The My Vibe Thread

[nefansince75]

It's a summer night in 1979 and your cruising in your Trans Am with the T-Tops off...

Sounds like disco to me. Funny they projected a bad-ass image then played a disco tune.

 

[NWPATSFAN]

So most know by now that for the last 2 to 2.5 years I have been remodeling my home. Down to the last little bit getting driveway redone monday, then soffit and I am done. Or thought I was. I told the wife, we need to replace the garage door too. She agreed, where we differ is she wants the run of the mill seven panel door something to match the paint scheme of the house. I think for a couple of hundred bucks more let's get something more appealing something with a little flare. I think the garage door can add curb appeal and worth the extra bucks. What say you all

Agree

 

[BigKen]

The first thi8ng anyone sees when they drive up to look at a house is the garage door. If it looks like shit, the buyers' mind is already starting in a negative direction. If the door makes them say "Whoa", their heads are already moving in your direction. Spend the extra few hundred, you'll never regret it.

Believe me. My wife sets up houses for sale. She doesn't stage them, she organizes them, gets rid of wall shit, dust collectors and things that make people say, "yuck". I've seen her reorganize an entire kitchen, including what's inside the cabinets in a single day. I mean reorganizing the food in the refrigerator, the dry goods and how a pantry looks when a buyer opens it to see what they're buying. She's an organizational witch.

One of the first things she looks at when she parks in front of any house is the garage door.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

So most know by now that for the last 2 to 2.5 years I have been remodeling my home. Down to the last little bit getting driveway redone monday, then soffit and I am done. Or thought I was. I told the wife, we need to replace the garage door too. She agreed, where we differ is she wants the run of the mill seven panel door something to match the paint scheme of the house. I think for a couple of hundred bucks more let's get something more appealing something with a little flare. I think the garage door can add curb appeal and worth the extra bucks. What say you all

Upgrade.

Nice quite belt drive opener too. With a good solid mount.

 

[YankeeRebel]

Upgrade.

Nice quite belt drive opener too. With a good solid mount.

Yeah I am getting door and opener. Ill have to see what openers are offered

 

[BigKen]

I had a belt installed rather than chain. Quiet as a mouse with sneakers on.

 

[YankeeRebel]

I had a belt installed rather than chain. Quiet as a mouse with sneakers on.

I think a lot of them today are shaft driven, supposed to be quite Ill know more Friday for sure.

 

[Yankee Traveler]

I think a lot of them today are shaft driven, supposed to be quite Ill know more Friday for sure.

I didn't know...

 

[YankeeRebel]

"You ain't never a nobody"

 

[Yankee Traveler]

"You ain't never a nobody"

The One Player that Disrespected Tom Brady The Most

www.youtube.com

 

[nefansince75]

Does anyone here have any real experience with heat pumps? Specifically heating and cooling... I'm not looking for impressions based on understandings from other sources, those are all over the internet. I mean actual in your hands experience or from a person close to your hands.

Thanks

 

[YankeeRebel]

Does anyone here have any real experience with heat pumps? Specifically heating and cooling... I'm not looking for impressions based on understandings from other sources, those are all over the internet. I mean actual in your hands experience or from a person close to your hands.

Thanks

You mean repairs or general knowledge?

 

[nefansince75]

You mean repairs or general knowledge?

All of the above... You may state something about maintenance that could stimulate a question about operations that might then solicit a response from someone else... I have n-gas heat with forced hot water. I'd love to replace that with a heat pump solution but not build new air ducts. I see more and more air to water systems that can heat water high enough, but coming to market at an affordable price still seems years off.

 

[YankeeRebel]

All of the above... You may state something about maintenance that could stimulate a question about operations that might then solicit a response from someone else... I have n-gas heat with forced hot water. I'd love to replace that with a heat pump solution but not build new air ducts. I see more and more air to water systems that can heat water high enough, but coming to market at an affordable price still seems years off.

Yep cannot help. I just switched the whole house to NG.

Would mini splits be an option?

 

[Yankee Traveler]

Does anyone here have any real experience with heat pumps? Specifically heating and cooling... I'm not looking for impressions based on understandings from other sources, those are all over the internet. I mean actual in your hands experience or from a person close to your hands.

Thanks

My experience is from a long time ago and even then the heat pump was even older.

When I rented a town house in Virginia Beach in the mid 90's it had a heat pump that must have been from the 80's. AC was fine in the summer but I sure was glad it had a real wood fire place because even with the mild winter temps of Va beach the heat pump could not begin to think of keeping up.

I know they are much much better today and I had a conversation last week about the cost of running an AC/Heat pump vs AC/NG Furnace was substantially cheaper overall.

If I was building a house now I would go with a AC/Heat Pump unit with a wood fireplace and a set of solar panels or vertical wind turbines.

 

[YankeeRebel]

My experience is from a long time ago and even then the heat pump was even older.

When I rented a town house in Virginia Beach in the mid 90's it had a heat pump that must have been from the 80's. AC was fine in the summer but I sure was glad it had a real wood fire place because even with the mild winter temps of Va beach the heat pump could not begin to think of keeping up.

I know they are much much better today and I had a conversation last week about the cost of running an AC/Heat pump vs AC/NG Furnace was substantially cheaper overall.

If I was building a house now I would go with a AC/Heat Pump unit with a wood fireplace and a set of solar panels or vertical wind turbines.

Living in Florida it seems heaat pumps are enough. It's been cold here the last few days and I noticed ice or frost build up on the unit. My understanding is that heat pumps at best work within a 20 degree differential. So if I am running the house at 71 and it's 31 that heat pump is really struggling to keep up.

He said something about forced hot water, had a similar set up in my house in Germany. Sounds cool kinda sucks

 

[Southieinnc]

Does anyone here have any real experience with heat pumps? Specifically heating and cooling... I'm not looking for impressions based on understandings from other sources, those are all over the internet. I mean actual in your hands experience or from a person close to your hands.

Thanks

They are all trying to sell you more than you need. Get a good one. Check the installation - especially the sealing of the ducts. Neatness means more than you think.

 

[BigKen]

All of the above... You may state something about maintenance that could stimulate a question about operations that might then solicit a response from someone else... I have n-gas heat with forced hot water. I'd love to replace that with a heat pump solution but not build new air ducts. I see more and more air to water systems that can heat water high enough, but coming to market at an affordable price still seems years off.

All I can give you is experience with both systems.

Had a steam system that was installed in the 1920's and ripped it out. Went to NG hot water at a cost of $22,000 that included an instant hot water system. It was a fantastic upgrade.

In the house I sold in 2022, I changed the heating system from OIL hot air to NG hot air. The ductwork was installed by the original in 1956. I bought the house from him. He owned and operated a ductwork business and he was a great tin-knocker. I kept his original duct work but had to have a special outlet duct installed on the new furnace to connect to the old duct work. I did all of the work in 1998-1999.

I like the Mitsubishi whole-house electric wall heater. They've really made them super efficient and more and more restaurants are installing them because they are also A/C. Cost was about $6000-$8000 last time I Checked

Move to Florida in 2022. Had to replace my HVAC system in 2023. Complete upgrade to new Amana unit with new outdoor unit $11,000.

At 75 years old, I'm not going to sell this place and will die here. Previously, I also used my death age to figure costs at 82. Now I think I might live a little longer. Take your age now and subtract it from the age that you think you might live to. divide the difference into your installation and year cost of operation.

You have to make the decision on what you think will be most efficient and cost effective for you and not listen to sales chatter.

 

[nefansince75]

Yep cannot help. I just switched the whole house to NG.

Would mini splits be an option?

Possibly but my focus researching a replacement for my boiler.

 

[nefansince75]

My experience is from a long time ago and even then the heat pump was even older.

When I rented a town house in Virginia Beach in the mid 90's it had a heat pump that must have been from the 80's. AC was fine in the summer but I sure was glad it had a real wood fire place because even with the mild winter temps of Va beach the heat pump could not begin to think of keeping up.

I know they are much much better today and I had a conversation last week about the cost of running an AC/Heat pump vs AC/NG Furnace was substantially cheaper overall.

If I was building a house now I would go with a AC/Heat Pump unit with a wood fireplace and a set of solar panels or vertical wind turbines.

I have the solar panels now (since 2011). The improvement from the last 10 years is substantial on the heating side which probably translates well to the cooling side too. Even a couple years ago thought of a heat pump heating water to 160 degrees was unthinkable without geothermal assistance. But while that seems to exist now, it isn't quite at the sweet spot for affordability.