Heating and AC , You're screwed

[Marion Morrison]

CFLs are another thing. The government rammed them down our throats, turns out they are a disposal hazard and didn't light up for shit when cold. Or dimable. Along comes the greedy capitalists and offer us LEDs just a few short years later. They come on full power right away, dimable, run dirt cheap and run cool to the touch and are getting cheaper to purchase by the day. CFLs are already obsolete in my opinion.

CFLs have been around for thirty years. They work fine in the cold...I have been using them outdoors for twenty!

Bullshit! 20 years it was 1997 and there were no CFL bulbs available at hardware stores. They only popped up on shelves about 6 or so years ago.

Bullshit yourself. I was USING CFLs 20 years ago! They had been around for several years even then. I don't have it anymore (left it when I moved), but I had an even-older 22W circular CFL that probably dated to the 80's. (I remember my grandmother using a similar one when I was in school...and I have been married 21 years.)

They were around then but very expensive. As far as I know they are all spiral shaped. Compact Florescent Lighting.

This is a newer one, but the basic design has changed little since the 80's:

Oh, I remember those things. I apologize. CFL bulbs as direct replacements for incandescents have not been around for that long.

 

[Iceweasel]

Exactly, turns out the supposed safer refrigerant was not more efficient or so safe and newer systems have been having issues quicker then then the former.
My suggestion is to buy the older refrigerant on Amazon $27-$30 a can not 100 from AC co and have your certified AC friend or company fill the system this at least saves 50% + on the freon costs as the A/C guy doubles or more the already excessive cost of freon.
Or if you have some experience from car freon installations learn home AC on Youtube get a license $50-$65 and do it yourself.
All you need are cheap leak detectors under $20. and metalic bonding compound to repair found leaks, manifolds (pressure reader) under $30 that read your type of freon, and a temp gauge for the hi and lo line.

Great idea. I think I'll also check on the DIY appendectomy kit too. What could go wrong?

Do you call an electrician to replace a wall switch? A plumber to unclog a drain, maybe?

Of course not. That would be as stupid as voting for a reality show host for president.

Why not? We elected a community agitator.

 

[Iceweasel]

As I say, hubby had to try the latest and greatest. Lol we had them for our outside carriage lamps. Now everything is led, two colors at that. The first ones out actually didn't last, or some didn't (thanks he) We now have cool white (only color out at first) and soft white mixed in our bathrooms, which I hate.

The LEDs are out with a wide color spectrum now. I favor the warmer end. It's another reason I never like cfls. I don't want my house to look like an office.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

As I say, hubby had to try the latest and greatest. Lol we had them for our outside carriage lamps. Now everything is led, two colors at that. The first ones out actually didn't last, or some didn't (thanks he) We now have cool white (only color out at first) and soft white mixed in our bathrooms, which I hate.

They've had tubes and candle shapes for awhile, now.

I haven't seen a candle shaped florescent. I guess I never will now.

I just replaced a motion detector light on my garage with a LED. I will say it is brighter than with the flood lamps, but now when it's dark and it turns on, it looks like a UFO is about to land. I guess I'm just not used to it yet.

 

[Iceweasel]

The city replaced the street lights with LEDS. Definitely brighter but more directional.

I love the LED flashlights and work lights. They can literally blind you, the strobe function is great for self defense.

 

[depotoo]

I prefer the warmer also. Our Christmas tree had two color of whites and I had to add a color set so it wouldn't drive me crazy. The cool white, in my opinion is awful, only good for possibly a hospital setting. And they showed every single discoloration within our granite sink, which the others didn't do. Drove me crazy!!

As I say, hubby had to try the latest and greatest. Lol we had them for our outside carriage lamps. Now everything is led, two colors at that. The first ones out actually didn't last, or some didn't (thanks he) We now have cool white (only color out at first) and soft white mixed in our bathrooms, which I hate.

The LEDs are out with a wide color spectrum now. I favor the warmer end. It's another reason I never like cfls. I don't want my house to look like an office.

 

[Iceweasel]

I prefer the warmer also. Our Christmas tree had two color of whites and I had to add a color set so it wouldn't drive me crazy. The cool white, in my opinion is awful, only good for possibly a hospital setting. And they showed every single discoloration within our granite sink, which the others didn't do. Drove me crazy!!

Interestingly I recently saw that Europeans favor warmer lighting far over Americans.

 

[SmokeALib]

How many government mandated warnings does a bath towel really need sewn onto it?

Liberals need explicit instructions...

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

I'm curious, what prevents you from turning down the shower valve?

I never use full force when taking a shower. 90% of good clean water just goes down the drain. I keep the shower as low as possible and only turn it up when I rinse my hair. Water is expensive here, and I was telling my nephew how I would like to design a shower head that has an on/off chain. You don't need water running while you're soaping up or washing your hair, you only need it for rinsing.

 

[depotoo]

The Industrial design styling, which has been big here, probably promotes that.

I prefer the warmer also. Our Christmas tree had two color of whites and I had to add a color set so it wouldn't drive me crazy. The cool white, in my opinion is awful, only good for possibly a hospital setting. And they showed every single discoloration within our granite sink, which the others didn't do. Drove me crazy!!

Interestingly I recently saw that Europeans favor warmer lighting far over Americans.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

BTW -- in the winter -- your house and thermostat don't care if that BTU came from the furnace or a 400 Watt light fixture

But your wallet cares.

Do you run a space heater to heat your house?

No? You mean that would be wildly inefficient compared to a gas furnace?

Then why do you advocate running many little space heaters? Even in winter, that's inefficient.

And again, it ignores summer completely.

There are a surprising number of places (especially apartments) that DO heat exclusively with electricity. My sister lived in one just out of college.

Usually places that use electric heat don't pay the bill. Each tenant has an account with the electric company.

Electric heat is twice as expensive than natural gas, especially now that fracking is bringing up all kinds of new fuels for us.

 

[SmokeALib]

Sounds like crap. Maytag products suck.

My 1972 Maytag washer/dryer set is chugging along fine. I've replaced the heating element in the dryer once, that's all.

Yeah, they're not making them like that anymore.

If/when mine dies, I'm looking for an old one. Last one lasted 20+ years.

I am still using my old Kenmore...if it finally dies, I will probably get a HE front-loader. My mother has one, and it is superb.

Those front load he washers are pretty cool. The only reason I don't like 'em is because they don't get my clothes clean.

 

[Iceweasel]

I'm curious, what prevents you from turning down the shower valve?

I never use full force when taking a shower. 90% of good clean water just goes down the drain. I keep the shower as low as possible and only turn it up when I rinse my hair. Water is expensive here, and I was telling my nephew how I would like to design a shower head that has an on/off chain. You don't need water running while you're soaping up or washing your hair, you only need it for rinsing.

Dang. We are drowning in water here. I take hotel showers.

 

[depotoo]

No problem with that. We have a well.
You must not have long, thick hair.

I'm curious, what prevents you from turning down the shower valve?

I never use full force when taking a shower. 90% of good clean water just goes down the drain. I keep the shower as low as possible and only turn it up when I rinse my hair. Water is expensive here, and I was telling my nephew how I would like to design a shower head that has an on/off chain. You don't need water running while you're soaping up or washing your hair, you only need it for rinsing.

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

No problem with that. We have a well.
You must not have long, thick hair.

I'm curious, what prevents you from turning down the shower valve?

I never use full force when taking a shower. 90% of good clean water just goes down the drain. I keep the shower as low as possible and only turn it up when I rinse my hair. Water is expensive here, and I was telling my nephew how I would like to design a shower head that has an on/off chain. You don't need water running while you're soaping up or washing your hair, you only need it for rinsing.

Not anymore. It kind of looks silly on a 56 year old.

 

[Jarlaxle]

CFLs have been around for thirty years. They work fine in the cold...I have been using them outdoors for twenty!

Bullshit! 20 years it was 1997 and there were no CFL bulbs available at hardware stores. They only popped up on shelves about 6 or so years ago.

Bullshit yourself. I was USING CFLs 20 years ago! They had been around for several years even then. I don't have it anymore (left it when I moved), but I had an even-older 22W circular CFL that probably dated to the 80's. (I remember my grandmother using a similar one when I was in school...and I have been married 21 years.)

They were around then but very expensive. As far as I know they are all spiral shaped. Compact Florescent Lighting.

This is a newer one, but the basic design has changed little since the 80's:

They've had that design around for a long time but used ballasts as far as I know. You can get LEDs now that are even dimable, use even less energy and last longer. Mark my words, cfls will soon be history.

They all use ballasts...the old circular ones had it in the centre piece. New CFLs have it in the base, below the spiral.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Or the low-juice LED traffic lights they installed widespread in Minnesota and Wisconsin that got completely covered in snow and ice BECAUSE there was not "wasted heat"... Had to install heaters. True story..

BS comparison.
That's true of all things in the northern tier states. Even car & truck engines that generate heat by design require an external source of heat during the winter months in that neck of the woods.

Naah, not for decades. Modern engines will start unaided at -25 or colder.

You're funny, just like modern anti-lock brakes work fine on icy roads.
Or that six pack of beer you forgot to bring in won't freeze.

Or that "hot water" self serve car wash won't freeze on contact with the surface of your car.

Modern ABS works well, though many older systems did not. Good beer will not freeze until below 15 degrees. Nobody mentioned a car wash. Are you in the right thread?

You were talking 25 below zero. Sorry but you have no clue.

Nobody mentioned beer. ABS was never mentioned. Only you mentioned a self-serve car wash. I repeat: are you in the right thread?

 

[Ray From Cleveland]

I'm curious, what prevents you from turning down the shower valve?

I never use full force when taking a shower. 90% of good clean water just goes down the drain. I keep the shower as low as possible and only turn it up when I rinse my hair. Water is expensive here, and I was telling my nephew how I would like to design a shower head that has an on/off chain. You don't need water running while you're soaping up or washing your hair, you only need it for rinsing.

Dang. We are drowning in water here. I take hotel showers.

I have five apartments--one in which I live. My water and sewer bills for one month is over $400.00. In total, we have 8 people and one baby that live here. So I try to conserve water as much as possible, and I installed water saving shower heads in all my apartments except mine.

 

[Jarlaxle]

CFLs have been around for thirty years. They work fine in the cold...I have been using them outdoors for twenty!

Bullshit! 20 years it was 1997 and there were no CFL bulbs available at hardware stores. They only popped up on shelves about 6 or so years ago.

Bullshit yourself. I was USING CFLs 20 years ago! They had been around for several years even then. I don't have it anymore (left it when I moved), but I had an even-older 22W circular CFL that probably dated to the 80's. (I remember my grandmother using a similar one when I was in school...and I have been married 21 years.)

They were around then but very expensive. As far as I know they are all spiral shaped. Compact Florescent Lighting.

This is a newer one, but the basic design has changed little since the 80's:

Oh, I remember those things. I apologize. CFL bulbs as direct replacements for incandescents have not been around for that long.

AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH! Those WERE direct replacements! They were limited in what they fit (my grandmother had one in a reading light, I had a couple in ceiling lights), but they screwed right in to replace a regular incandescent bulb. The later CFLs have been around for more than 20 years...again, I was USING them 20 years ago!

 

[Jarlaxle]

BTW -- in the winter -- your house and thermostat don't care if that BTU came from the furnace or a 400 Watt light fixture

But your wallet cares.

Do you run a space heater to heat your house?

No? You mean that would be wildly inefficient compared to a gas furnace?

Then why do you advocate running many little space heaters? Even in winter, that's inefficient.

And again, it ignores summer completely.

There are a surprising number of places (especially apartments) that DO heat exclusively with electricity. My sister lived in one just out of college.

Usually places that use electric heat don't pay the bill. Each tenant has an account with the electric company.

Electric heat is twice as expensive than natural gas, especially now that fracking is bringing up all kinds of new fuels for us.

I don't remember, I have always had gas or oil heat. Electric heat is more-common in warmer places.

I will, however, note than 99% of hotels heat rooms with electricity!