My Own Bit of Saving Energy

Carl Milsted, Jr on May 7 13:17:24

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Originally posted October 6, 2010

I admit it. I believe in trickle-down economics. But at least I walk the walk. I let somebody richer than me buy nice new stuff and years later I get it on the cheap. 70 years ago some wealthy judge had a nice house built: brick, thick walls, eleven gables (I think), detached two floor garage, etc. It’s a bit worn now, but still potentially nicer than many new McMansions with a bit of fixing up. I benefit from trickle-down economics. Compared to buying a new house of similar size/features I saved a bundle.

Or so I thought. Then I got my first winter propane bill. And another. And another. I was burning around 100 gallons a week, and I live in the south! Crawled underneath the house to tape up the leaks in the ducts and wrap some insulation only to find…ASBESTOS. Bleah!

Well, this week I am doing my part to stop global warming by getting the old rusty asbestos laden ductwork replaced with some modern insulated ducts. Got some cool pictures to show y’all. Click to zoom.

Central Services, for the finest ductwork!

Kind of reminds me of the movie Brazil. Where’s Tuttle when you need him? Or maybe some alien invaders come to suck something out of the house. Actually what these are is vacuum hoses to suck air out of the crawl space and basement while the workmen disturb the old asbestos-contaminated ducts.

Have a hole in the floor for these monster vacuum hoses.

The hoses came in the window and into what was once a bathroom but is now an unfinished room. (The previous owner intended this to become a walk-in closet with a bigger room next to it as a modern palatial bathroom. He didn’t finish before he decided to sell.)

Mmmmmmm, toxic waste…

Lots of old asbestos duct insulation and contaminated items duly wrapped up for perpetual disposal in a landfill as per current regulations.

Out with the old ductwork

Actually, I thought the old ducts looked pretty cool — much cooler than modern flexible plastic ducts. Alas, they leaked badly at the joints and some were rusted through completely.

I estimate that I’ll cut my total annual energy bill down by a 25%. Propane beat out gasoline and electricity last year and I hope to cut the propane bill in half. We shall see.

I bet I shrink my total energy bill by a bigger percentage than President Obama does with his solar collectors;-)