Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Heat people, not spaces (2015)

solar.lowtechmagazine.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 335 posts

Re: Heat people, not spaces (2015)

#141

Post by hedora »

culi wrote: post #123
myth2018 wrote: post #12

I've been thinking about the inverse problem. I live in a very warm city. Air conditioning (cooling spaces) is the norm, but tons of money are spent with installations, maintenance and the monthly electricity bill. The new houses are designed with zero consideration about ventilation, designers seem to take for granted that you are going to buy an AC system. Oftentimes, a very simple change in the project would be en…

In Europe still today AC usage is at less than 5% of all households. Sure the US likely has more cities in really hot places, but ACs are still generally an American thing

They say air conditioning settled the west.

Desertification in that area is starting to roll that back though. Never-irrigated ranches are drying up. Without argiculture, the towns die. The ecosystems don't recover, even in places where the people are gone and the buildings have rotted to dust and blown away (too hot / no rain).

This must have been how people felt when the Sahara turned into a desert. I can't believe it's happening so fast. (Towns that were populated 20 years ago are completely invisible now.)

Re: Heat people, not spaces (2015)

#142

Post by hn_throwaway_99 »

oxplot wrote: post #127

Heat properly insulated spaces. I don’t want to walk around with piles of movement limiting and suffocating clothing inside my own living room. The problem is not what you heat up, it’s how well you insulate it from losing its heat. In Australia where I live, insulation is non-existent in the average home/apartment. Even simple things like tinted windows (for hot days), double pane windows and floating floor is missi…

This times 1000. The reason that central heating systems are so popular is because they are a million times better (from the human's perspective, not necessarily the environment's) than old "point heating" systems.

Last year when the electrical grid in Texas failed, we could heat ourselves by our gas fireplace, but our central heating was out. It was fucking miserable. Similar to what the article pointed out, basically any part of my body was either too hot or too cold, so I was constantly turning like a spit roaster trying to keep a "nice even bake" on all sides.

The solution to poor energy efficiency of heating is not for us to all invest in hooded chairs, it's to ensure homes are appropriately insulated.

Re: Heat people, not spaces (2015)

#144

Post by hedora »

gameswithgo wrote: post #81

I have a two story home with one central air unit and the distribution of heat is terrible, some rooms get super hot, the whole downstairs is super cold. Are there any affordable steps one can take to improve these kinda of problems?

This is not particularly affordable, but most things that cost more will be a waste of money. If HVAC balancing fails:

Replace the furnace with a heat pump with a variable rate fan and compressor. The unit will run constantly at low speed.

It will also be super energy efficient, so there might be tax incentives.

You can get a hybrid gas or resistive heat model, which will fall back on conventional methods of heating as appropriate.

As upgrades, you could add a central (de)humidifier, air exchanger, and forest fire smoke air filter, depending on what other problems your area has.

You could also try getting a two zone system (separate temperature control and blowers for upstairs and downstairs), but that probably means tearing into walls or something. The always on slow + quiet fan is a much better solution.

Re: Heat people, not spaces (2015)

#145

Post by presentation »

joe_the_user wrote: post #74
novok wrote: post #60

An issue with keeping yourself warm with clothing is some hotspots get too warm, and others too cold. Like the armpits usually get too warm, but your exposed hands too cold. If your slippers have sheep's wool in them, like ugg slippers, then they often sweat a lot or feel a little wet while simultaneously feeling cold at times, or warm enough. Most sweaters are also not designed to keep your armpits a little bit cool…

Last December, Nevada County Ca, where I live, had a massive snow storm that knocked out power and snowed people in for 1-3 weeks. I wound up huddled in my apartment with 45 degree heat for five days or so. With enough sweaters, I was a comfortable temperature. Aside from what you mention, since basically you providing your own heat for yourself, you have to put or take off layers depending on physical activity. And…

Most people in the warmer parts of Japan and China (not Hokkaido, not Heilongjiang) don’t use that much heating in the winter, I’ve gotten used to it and don’t really find it a problem.

Re: Heat people, not spaces (2015)

#146

Post by thaumasiotes »

presentation wrote: post #145
joe_the_user wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Last December, Nevada County Ca, where I live, had a massive snow storm that knocked out power and snowed people in for 1-3 weeks. I wound up huddled in my apartment with 45 degree heat for five days or so. With enough sweaters, I was a comfortable temperature. Aside from what you mention, since basically you providing your own heat for yourself, you have to put or take off layers depending on physical activity. And…

Most people in the warmer parts of Japan and China (not Hokkaido, not Heilongjiang) don’t use that much heating in the winter, I’ve gotten used to it and don’t really find it a problem.

I lived in Shanghai, which is too warm for snow in the winter. But it's still freezing cold; when I wasn't running heat (because I didn't know how), I'd wake up in the morning with my toes suffering from frostbite. I was miserable all the time until I obtained a space heater.

Re: Heat people, not spaces (2015)

#148

Post by don-code »

I have a "neat trick" of putting a blanket over myself such that my hands and laptop keyboard are both underneath, but the screen is sticking out. Then I run a cryptominer to generate some heat. Inside of five minutes, I'm pretty warm!

Re: Heat people, not spaces (2015)

#149

Post by throwaway984393 »

bitwize wrote: post #83
throwaway984393 wrote: post #61

We have very very very good insulation now. We don't really need to stop heating spaces, we need to prevent heat loss. In addition we could use more modern heating systems which actually heat rooms only when needed.

Eh, depends on where you live. I was surprised, for example, to find out the abysmal state of insulation in New Zealand. Only in the last five decades have Kiwis had decent insulation standards -- for new construction. Homes from before that time often remain without adequate insulation -- and it gets cold throughout much of New Zealand! Many new Japanese homes are uninsulated, with the residents using "heat the pers…

Japan also had a history of homes with permanent passive air circulation; old Japanese buildings are often not much better than sleeping outside. That plus sitting-on-the-floor lends itself to a kotatsu culture. But different cultures work differently, and as a result the same solutions don't fit other places.

There are probably a bunch of different solutions that we just need to make it a little easier for local people (& contractors) to try out.

Re: Heat people, not spaces (2015)

#150

Post by adrianN »

thaumasiotes wrote: post #146
presentation wrote: post #145

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most people in the warmer parts of Japan and China (not Hokkaido, not Heilongjiang) don’t use that much heating in the winter, I’ve gotten used to it and don’t really find it a problem.

I lived in Shanghai, which is too warm for snow in the winter. But it's still freezing cold; when I wasn't running heat (because I didn't know how), I'd wake up in the morning with my toes suffering from frostbite. I was miserable all the time until I obtained a space heater.

That sounds like you have the wrong blanket.
Post reply on HN