OK then, technology discussion. This site is sliding downhill so fast it challenges warp drive, will this help stir things. Inspired by the ‘mostly’ poor advise to the Aussie chap about windows (the kind you look thru)
1. Structures – do you prefer Catia or autocad for structural calculation FEA? Or do you just use the dummy tables in IRC?
2. Thermal – Manual J aka = low tech weenies and HOs, Ansys Maxwell 2D for amatuers, 3d maybe, how about Compco, etc, – your favorite is?? Ya even know what FEA is??
3. Insulated glass, e-coatings, argon, etc: marketing ploy?, old fashioned storm windows better and lower cost? ; AND, for you greenies, a lower carbon footprint?
4. DIY vs. pro. touchy feelie points — Opinion – ya gotta be disabled or retarded to need to hire anything other than stuff you topologically or physically cannot do yourself, e.g open heart surgery, complicated dental, gov. regulated prescriptions, etc. Pro guys should thank the stars that most folks are either lazy or stupid ???
SO THERE !!! Can that get something started past BS??
BTW, posted the same thing at BTC
Replies
I know you're a do-it-yourself kind of guy and you give the example of having a pro do complicated dental procedures. What simple dental procedures do you do for yourself?
Art-LowE
What's the technological discussion on LowE?
You don't think it does as claimed?
Here's mine re:DIY.
In most cases anyone can do anything. When they can't or don't have time they call someone.
Would I take advice from someone that owns a flower shop on something medical? probably not.
Would I believe the advice from a DIY'er that did it one time and it worked (or appeared to) w/o studying a bit further? no.
Would I believe the advice given here from someone that makes a living at it, has experience and qualifies the answer when asked. probably.
edit: I reread the discussion and see I had missed your post and the two that followed. I don't see the mis-advice you mention in the original post here. Seems several advised removable second glazing, or factory dbl glazing. Your experience with non removable added glass done in a factory is good to mention but certainly not a cover all experience. A good seal on primary glass to eliminate heat loss through gaps and a vented storm (or one that by easy remove/install and weatherstripping passes some air) is a good idea too. Many people would opt out because of storing the storms and / or just taking them out and putting them in every year.
I thought here you were dissing low e, I see in that post you question it's effectiveness in shaded areas and seem to rely on owner applied "skins" for reflectivity where direct sun is present. I guess according to your statistics there's no difference, except for maybe the talent of the installer and again, the time it takes to do it.
I can't offer an opinion on the first two. Re insulated glass, it's a matter of working the numbers, and also the convenience factor. Factory-made insulated glass is more convenient, since no storms to deal with/clean/etc. Play with the cost/efficiency numbers and see what your break point is. (My thumb suck is that much of the super-advanced stuff doesn't pay. And little you do in the area is likely to have an unforseen bad impact on carbon footprint -- the main carbon cost by far is simply in making the glass.)
DIY: I split it down the middle. I'll hire work done that --
I don't know how to do (and don't have time to learn)
Is too physically demanding (given my polio history)
Needs to be licensed ('nuff said)
Requires special equipment that can't be cheaply rented or bought
Involves having a "critical system" (whole-house water, main sewer, whole-house electric, heat) offline during a complicated operation (that might take me several tries over several days)
Will simply take too much of my time, and can't be done in small increments
Involves a lot of time on ladders or rooftops
But lots of things I try hard to do myself because --
I know I'll take the time to do it right, with the right materials
It would be hard to find someone else to do the job (because it's too small, or too "oddball")
I know I'll take the time to do it right, with the right materials (bears repeating)
On a few occasions I've done some of the prep work, since it's stuff I can do, and I know the person I hire will likely want to rush through it.
Lots of potential jobs (eg, window replacement) scare me because I simply don't have the time/skills/strength to do it, but I know that 80% of the outfits you could hire to do the job are incompetent.
I must have missed the thread for the Aussie guy. Did someone really tell him to make old-fashioned removable storms? Sheesh.
Re DIY... I have the greatest respect for those to take the time to master a trade, and when it makes sense to hire them, I'll hire them in a wink. We used a pro excavator, pro framing and log crew, pro plumber for rough-in, pro HVAC crew, and pro drywall crew.
But I get a kick out of developing skills and doing work too, and I spend considerable time and effort in the process. So I drew the plans, did the electrical work, and will do most interior finishing myself. The reasons go beyond saving a buck. In fact I'd say that merely saving a buck is the wrong reason for DIY.