converting to a stucco exterior, since you already have a siding exterior.

Stucco does not do well in high winds, hail and below freezing applications. All of which are common in Prescott.

We're only 4,700 feet, so we don't get as much freezing and snow as Prescott proper. We would stucco primarily because we like the look of it. Secondarily, it would give us added insulation. We would stucco over our existing siding, which would keep the shear factor . So, we would have r-13 fiberglass in the walls, plywood or fiberboard, then siding, then an inch and a half of stryofoam, and then stucco. There's no point in ripping off our current siding just to put a different siding on. James Hardie siding has an r-value of less than 0.5, so what's the point? 1.5 inch styrofoam has a r-value of 7.5, which is on top of the other insulation already in and on the wall. We would go from about r-14 to r-21.

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by BriansPerspective

We're only 4,700 feet, so we don't get as much freezing and snow as Prescott proper. We would stucco primarily because we like the look of it. Secondarily, it would give us added insulation. We would stucco over our existing siding, which would keep the shear factor . So, we would have r-13 fiberglass in the walls, plywood or fiberboard, then siding, then an inch and a half of stryofoam, and then stucco. There's no point in ripping off our current siding just to put a different siding on. James Hardie siding has an r-value of less than 0.5, so what's the point? 1.5 inch styrofoam has a r-value of 7.5, which is on top of the other insulation already in and on the wall. We would go from about r-14 to r-21.

That is true that stucco has better insulating values but as far as strength and longevity, Hardieboard is much better. Hail destroys stucco and stucco will develop cracks on a yearly basis, some of those cracks are just aesthetic while others will need to be patched.

If you are going for insulating values, then I would go with stucco. For strength and longevity Hardieboard is better.

[Kimballette]

This thread --> How much is your electric bill?

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by BriansPerspective

So I just used the solar calcultor on the APS website. To cover my electric costs, I would need a 6.6Kw system, which would cost $32,670. Apparently I can get the rest of you to donate $17,400 through your taxes and extra electricity fees, which would leave me a bill of $15,270. I normally spend about $1100/yr in electric bills. My net cost would break even in 14 years. The real cost would break even in 28 years. How long will it be before my system breaks down? If I invest that $15,000, I could probably make $600 per year and pay for half of my electricity costs. Does anybody else see a problem here?

If it was not for the gov't rebates and incentives, solar panels for the home would never sell. The technology is still too expensive and ROI takes 20 years in some cases.

Best bet to drop your electric bill is to insulate, better windows, and all the stuff you already did to the home. Planting shade trees helps out also but it can take 5 years to see any results due to the size of the tree. Unless you buy a large mature tree.

Another important factor that many overlook is to make sure to NEVER buy a home that faces east & west. Typically the majority of windows are facing that way and will take the brunt of the sun. The solar gain is intense in AZ. Overall it would be better to have a north/south facing home. That way in the summer you will have lower solar gain and in the winter you will have the southern solar gain which will help heat the home.

[wretched wrench]

Originally Posted by BriansPerspective

The real cost would break even in 28 years. How long will it be before my system breaks down?

This may tell you something............Most solar panels have a 30 yr pro-rated warranty. Much shorter time on the other components. Many of the electric components are from offshore or startup companies that are unlikely to be around or be responsive to problems. Xantrex/Trace, for example.

[wretched wrench]

"How Much is Your Electric Bill"?


Before this question is answered, the APS rate plan should be disclosed. New users can choose from 5 plans, and there are two more plans that those who signed up before last year could still have.

APS ::Rate Plans, Residential

And, of course, some description of the user's electricity habits would help, too. For example, a person who worked noon to 8 would probably never run his or her air conditioner, and so forth.

As an example, I do not weld or use my well pump between noon and 7.

The matching of rate plan to usage pattern can have a large effect on rates.

[BriansPerspective]

Originally Posted by wretched wrench

"How Much is Your Electric Bill"?


Before this question is answered, the APS rate plan should be disclosed. New users can choose from 5 plans, and there are two more plans that those who signed up before last year could still have.

APS ::Rate Plans, Residential

And, of course, some description of the user's electricity habits would help, too. For example, a person who worked noon to 8 would probably never run his or her air conditioner, and so forth.

As an example, I do not weld or use my well pump between noon and 7.

The matching of rate plan to usage pattern can have a large effect on rates.

I just logged into APS and ran their rate comparison tool. We're on the standard plan right now. APS estimates that we will pay $1,407 in the next 12 months. The various other options jack us up to $1,427; $1,450; and $1,453. I guess we have the best plan for our usage.

[BriansPerspective]

Ok, electric dropped to $111 this month, so that must mean that the A/C costs about $50/month in the hot months.