Passive Solar Air For Renters

[StephenBCalandrino]

I've been looking for ways to inexpensively heat a house I am renting. As a rental property you can not mount anything outside or drill through a wall. I decided to try something I can hang inside a window. Ive looked at the pop can set-up and saw how some people spent a lot on supplies. I was thinking about using the 2 x 8ft corrugated steel wafer sheets sold at Home Depot for $12. Sliced in half and screwed together so that the peaks touch. This will give me a 2 x 4 passive panel I can hang inside a window, again, for only $12. Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions?

[russ]

I have trouble believing you will even get your 12$ back. Things you can do to a rental cheaply like sealing around doors, windows, receptacles etc will probably do more to limit the amount of heat you lose. Possibly use a layer of plastic film as an interior storm window on windows where light/heat gain is minimal.

[J.P.M.]

I've been looking for ways to inexpensively heat a house I am renting. As a rental property you can not mount anything outside or drill through a wall. I decided to try something I can hang inside a window. Ive looked at the pop can set-up and saw how some people spent a lot on supplies. I was thinking about using the 2 x 8ft corrugated steel wafer sheets sold at Home Depot for $12. Sliced in half and screwed together so that the peaks touch. This will give me a 2 x 4 passive panel I can hang inside a window, again, for only $12. Does anyone have any thoughts or opinions?

One of my fist adventures in solar energy was a black shag rug placed on the floor in front of a large south facing window in the winter at the place I was renting at the time. The fact that it was a shag may say something about how long ago that was. Anyway, worked great. Then I found out how much more effective conservation is. Not as much fun, but easier and cheaper - more cost effective. I'd forego active devices inside a dwelling. The energy is already inside. You don't need to do much else to it except maybe get more actively involved with passive solar energy and common sense conservation efforts.

[Wy_White_Wolf]

By placing it inside the window you are only collecting energy that has already entered the room. You will see no gain and could actually see a bigger loss.

WWW

[SunEagle]

By placing it inside the window you are only collecting energy that has already entered the room. You will see no gain and could actually see a bigger loss.

WWW

A black object inside will absorb more heat than a white object but unless it can retain the heat long after the sun goes down it isn't worth the trouble.

As russ stated. Preventing drafts to keep out the cold by sealing openings will show a better return on your money.

[J.P.M.]

A black object inside will absorb more heat than a white object but unless it can retain the heat long after the sun goes down it isn't worth the trouble.

As russ stated. Preventing drafts to keep out the cold by sealing openings will show a better return on your money.

Not using something is usually less expensive than getting more of it. Conservation is almost always more cost effective and most of the time easier than alternate energy applications. I started by turning the thermostat down and donning a sweater.

[J.P.M.]

A black object inside will absorb more heat than a white object but unless it can retain the heat long after the sun goes down it isn't worth the trouble.

As russ stated. Preventing drafts to keep out the cold by sealing openings will show a better return on your money.

I'd submit that it may be very well be worth the trouble, but figuring things like that out are more the province of passive solar design techniques and methodology, not really within the purview of this forum. Fascinating and elegant subject however.

[SunEagle]

Not using something is usually less expensive than getting more of it. Conservation is almost always more cost effective and most of the time easier than alternate energy applications. I started by turning the thermostat down and donning a sweater.

I agree. Conservation is the best cost effective way to save money.

It does require some people in the household to modify their lifestyle a bit but as the saying goes "he who pays the bills gets to set the thermostat".

[J.P.M.]

I agree. Conservation is the best cost effective way to save money.

It does require some people in the household to modify their lifestyle a bit but as the saying goes "he who pays the bills gets to set the thermostat".

Amen.

[Wy_White_Wolf]

A black object inside will absorb more heat than a white object but unless it can retain the heat long after the sun goes down it isn't worth the trouble.

As russ stated. Preventing drafts to keep out the cold by sealing openings will show a better return on your money.

A black object will only consentrate the heat in one area. The light energy will remain in the room unltil it finds a way to leave. A little will be light by escaping back out the window but most is absorbed by the air in the room or other objects.

Putting an absorber in the window only gathers all that heat in one little confined area. Heat loss out the window is directly related to the temperature differential at the window. Thus putting collecting all that heat close to the window will increase your heat loss.

As Russ, conservation first is the best way to go. The $12 would be better spent adding a layer of plastic over the window.

WWW

[SunEagle]

A black object will only consentrate the heat in one area. The light energy will remain in the room unltil it finds a way to leave. A little will be light by escaping back out the window but most is absorbed by the air in the room or other objects.

Putting an absorber in the window only gathers all that heat in one little confined area. Heat loss out the window is directly related to the temperature differential at the window. Thus putting collecting all that heat close to the window will increase your heat loss.

As Russ, conservation first is the best way to go. The $12 would be better spent adding a layer of plastic over the window.

WWW

I agree with you that the heat will only be concentrated in a small area.

I have found that using dark colored medium sized stones that are sitting in the sunlight all day will retain a fair amount of heat after the sun goes down. Certainly not the most efficient way to heat things but it sometimes comes down to the simple things that work.

I remember reading there was a family (2 parents and 3 kids) that rolled their vehicle up in Utah last year out in the wilderness. They survived the freezing temperatures at night by heating rocks in a fire and then placing them inside a tire wheel in the vehicle. Not a lot of heat but they survived for a couple of days that way.

[michael_sa]

One of my fist adventures in solar energy was a black shag rug placed on the floor in front of a large south facing window in the winter at the place I was renting at the time. The fact that it was a shag may say something about how long ago that was. Anyway, worked great. Then I found out how much more effective conservation is. Not as much fun, but easier and cheaper - more cost effective. I'd forego active devices inside a dwelling. The energy is already inside. You don't need to do much else to it except maybe get more actively involved with passive solar energy and common sense conservation efforts.

Hi, new from Australia and can you please share the photo of your black shag rug and where did you buy, I tried many sites like shag rugs and hard to get it from here. Your help will be highly appericated1

MOD NOTE. Do not attach advertisement links to your posts. Do it one more time and you will be terminated.

[azdave]

MOD NOTE. Do not attach advertisement links to your posts. Do it one more time and you will be terminated.

Terminate him now! Also delete his post so every forum member after me doesn't also click on this old thread from 2014 to see what's new (only to find it was just spam).

[cebury]

Gotta be a bot. And yeah I clicked on this too..