Moods Swings of a House

Be prepared for swings. I wish they were the kind to erect in the backyard but I am talking about delirious highs that lift the spirit and generate confidence that all things are possible . This creative hope place causes such wonderful design inspiration that anything can happen. Enjoy these since they don't last long or occur that frequently.

The low point of the fulcrum often feels terminal. "The project can't continue since we haven't sold the other house." "We need to stop spending until we see if you get rehired for the fall." The banks aren't lending any money now, so even if we wanted to refinance, we couldn't get a loan." (We'd probably need some interior walls, HVAC, electricity, plumbing and flooring before they'd consider it, anyway. Right now, we're paying a mortgage on a place that does not really exist.) (Shhhhhh, don't tell anyone, ok?)

Having a shell of a house with a 60-year-old husband who's doing most of the work himself in these crazy economic times might be a recipe for an ulcer. Aligning on the project and our commitment to completing it as we can, feels like, most of the time, anyway, partnership of a much more interdependent kind. Really working through our fears by expressing them and allowing for that swing set I mentioned keeps us aware of the other's concerns but allows us to offer support to the one on the bottom until he/she can bounce back. So far, so stressed. . .I mean, so good. We just keep plugging along. Mostly weekend warriors. Mostly convinced that this will be a wonderful spot to move to whenever that "year from now" occurs.

Renewable Reality Hits Home

We're discovering that the "green energy initiatives" are not cheap and may not be all that. This has been a painful process of selection since many "incentives" sound really supportive and like they would make the investment worthwhile. . .from a tax viewpoint and an energy saving one. In reality, they are often a come-on in both categories. Realizing that the return may not be realized before the system has to be upgraded or replaced does not really make solar hot water a viable system for a 2 person household. With a $12,000 upfront investment, it may not make financial sense to many people, either. With only a 15%-18% savings on the electric bill, the payback is well over 20 years, even with the paltry tax incentives, without considering the embodied energy required to produce the system or maintain it. The energy company (at least in NC where we live) does not seem to know much about its own program and the "financing" for home energy improvements, they are really supplied by 3rd party financiers (like banks) and the selection of "approved contractors" in our area is quite limited (like one). Banks are not really supporting it as a home "improvement" generating equity but rather than a depreciating issue which limits their willingness to back it as a loan asset.
This is one of the issues that killed the solar industry in the 1970's. Evidently, no lessons were learned back then and the consumer continues to bear the brunt of energy alternative exploration and support. The little guy taking the risks may not be so eager in these difficult financial times and, so, energy remains the purview of the energy companies. Even trying to "sell back" the excess energy only generates about half of what we continue to be required to pay (depending on how progressive your area is). It's discouraging us but we aren't giving up yet. We'll continue to report on our latest research because we're really committed to finding active ways to conserve energy.

When does recycling NOT make sense?

As we continue on our "gutting" process (started in March, 2008), we are confronted with choices about what to salvage and what to toss. Since this project has encompassed removing two ceilings (one was a radiant heating system with burned out wires), a brick propane heater space (and hearth), hundreds of old 2x4's, 10 windows, 2 door walls (and 2 doors with sidelights), bathroom fixtures. . .well, you get the idea, sorting through these "products" becomes a job in itself. Since my husband (Sensei 1) is doing much of the work himself, often the "recycling" becomes my task.

The 2x 4's seem to be a nobrainer in terms of reuse. This is true when the nails can be removed without destroying the integrity of the boards. (With 30 year old wood, that is sometimes impossible.) However, when the nails are twisted and entwined so that it takes me 30 minutes per piece, does the energy expenditure warrant the result? I have other jobs that I am meant to be accomplishing, so how do I decide how much time is appropriate?

Embodied Energy

Worldwatch estimated that, worldwide, buildings use 40% of virgin materials. This is associated with landscape destruction, toxic runoff, deforestation and the loss of biological and plant diversity. Further research indicates that our buildings use 15x more operating energy than embodied energy after 40 years in operation. The question I have is why not renovate our current built environment to the same equivalentcy of new construction with equal tax incentives?