Seeking sustainability since 2006… the journey continues. Please join us.
After years in the works, my Solar Array got the final “Permission to Operate” from Duke Energy to go online on November 18th, 2024. This is a brief overview of my DIY residential solar project in Deer Park, OH (Cincinnati area). This solar installation was a complete DIY project. I planned, designed, purchased, and installed … Read more
A simple explanation of how a heat pump works. Punchline: It is an air conditioner running in reverse! Heat: The difference between Hot and Cold Let’s get the difficult concept out of the way first. What we experience as heat and cold are levels of ENERGY. If something is HOT, it has more energy. If … Read more
In late December 2025, my natural gas HVAC system gave up with a cracked heat exchanger. The replacement of this unit had been on my radar for years in my transition away from fossil fuels and was the final puzzle piece in my journey to a net-zero energy home. Previous work included replacing my gas … Read more
Note: Updated to new design! See at bottom of this page. I put solar panels on my house today… at least in a design mockup. This is an email I was writing to my family and friends and then realized I had wasted spent so much time on it, perhaps I should make a blog … Read more
My Rheem Performance Platinum water heater broke, so I ran a test! What happened with my Hybrid Water Heater? About a year ago, I installed a hybrid water heater, replacing an old natural gas unit. This is part of my ongoing efforts to reduce my fossil fuel consumption. A little over a month ago, the … Read more
After literally years of planning, I’m finally underway with my journey to a “Net Zero” energy house. Efficiency Vermont thinks any house can get to net zero, but only certain homes can do it at a reasonable cost. I’m trying to do it at the most reasonable cost possible. Net zero is the balance between … Read more
My interests in data driven decisions and efficient housing has led me to 2 different analyses of my new house in Cincinnati, Ohio. The first is doing a “Heat Load Analysis” based on actual inside and outside temperatures and actual heating data. This gives a very precise indication of how much energy is required to … Read more