BTU Efficiencies...

[1750]

The amount of energy we are talking about is so tiny that obviously this is all academic.... however, and I have absolutely zero degrees in engineering, so am extremely likely to be mistaken here (ask my wife!), but it seems that if you are filling the pot from an outside source, it's not zero-sum.

During the winter the water from my well comes into the house at about 45F. You are bringing a big pot of cold into the house that wasn't there before. Energy that could have been used to raise/maintain the temperature in the house, is now being spent compensating for the cold being shed by that chilly water into your nice, warm house.

That said, there is always a teapot of water on my stove -- there's something about a cup of tea that goes so well with watching my secondaries do their thing.

 

[DougA]

but it seems that if you are filling the pot from an outside source, it's not zero-sum.

OK, forgot that one. I will work out that equation and get back to you. You'll have to wait until Friday night after I have a few cold beer.

 

[EatenByLimestone]

BTW, since you are from NB, put some cider in the pot and the room will smell very nice plus you have hot cider to drink, plus it adds moisture to the room. Wow, triple bonus.

The OP is lucky he's not from PEI. We'd be talking about the smell of potatoes on the stove.

 

[1750]

OK, forgot that one. I will work out that equation and get back to you. You'll have to wait until Friday night after I have a few cold beer.

LOL -- save one for me!

Although, following my own logic, won't taking that cold beer out of the insulated fridge cool the house down even more?!

 

[branchburner]

You are bringing a big pot of cold into the house that wasn't there before. Energy that could have been used to raise/maintain the temperature in the house, is now being spent...

This is true. But as Doug pointed out, what matters in conditioning air is not absolute air temperature per se, but comfort that is a function of temperature AND humidity... and adding water to the air makes it feel warmer and more comfortable.

To conserve the energy being used to maintain indoor air temperature, one can also avoid opening exterior doors and avoid opening refrigerator doors. As an anti-social introverted reclusive hermit, I excel at the former... but as a beer-chugging cheese-and-salami eating glutton, I am horrible at the latter.

There IS a way to cut losses here, and it has to be done at times when the house is warmer than optimal. If the stove is cranking to the point that the extra BTUs are unwanted, I can use that opportunity to fill of few buckets of cold well-water, retrieve a Pilsener Urquell from the fridge, and go outside to get a few loads of wood and empty the mailbox of bills. The heat loss/use comes at a time of heat surplus, so what is lost is essentially waste heat. Vital pennies are saved, pennies I can direct to the deserving hands of brewery workers in Pilsen in the Czech Republic.

 

[1750]

The heat loss/use comes at a time of heat surplus, so what is lost is essentially waste heat. Vital pennies are saved, pennies I can direct to the deserving hands of brewery workers in Pilsen in the Czech Republic.

Ladies and gentlemen... we have a winner!

Sir, both I and those brave brewery workers in Pilsen solute you!

 

[Chuck the Canuck]

I just gotta say, Hearth.com Rules!

 

[DougA]

The amount of energy we are talking about is so tiny that obviously this is all academic.... however, and I have absolutely zero degrees in engineering, so am extremely likely to be mistaken here (ask my wife!), but it seems that if you are filling the pot from an outside source, it's not zero-sum.

During the winter the water from my well comes into the house at about 45F. You are bringing a big pot of cold into the house that wasn't there before. Energy that could have been used to raise/maintain the temperature in the house, is now being spent compensating for the cold being shed by that chilly water into your nice, warm house..

OK, no need for a beer, but a coffee gave me the answer. The equation is still correct for the stove part, but the cold water will make the house a tiny bit colder. Solution, pee in the pot and that will warm the house. Of course, a pot of pee on the stove is only useful when the in-laws have been visiting for too long.

BTW, you do not want the humidity too high if you have a fairly tight house. Excess humidity will condense inside your exterior walls when it hits the outside cold section of insulation. Wet walls are never good and will lead to mould/mold which is a really, really bad thing. I've never seen the correct numbers for humidity because it all depends upon the outside/inside temps, your insulation/vapour barrier values and the tightness of your home. The rule of thumb is that if your windows are attracting a fair bit of condensation, you have too much.

Secret Message for Canucks on how to beat the cold:
Go to Timmies and drop a toonie on an XL dbl/dbl, add 100ml of screach and you'll be fine m'boy.

 

[Hardrockmaple]

OK, no need for a beer, but a coffee gave me the answer. The equation is still correct for the stove part, but the cold water will make the house a tiny bit colder. Solution, pee in the pot and that will warm the house. Of course, a pot of pee on the stove is only useful when the in-laws have been visiting for too long.

BTW, you do not want the humidity too high if you have a fairly tight house. Excess humidity will condense inside your exterior walls when it hits the outside cold section of insulation. Wet walls are never good and will lead to mould/mold which is a really, really bad thing. I've never seen the correct numbers for humidity because it all depends upon the outside/inside temps, your insulation/vapour barrier values and the tightness of your home. The rule of thumb is that if your windows are attracting a fair bit of condensation, you have too much.

Secret Message for Canucks on how to beat the cold:
Go to Timmies and drop a toonie on an XL dbl/dbl, add 100ml of screach and you'll be fine m'boy.

Ahem.........it is spelled "Screech".

 

[DougA]

Duh, I'm stoopid. I prefer Cuban rum myself.

 

[branchburner]

Solution, pee in the pot

Excellent. A net gain, because there will be less toilet-flushing, which also introduces more cold thermal mass to the house interior. Also provides justification for increased consumption of beer.