Question:
I've been reading about pv for a while now and at my office we use pv
for our whole office. Now I'm ready, but I don't know who to call or
where to start to have someone come look at my home and start the
process.
Can anyone in the Phoenix, AZ area make any suggestions as to who to
call to get this process started and if you have dealt with them, I'd
love to hear how your situation went.
To give you some idea as to what we use per month, I've inserted the
figures from SRP(utility) and described out lifestyle a bit.
My wife, 8 month old son and my Father live in an all-electric 2900 sq
ft house in Glendale. My father moved in with us 2 years ago and
primarily watches tv all day. My wife works weekends only and is home
with our son all day long with another tv on and does wash throughout
the week and during the day as well. I work at home four to five days
a week and as such have three computers on all day long. One runs 24
hours a day, every day of the week. I do 90% of our cooking outside
on a charcoal grill or on a propane burner. With all of us there all
day long we use our AC quite a bit throughout the year. Our intent
with this project is to invest in it as we would anything and let the
payoff be long term reducing our electric bill along the way.
Currently I'm paying on the basic rate plan with SRP at .08/kWh
May-Oct and .06 for the first 400 kWh and .04 for the rest during
Nov-Apr.
Bill Read Total
Month/Year Date Total kWh # of Days Charges
Apr 2004 Apr 20 2,330 32 $137.73
Mar 2004 Mar 19 1,950 29 $118.37
Feb 2004 Feb 19 2,170 30 $129.57
Jan 2004 Jan 20 2,230 33 $132.63
Dec 2003 Dec 18 1,770 30 $109.16
Nov 2003 Nov 18 1,710 29 $106.09
Oct 2003 Oct 20 2,790 32 $256.83
Sep 2003 Sep 18 3,420 31 $312.93
Aug 2003 Aug 18 3,580 32 $327.18
Jul 2003 Jul 17 3,440 30 $314.71
Jun 2003 Jun 17 3,020 32 $277.30
May 2003 May 16 1,640 28 $154.38
Totals 30,050 368 $2,376.88
If anyone has any suggestions or comments I'd love to hear them.
Answer:
I live near South Mountain. Just added R-19 to the attic, and R-30 over the
garage, nothing before I moved in. Got some JohnsMansfeild insulating board
and cut it up and insulated the garage door. My garage door faces dead
west. What a difference it made.
Brother did the same and even his wife has remarked that the a/c runs less.
Cost you ask. about 50 bucks for the Mesa garage door. We used cellulous
because that is what was up there before.
Shade screen the west windows. Best money you will ever spend.
Time clock on the water heater. Lowes is the least expensive.
I purchased a remote control 20" fan from Costco and put it into the attic
access hole. I prop the garage door open, it runs all night with specific
windows open. It was 69 degrees this morning when I shut it off. Currently
76 and just the paddle fan running in the living room.
I have 1620 square feet and last months bill was $34.00 from SRP
