Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...

[Dace]

I think we should all focus our prayers and see if we can't arrange that for you. If the government won't help folks like you, then maybe a little group focus and goodwill will.
So tonight I will light a white candle and ask that a well and the proper plumbing will be provided to you by the end of the month.
I am sure my gods can work with yours
ETA Hope my last statement doesn't offend you. It is not intended to, I am just affirming my own religion

I love that FD!

 

[Farmfresh]

As far as the water pipes are concerned ... Black & Decker Advanced Home Plumbing http://www.amazon.com/Advanced-Plum...7509/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1249398970&sr=8-1

That is the book for you!

I re-plumbed our whole house using this book! Of course I had to TAKE OUT all of the old literally rotting away stuff first. The new plastic pipe is really easy to work with and LOTS cheaper than copper. You can do IT!

I also would recommend a "tankless" hot water heater if you can swing it. They are giving government tax credits on those now that would help off set the cost (twice as expensive). I have had mine for about 5 years or so. Only one little problem with it (a bird in the exhaust pipe) and they are easy to maintain!

 

[SheriM]

FF, those tankless water heaters have to be gas fired, don't they? I would LOVE to have one of those but we don't have natural gas available where I live.

 

[keljonma]

I love ff's idea of starting inside the house and working your way outside. Something you could do a bit at a time and get it completed during winter.

 

[Farmfresh]

Nope. The brand I have is a Bosch. I got it because we used to have an imported car with lots of electrical problems and Bosch made the quality car parts that fixed the car, so I figured it was a name brand I have had good luck with before.

These tankless heaters come in natural gas (which I have), propane fired and electric. Electric is actually the most common kind! They have been in use in Europe for simply ages! I want to someday (when we have to replace the old water tank) get one that is electric for our families lake cabin. They are VERY energy efficient. Last a LONG time and are easy to work on when necessary. They hang on the wall or mount under the sink so they take up little space. They come in both whole house sizes and point of use sizes so they would also be great in a barn or workshop! I am sold on them!

 

[noobiechickenlady]

One good point FF didn't mention is that these are perfect for a solar pre-heating unit. Basically, you pre-heat your water in a simple solar batch heater, then run it to the on-demand, then out to the faucets. The hotter the water coming in to the on-demand, the less energy it uses, as it only heats to a certain temp and then stops. In fact, if your solar heated water coming in was hot enough, the on-demand unit would never even come on.

I'm totally sold on these, too! I will replace my standard heater with an on-demand unit as soon as the cash is available!

 

[jessejames]

arrrrgh!! this is the second time i am writing this!!!(stupid computer)!!!
so i do have a fair amount of knowledge about tankless water heaters. we were looking at adding them to our line of wood stoves and solar panels when step dad broke his back and we sold off his business.
it is true that the gas powered heaters are great!! the electric ones really arent. they have a huge draw electrically and are not quite as fast on the uptake as the gas ones. and they are a bit more on the high maintenance side. bosch is always a good brand.
another downfall i have heard is they are not the greatest(gas models too) if there is HUGE demand for hot water i.e: 5 or 6 showers in a row.
i am sure any hot water would be a blessing so i am sure you could work around that.
just my 2 cents!!
lots of old houses here in ontario have cisterns in their basements from when they were first built 100 or more years ago. also some have "dry wells" which are basically cisterns under the yard that all of the rain gutters run too. this water was then hand pumped for gardens animals etc.
even though i have a great well i save all the rain water i can for watering and on hot days like today was for showering outside. man can the water in the lines coming out of barrel get hot!!! i have to run cold water from my well on these hot sunny days just to cool the barrel water down enough to shower.
being on your own land is always better than renting!!!!
i fell into owning 13 acre when i was a kid(story for another day) and since then have been able to almost exclusively live in housing that i own my whole adult life. watching how hard people struggle to get ahead paying rent. i am soooo glad i was taught how to save budget etc. at an early age.
be well (i will continue to ramble in my own journal shortly!!

 

[lupinfarm]

arrrrgh!! this is the second time i am writing this!!!(stupid computer)!!!
so i do have a fair amount of knowledge about tankless water heaters. we were looking at adding them to our line of wood stoves and solar panels when step dad broke his back and we sold off his business.
it is true that the gas powered heaters are great!! the electric ones really arent. they have a huge draw electrically and are not quite as fast on the uptake as the gas ones. and they are a bit more on the high maintenance side. bosch is always a good brand.
another downfall i have heard is they are not the greatest(gas models too) if there is HUGE demand for hot water i.e: 5 or 6 showers in a row.
i am sure any hot water would be a blessing so i am sure you could work around that.
just my 2 cents!!
lots of old houses here in ontario have cisterns in their basements from when they were first built 100 or more years ago. also some have "dry wells" which are basically cisterns under the yard that all of the rain gutters run too. this water was then hand pumped for gardens animals etc.
even though i have a great well i save all the rain water i can for watering and on hot days like today was for showering outside. man can the water in the lines coming out of barrel get hot!!! i have to run cold water from my well on these hot sunny days just to cool the barrel water down enough to shower.
being on your own land is always better than renting!!!!
i fell into owning 13 acre when i was a kid(story for another day) and since then have been able to almost exclusively live in housing that i own my whole adult life. watching how hard people struggle to get ahead paying rent. i am soooo glad i was taught how to save budget etc. at an early age.
be well (i will continue to ramble in my own journal shortly!!

We're north of Belleville, we have a dry well that our kitchen sink drains to out the side of the house. Most of us on wells try to save water whereever we can out here, as you do. We take from rainbarrels on the house, chicken house, garage, and duck house and will have them on the horse shelters for water in the summer too.

 

[FarmerDenise]

I grew up with tankless water heater in Germany. My mother could do dishes in the kitchen and run the bath water for us kids. She turned it off when it was not needed. It was very easy to turn off or on.
They are more expensive than the typical tank though, which is why I don't have one in my house.

I don't mind prayers from anyone regardless of what your religious belief's are, as long as they come from the heart and don't cross my general beliefs. Which I expect most of you wouldn't do anyway. From what I have seen, most everyone is pretty generous in respecting and honouring others' beliefs. We mostly just want what is best for each in their own way.

 

[Farmfresh]

Mine turns on on demand. The only problem I ever have is if you have two high demand things at once (ex shower and filling a hot water washing machine). Since I wash mostly in cold water and do not have a dishwasher I NEVER run out of hot water. If I ever did get a dishwasher I would probably either get a commercial one that heats its own water or simply put in a point of use electric tankless for it.

You can take 100 showers in a row and always have hot water. You DO have to adjust the temp seasonally. Colder ground water in winter means the heater has to be turned up slightly.

They are more expensive, but cost less to run. I have a pilot on mine and that is all that runs unless I am actually using hot water.