The Home Improvement Thread

I think you have the right tactic, focusing on the physical efficiency of your home and where you are losing heat/cooling
Whatever solution you decide after getting that done will work much better and last longer
for sure get a smart thermostat, so you can make a schedule for heating and cooling…that will save lots too

the new heat pumps are vastly better than the ones made a decade ago

Also, if you have access to wood, look at the wood burning stoves.  especially ones with a catalytic combustor
modern wood burning stoves are crazy efficient compared to older ones too
but if you have to buy wood, eats into overall cost savings

To lighten the mood


This is the week my partner gave up on me keeping the yard neat (ie, not a jungle) -after like 15 years!- and called in the pros…they are here for a second day..I stay out of sight in shame….

hutch wrote:
To lighten the mood


This is the week my partner gave up on me keeping the yard neat (ie, not a jungle) -after like 15 years!- and called in the pros…they are here for a second day..I stay out of sight in shame….

I'm always skeptical when I see hutch posting in this thread, but alas
parece que La Conejera o Casa de Hutch está comenzando una nueva etapa (literalmente!)

PlenaryHatch wrote:
La Conejera o Casa de Hutch

que chistoso ;D

Am not sure what to say about the neighbors saying the yard looks amazing now. Hey fuckers I was holding my own!! :)

So they uncovered a lot of space…so they put down some mulch….wacked a few giant weeds that I thought were trees…big whoopdedooh!!!! You want a cookie???

It's like when you (not you in this story) weigh 250, then lose 70lbs and people are like "you look absolutely stunning"
and your reaction is "hey did I look like shit before and you never said anything?"

Bingo

hutch wrote:
To lighten the mood


This is the week my partner gave up on me keeping the yard neat (ie, not a jungle) -after like 15 years!- and called in the pros…they are here for a second day..I stay out of sight in shame….

lol we're going the other way next year. I need to buy a lightweight mower. My wife made me stop mowing after previous years of worrying that I'd kill or maim myself and a sequence of dying or exploding lawnmowers. We paid a guy $40 every two weeks to mow, $400 to mulch and $300 to do the leaves. She left her job to go back to school, so we decided to cut where we can… That's to say, anyone have recommendations for a lightweight battery-operated mower?
Also, I have lost 30 lbs in the past three months and have had co-workers leave me wondering just how bad I was looking… thought that I was hiding it alright with my liberal use of over-shirts, jackets on decidedly non-jacket days and shaggy sweaters. 

I've been very happy with the RYOBI 40V 20 in. Cordless Battery Walk Behind Push Lawn Mower

they make a 13inch on for half the price if you don't really have a big yard

congats on the weight loss…being overweight is by far one of the surest signs you are going to die prematurely

plus you probably feel better every day
No easy though, so again, congrats