First "real" double glazed window

Installed a double glazed unit into one of the lounge south windows today.

It's a 4mm, 4mm glazed unit with 16mm spacer, built by UltraGlass for $110 (512mmx1250mm in size).

• I removed the existing window frame
• removed the three panes and two muntins
• routed the inside space to allow the much thicker double glazed unit (24mm) to fit
• painted window frame
• used wood beading to fit window in place
• reattached window.

This window is one of three. The second window has acetate on it and the third is unchanged. In the mornings there is condensation on the standard window and none no either of the other two.

Cheap double glazing

I've started experimenting with double glazing. I've chosen three options:

• bubble wrap
• acetate (plastic stuck on the window frame with doubel sided tape)
• retro fitting double glazing units
  

I'll report more as results come in.

Finished insulating walls

Yep - it's all done. (Except for under 3 windows.) Read the full details on the cheap wall insulation project.

New web server installed, but adds 2 kWh per day!

Just upgraded the machine that runs my home web server to a second hand Compaq Proliant 460 with dual RAID array drives. But it's noisy as hell and a real power hog. The old machine was a no-name P3 box that used less than a third of that.

Looks like it may suck up as much power as I save on the solar water heater!

Doh! This is a classic problem that has been warned about concerning energy efficiency - people tend to use up any savings they make "to improve their lifestyle". I'm just as guilty.

Starting wall insulation project

Have started blowing polystyrene beads into the south facing wall for insulation.

It's a lot of fun.

Solar hot water

Finally got the solar hot water system up and running.

Of course, we're not going to see much use out of it till at least spring.

"Upgraded" to more expensive power

When we moved into the house we found it was connected via pre-pay system. You go to your local Blockbuster video store and buy "power" from them with $20-$100. They give you a 16 digit number which you then punch into a keypad next to your power meter at home.

It sounds a bit micky-mouse, but had the advantage that it (a) gave a digital usage reading and (b) didn't include a daily "line charge".

Eventually the power company (Genesis) decided to upgrade it systems to rectify that. So today we are paying 33.750 cents/day plus 17.500 cents/unit, but there giving us $15 per month to keep our custom. (My plan is to stay 12 months then switch to Meridian who generate power using more "renewable" energy sources.)


The other benefit of this new system is that it provides an indoor control-monitor panel - so I don't have to read the meter out in the rain anymore.