Author Topic: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!  (Read 1937 times)

Cliffh

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #25 on: July 13, 2019, 10:54:38 PM »
We do the same with the ceiling fans year round.  I do wish we had an attic to add insulation....

There is a heat circulation fan setup in the fireplace (really an insert), but it's old & noisy and really doesn't move all that much air.  Occasionally, when I'm allowed, I'll setup a floor fan in front of the fireplace to help draw some of the heat out.  We'll also run the house fan to help distribute the heat.  Maybe we'll look into replacing the insert fan after the other upgrades/repairs are finished.

After the windows are in, we'll play around with the AC to see what our new settings will be.

ETA:  I'd thought about a 2 stage unit, but couldn't justify the added expense.  It didn't seem as if that system would save much in electricity costs, and the single stage works just fine in most all the houses around here (according to the AC companies I talked to).

Ben

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #26 on: July 14, 2019, 08:20:19 AM »
We do the same with the ceiling fans year round.  I do wish we had an attic to add insulation....

Ceiling fans are great. This is the first house I've had with ceiling fans in about every room. Coupled with the high ceiling (9' min, 12' max), They really help keep the place comfortable. Especially this last week, as we've hit our highest temps of the year here (high 90s). This is also the first place I've had with an attic fan, and I think that makes loads of difference. I haven't actually crawled through the attic yet, but from outside it looks to be a pretty large, high volume unit.

"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

Cliffh

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #27 on: July 14, 2019, 07:10:17 PM »
Our previous house in Arizona had a good sized attic, I could stand upright in it.  Loads of fiberglass insulation and large vents at each end - one of which had a temp. controlled fan.  It stayed pretty cool without wearing out the AC.

The ceiling fans in this place are a big help.  The only rooms without a ceiling fan are the bathrooms & kitchen.  Originally I didn't believe they'd really make that much of a difference - She proved me wrong, again.

K Frame

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #28 on: July 15, 2019, 07:36:18 AM »
My house has a soffit and ridge vent system. When I originally bought the place there were only soffit vents on the rear, which is next to freaking useless, so a previous owner put in an exhaust fan. When I had the upperworks clad some years ago I had vents added to the front soffits, as well, and quit using the fan.

With the new roof that went in last month I had them remove the old fan. Trying to use a fan with a soffit/ridge vent system is counterproductive.

I only have one ceiling fan in my place, and it's in the bedroom. Makes it very nice for sleeping.
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Cliffh

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #29 on: July 24, 2019, 11:43:15 PM »
Well, the windows are in - mostly.

They called last week to make an appointment for yesterday.  Fine, I've got Mon off & there is still some prep work (moving stuff out of their way) I have to do before they get here.  Monday morning we get another call, as I'm finishing breakfast, saying they'll be here in an hour or so.  Sh!t.  I throw on my clothes, get the ladder and start on finishing the prep work.  Long about 11:30 I told the boss lady I doubt they're coming.  She called - yep, installer got confused and called the wrong customer.  Okaay..

Yesterday morning they show up and "They didn't tell me it was a mobile home".  Okaaaay.... 

They got the windows in.  But the siding is a mess.  "They're going to have to send out a siding guy". Okaaaaay.......

No call today.  Getting to be Not Okay.

There's going to be some finish work on the inside.  We're kicking around ideas on how we want to finish them - picture frame w/ledge, picture frame only, ledge only with bull nose edges, etc.  Probably end up with a mix of different methods, depending on which room the window's in.  SWMBO has already requested a ledge in the window over the kitchen sink.

The windows do look good - a ton better than the old storm windows, and you can open them with one hand and not worry about getting the plastic tab into the little hole - and then having the damn thing slam shut anyway.  And there's only one window per hole, not two.  We got rid of the grid pattern too.  They're so clear that I'd come in the house earlier today and thought she had the front door open, but no, I was looking through the window beside the door.

I'm not sure how much better they insulate compared to the old windows.  We're having a unseasonable cold spell, temps in the 80's instead of the high 90's.  It'll probably take a couple months of comparing this years electric usage to last years.  I really don't mind waiting for the results, I took this week off for yard work/honey-do's & the lower temps are more than welcome.

I was hoping the metal roof & more secure windows would help with the insurance premiums - nope.  Oh well.

K Frame

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #30 on: July 25, 2019, 08:13:50 AM »
I had a guy from Renewal by Anderson banging on my door last night wanting to talk about new windows. They're doing the house across the court.

Yeah, I'm interested, but sorry, nope, not possible, I just put a new roof on and I'm not taking on any more debt right now.
Carbon Monoxide, sucking the life out of idiots, 'tards, and fools since man tamed fire.

Cliffh

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #31 on: July 27, 2019, 09:59:36 AM »
I've been getting at least one email per day from Anderson offering a free quote. 

Quote
...I just put a new roof on and I'm not taking on any more debt right now.

I received a letter from OPM yesterday - seems I should have held off on either the windows or roof for a while.  I knew my social security would be reduced by a factor because I'm drawing a Federal annuity.  What I didn't realize was that my annuity would be reduced when I became eligible for SS; not when I starting taking SS, when I became eligible for it.  Which happened a few weeks ago.  And it's a fair sized portion of the annuity.

Time to draw up retirement plan # 8.

Ben

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #32 on: July 27, 2019, 10:06:20 AM »
I've been getting at least one email per day from Anderson offering a free quote. 

I received a letter from OPM yesterday - seems I should have held off on either the windows or roof for a while.  I knew my social security would be reduced by a factor because I'm drawing a Federal annuity.  What I didn't realize was that my annuity would be reduced when I became eligible for SS; not when I starting taking SS, when I became eligible for it.  Which happened a few weeks ago.  And it's a fair sized portion of the annuity.

Time to draw up retirement plan # 8.

What? Holy hell! How could I have missed that? I just sent the paperwork away yesterday to start my deferred retirement. I'm still a few years shy of early (62) SS. Are they using 62 or 65 for "eligible for SS"?

Are you on FERS or CSRS? I'm on FERS.
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

Cliffh

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #33 on: July 27, 2019, 10:26:24 AM »
I'm on CSRS, and they're using 62 as the eligible age.

You may or may not (probably not, since you're FERS) fall under the CSRS Offset.  The pamphlet they sent is RI 83-19, Retirement Facts 13.

Ben

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #34 on: July 27, 2019, 11:06:28 AM »
I'm on CSRS, and they're using 62 as the eligible age.

You may or may not (probably not, since you're FERS) fall under the CSRS Offset.  The pamphlet they sent is RI 83-19, Retirement Facts 13.

Ah, okay. I hate that they're doing that to you, but then I'm probably safe. I was pretty thorough reading all the FERS material, but those sneaky bastards are pretty good with the fine print.
"I'm a foolish old man that has been drawn into a wild goose chase by a harpy in trousers and a nincompoop."

Cliffh

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #35 on: July 27, 2019, 12:19:55 PM »
And the fine print's a bitch!

Think I'll be talking with a couple of professionals* re: social security (when/how to claim & how much will be "adjusted" down because of the annuity) and S.S. disability.


* Was going to say "experts", but are there really any experts when dealing with the fed.gov rules & regs?

ETA: Disability is probably a no-go, if I'm careful I can likely last until 66 1/2 yrs.  And I'd like to avoid disability if at all possible.  Fortunately this isn't a big enough hit to write off the current obligations.

K Frame

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #36 on: July 29, 2019, 08:02:20 AM »
Oh balls that sucks ass. How long are they going to reduce your SS? Until you hit 72?
Carbon Monoxide, sucking the life out of idiots, 'tards, and fools since man tamed fire.

Cliffh

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Re: Windows and Roofs and A/C's oh my!
« Reply #37 on: July 29, 2019, 08:45:41 AM »
OPM didn't say there was an end date on the reduction to my annuity.  I'll be on the road most of the day but I'm going to try to call OPM today.  I doubt there is an end date on the reduction, this law was passed to keep retired fed.gov workers from drawing too many $$ off their combined SS/CSRS Fed retirement.  There's a formula to compute years paid into SS vs total worked for DOD vs how much SS would be with/without the reduction etc. 

I had contacted SS earlier this year, I knew SS was going to reduce my monthly benefits because of the annuity, to get an idea of how much they would be reducing - just about 33% was the answer.  I'll be talking with them again to see how the OPM annuity "adjustment" will affect my SS benefits.  Cynical side says the SS benefits won't be reduced by the same dollar amount, but the reduction in SS will still be the same percentage.  Actually, now that I think about the figures they got using the above formula, I *think* it's actually closer to a 50% reduction in SS benefits.

Last week things were looking OK.  Bills would be paid off by 66 1/2 yrs, SS would kick in, I could go to at most part time work & start enjoying life - maybe even take a tour around the US to see family again.  This week, I'm working on a new plan.  Three major surgeries (between the 2 of us) and a car last year and 3 major home improvements this year are going to take a while to recover from.