Posts Tagged ‘geothermal furnace’
Hue Fatigue
I’m growing weary of the many hues of brown that define the expanse of our outdoor views. Dark varieties of mud. Tans of the dry grasses. Graying shades of tree trunks and bare branches. Brown fence posts. Top them all off with the dullness of cloudy skies and the lifeless hues all combine to suck energy out of every breath.
This time of year we are happy to have the snow melt away but it comes with a visual cost until enough warmth and sunshine collaborate to launch the explosion of greenery we are longing to see again.
Alas, that is not fully living in the moment, is it? It’s April 1st today! No foolin’.
There are many treasures to be claimed in the current conditions, even if I find myself worn out by the same brown shades every single day that the sun is obscured from view.
The ever-changing status of the land as it weaves its way back and forth from winter’s hard freeze to fully thawed at every depth is like a carnival ride. In this indeterminate season the ground begins to thaw and then, nope, it’s frozen again and the air is warm, wait, no, it’s cold again, nope, bitter wind today, okay, tolerable this afternoon. It’s not too dry and not overly wet except that it is too dry in some places and a sloppy, muddy mess in others.
It’s enough to lead me toward a certain recliner where I can lounge and soak up the indoor shades of brown that like to snuggle.
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Yesterday was our annual geothermal furnace checkup and in its 9th year of service for us the numbers all read in the good or in one case, better than good. It will eventually switch from heating our home to cooling it during high heat periods of summer. Best decision we ever made, biting the bullet of high initial expense and replacing the 20-year-old original furnace in this house with the geothermal shortly after we arrived.
It’s funny that our seasons change every year, but right now I’m having difficulty remembering what that high heat of summer is like.
I do know that our world is a much deeper green when that happens. How come we never grow weary of those summertime hues?
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Trimming Time
After last week’s extremely cold weather, the swing of about 60° in the direction of warmer yesterday made our decision of waiting until this week to trim the horses’ hooves seem like a brilliant one. I thought Legacy looked particularly more limber than his usual self and credited it to the warmer temperatures.
Who doesn’t feel less tensed up when first day of winter turns out to be a melty, well-above freezing temperatures day?
Unfortunately this warm up comes with a threat of rain and some thunder in the days ahead, and for some areas near the Mississippi river, a flood warning!
What will they think of next?
George made quick work of the 16 hooves and Anneliese helped me finish the housekeeping in the space beneath the overhang. We were done before the sky turned dark. Pretty impressive for the shortest day of light.
From here on through winter, the days will be getting longer. I don’t know about warmer or colder, but they will definitely be getting longer.
Hopefully, they won’t get colder right away. Something is up with our geothermal heating system such that it doesn’t seem to be able to reach the set point.
During the cold snap, it was logical that it couldn’t keep up, but now that it has gotten so much warmer outside, the furnace shouldn’t have to work so hard.
Desirea shows off her new hoof-icure while munching from the slow feeder.
I think the horses are happy to have their blankets off. We’ll see what they think in a few days when rain, not snow, comes down from the sky.
Happy winter!
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Good Timing
The almost whimsical decision we made to commit a large percentage of our limited cash reserves toward a geothermal furnace after our first winter has turned out to be an extra blessing this year. The extreme cold this winter, combined with the current multi-state shortage of propane has driven the fuel price up dramatically.
Last year at this time it seemed as though the old furnace was gulping down the propane. The co-op came by to fill our tank several times last winter. When they showed up a few weeks ago, we didn’t really need any, but I suppose the driver decided to top it off anyway. Now I don’t think we will need another delivery until next year.
Factoring in the inflated price of propane that we would have had to pay this year, our estimated payback time on the new geothermal system is now even shorter than we first calculated. Even though the up-front costs are substantial, the comfort of mind and reduced fuel costs are immediate. Knowing we will have accomplished savings that offset the expense after just a short number of years provides its own dose of warm feelings.
Every year that you wait to make energy-saving improvements is time you lose toward accumulating the benefits. I am extremely grateful that we were able to find a way to take the plunge for a new geothermal heating and cooling system soon after we moved here. The subsequent propane shortage this winter has made that decision all the sweeter. Definitely, good timing for us.
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Relative Something 