The Homeowner's Energy Handbook: Your Guide to Getting Off the Grid

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Overview

Are you looking for creative ways to lower your energy costs, generate more of your own power, or become less reliant on the grid? Energy expert Paul Scheckel offers practical advice for taking matters into your own hands. Understand the fundamentals of solar, wind, water, and biofuel energy production as you make your home ready for renewables. Each chapter of Homeowner's Energy Handbook provides a comprehensive discussion of renewable energy sources along with "green guides" for building your own energy-saving ...

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The Homeowner's Energy Handbook: Your Guide to Getting Off the Grid

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More About This Book

Overview

Are you looking for creative ways to lower your energy costs, generate more of your own power, or become less reliant on the grid? Energy expert Paul Scheckel offers practical advice for taking matters into your own hands. Understand the fundamentals of solar, wind, water, and biofuel energy production as you make your home ready for renewables. Each chapter of Homeowner's Energy Handbook provides a comprehensive discussion of renewable energy sources along with "green guides" for building your own energy-saving -- and energy-producing -- equipment. Step-by-step instructions show you how to build a bicycle-powered generator, a biodiesel processor, a thermosiphon solar hot-water collector, a biogas generator,a smokeless wood-gas camp stove, and more. Whether you want to button up your house to be more energy-efficient, find deep energy savings, or take your home entirely off the grid, this guide has the knowledge and skills you need to reduce your use,then produce!

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Editorial Reviews

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Each year, Americans spend over four hundred billion dollars on energy, but most of us probably still think that your share is an unfair burden. Chances are, too, that your power sources are not only costly; they are also damaging the environment Homeowner's Energy Handbook by alternative energy expert. Paul Scheckel targets both problems, offering money-saving and earth-friendly alternatives including solar, wind, wood gasification, micro hydro power, ethanol, biofuel, and compost conversion. A cost-efficient way to save money and the environment.

Booklist

“A masterfully clear and accessible guide to incorporating power-saving strategies in the home … With plenty of lucidly written instructions, well-drawn illustrations, and user-friendly sidebars, Scheckel’s manual is an indispensable reference for library how-to sections and homeowners hoping to cut the cord from their corporate power suppliers.”

Foreword Reviews

“Provides readers with cost-effective, self-empowered, and energy-efficient home-energy solutions … a one-of-a-kind resource.”

Mapawatt.com

“A must for those who want to live off grid or simply want to use less energy or live more sustainably."

Library Journal
We all want to lower our energy bills, but alternative energy can be a bit daunting. This great manual is a fantastic introduction to what's possible and practical. Energy auditor Scheckel (The Home Energy Diet) makes the topic approachable. The first third of this intelligently organized book covers techniques for making existing homes more energy efficient before moving on to address solar, wind, and hydro energies as well as biofuels. All chapters feature how-tos, and the text is complemented by simple illustrations. Included are case studies exemplifying both good and bad experiences with alternative energy use. VERDICT Chock-full of practical advice and realistic assessments of alternative energy, this book is superior to others on the topic due to its accessibility, organization, and balance. Homeowners can easily pick and choose from projects without fear of becoming overwhelmed. Highly recommended.
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Product Details

  • ISBN-13: 9781612120164
  • Publisher: Storey Books
  • Publication date: 3/12/2013
  • Pages: 288
  • Sales rank: 323,440
  • Product dimensions: 8.40 (w) x 10.80 (h) x 0.90 (d)

Meet the Author

PaulScheckel is an energy auditor and consultant who has visited more than 3,000 homes, educating people about energy efficiency, cost-effective improvements, and indoor air quality. His articles have appeared in such publications as Mother Earth News, Home Power, and Vermont Life, and he contributes a monthly energy and environment column to two state-wide newspapers. A frequent radio guest, Scheckel has also appeared as a guest expert on the acclaimed television show “Ask this Old House”. He lives off-grid in northern Vermont with his family in a solar- and wind-powered house.

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Part One: Home Energy Efficiency

1 Getting Ready for Renewables

The Big and Little Energy Picture
• Basic Considerations
• Systems and Planning
• Renewable Habits
• The Value of Electricity
• Energy Action in Cuba
• Build a Bicycle-Powered Battery Charger

2 Do Your Own Energy Audit

Getting Started
• Electricity
• Hot Water
• Heating and Air Conditioning
• Thermal Envelope
• Windows
• Prioritizing Your Improvements

3 Insulating Your Home

How Heat Moves
• Measuring Insulation Value
• Insulation Inspection
• How Much Insulation Do You Need?
• Choosing and Installing Insulation
• Stopping Air and Moisture
• Roof Venting
• When "High Performance" Doesn't Perform

4 Deep Energy Retrofits

Looking atthe Big Picture
• A Team with a Plan
• The Basement
• Above-Grade Walls
• Windows
• The Roof
• Air Leakage
• Ventilation
• Heating and Air Conditioning
• Hot Water

5 Home Energy Monitoring

Electric Energy Monitoring
• Gas Monitoring
• Environmental Monitoring
• My Hot Water Heating Story

Part Two: Renewable Energy

6 Solar Hot Water

Types of Systems
• Solar Hot Water Collectors
• Hot Water Storage
• Additional System Components
• Sizing the System
• Maintenance
• Homemade Hot Water
• Build a Solar Hot Water Batch Heater

7 Solar Electric Generation

Solar Power Potential
• Planning for a PV System
• PV System Wiring
• Orientation
• Racks and Tracking
• Economics
• Safety
• Living with Solar (and Wind) Power

8 Wind Electric Generation

Using Wind Energy at Home
• Estimating Energy in the Wind
• Estimating Wind Speed
• Efficiency and Power
• Wind Machines and Controls
• Towers
• Foundations and Anchoring
• Maintenance
• Safety
• Wiring and Grounding
• Wind Wisdom from an Expert

9 Hydro Electric Generation

Home Hydro
• Calculating Hydro Energy
• Measuring Flow and Estimating Power
• Intake Site Selection
• Penstock Pipe Selection
• Turbines
• Power Generators
• System Efficiency

10 Renewable Electricity Management

Grid-Tie vs. Off-Grid
• Definition of Terms
• Electrical Wiring
• Balance of System Components
• Batteries
• Mapping Motivations ... and Watts

11 Biodiesel

Venturing into Biodiesel
• What Is Biodiesel? Benefits and Drawbacks
• Essential Ingredients
• Equipment Needs
• Safety
• Basic Steps for Making Biodiesel
• Mixing Biodiesel with Other Fuels
• Washing Biodiesel
• Veggie Oil Conversion
• Create a Biodiesel Kit

12 Wood Gas

Wood Doesn't Burn
• How Wood Gas Generators Work
• Four Stages of Gasification
• Gasifier Operation
• Cleaning and Filtering Wood Gas
• Using Wood Gas
• Storing Gas
• Types of Gasifiers
• Working Safely around Wood Gas
• Two Men and a Truck
• Build a Simple Wood Gas Cook Stove

13 Biogas

The Basics
• Recipe for Making Gas
• Solids, Liquids, and Volatile Solids
• Temperature
• Retention Time and Loading Rate
• Types of Methane Generators
• Using Biogas
• Purifying Biogas
• Biogas Is More than a Gas
• Make a Biogas Generator

Resources

Metric Conversion Charts

Index

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