Comments on: Saving Energy in the Yucatan http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/saving-energy-in-the-yucatan.htm Online magazine about living, working and traveling in Merida and the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:05:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Working Gringos http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/saving-energy-in-the-yucatan.htm/comment-page-1#comment-164881 Working Gringos Mon, 03 Oct 2011 19:16:44 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/saving-energy-in-the-yucatan.htm#comment-164881 Brenda, its true that the kitchen can heat up the house in hot weather, but we have found that with all the open doors in our house, it doesn't much matter. We only have air conditioning in the bedrooms and offices, so the heat from the kitchen doesn't affect our power usage for AC. When it gets too hot in the kitchen or living room, we just jump in the pool! Brenda, its true that the kitchen can heat up the house in hot weather, but we have found that with all the open doors in our house, it doesn’t much matter. We only have air conditioning in the bedrooms and offices, so the heat from the kitchen doesn’t affect our power usage for AC. When it gets too hot in the kitchen or living room, we just jump in the pool!

]]> By: Brenda Thornton http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/saving-energy-in-the-yucatan.htm/comment-page-1#comment-164809 Brenda Thornton Mon, 03 Oct 2011 06:56:56 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/saving-energy-in-the-yucatan.htm#comment-164809 If I remember correctly, the Working Gringos used double walls when constructing their home, so it would resemble the colonial home walls in depth, and one would think that would assist in energy usage, but the newer, more energy efficient appliances and computers can make a huge difference in power usage. I do not remember which windows were used in Working Gringos home, but we installed energy efficient windows in our home, with the heat reflection spray included on them last year, and our usage, despite record setting temperatures this summer, went down by a third, without any further significant changes. Were we to build a new home in Mexico, I think I would also use the LED inserts in light fixtures, first to cut energy usage even further than the new, energy efficient bulbs, but because they do not have the disposal problems because of Mercury in the others, and because one may well not have to change them for ten to fifteen years. Just think about fixtures on those high ceiling and things. Undoubtedly, the skylights which open and the breezeway create a solar chimney and greatly effects the usage, as well. The one thing we simply must have if we do relocate to Merida and build or upgrade an existing home is a small outdoor kitchen, with a sink with hot water, a stove top, a grill, and perhaps even a small oven, along with a protected small refrigerator. Moving that outside so the house is not heated up by cooking would be a tremendous way to manage to use just ceiling fans and stay comfortable and cut the need for air conditioning. We put in a two burner outdoor attachment to our grill and a portable oven on our patio and it is so nice to be able to put something on to simmer, check it periodically, or even slow bake some things in the oven, and got have to heat up the house. Clean up is a pain, as we don't have a sink, so that is simply a must do on a real usable outdoor kitchen. If I remember correctly, the Working Gringos used double walls when constructing their home, so it would resemble the colonial home walls in depth, and one would think that would assist in energy usage, but the newer, more energy efficient appliances and computers can make a huge difference in power usage.

I do not remember which windows were used in Working Gringos home, but we installed energy efficient windows in our home, with the heat reflection spray included on them last year, and our usage, despite record setting temperatures this summer, went down by a third, without any further significant changes.

Were we to build a new home in Mexico, I think I would also use the LED inserts in light fixtures, first to cut energy usage even further than the new, energy efficient bulbs, but because they do not have the disposal problems because of Mercury in the others, and because one may well not have to change them for ten to fifteen years. Just think about fixtures on those high ceiling and things.

Undoubtedly, the skylights which open and the breezeway create a solar chimney and greatly effects the usage, as well. The one thing we simply must have if we do relocate to Merida and build or upgrade an existing home is a small outdoor kitchen, with a sink with hot water, a stove top, a grill, and perhaps even a small oven, along with a protected small refrigerator. Moving that outside so the house is not heated up by cooking would be a tremendous way to manage to use just ceiling fans and stay comfortable and cut the need for air conditioning. We put in a two burner outdoor attachment to our grill and a portable oven on our patio and it is so nice to be able to put something on to simmer, check it periodically, or even slow bake some things in the oven, and got have to heat up the house. Clean up is a pain, as we don’t have a sink, so that is simply a must do on a real usable outdoor kitchen.

]]> By: Working Gringos http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/saving-energy-in-the-yucatan.htm/comment-page-1#comment-153984 Working Gringos Mon, 06 Jun 2011 17:20:58 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/saving-energy-in-the-yucatan.htm#comment-153984 Trudy, by the way, to your question of 2009, No. We aren't aware of extra charges (other than installation and any "per account" charges) for having an extra line. Trudy, by the way, to your question of 2009, No. We aren’t aware of extra charges (other than installation and any “per account” charges) for having an extra line.

]]> By: Trudy http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/saving-energy-in-the-yucatan.htm/comment-page-1#comment-153386 Trudy Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:52:57 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/saving-energy-in-the-yucatan.htm#comment-153386 Well, it looks like I didn't get an answer to my 2009 question. We are now living in our house...albeit unfinished...and we are borrowing power from our neighbor. That's with his knowledge. lol But I did ask CFE the question I posted above and the lady told me the rate does not change. The initial charge for putting in dos hilos/two lines is a bit higher, but it's nominal. I live in Quintanna Roo, whereas Merida is in Yucatan. CFE has the same procedures in both states. The rates could be different, but it's still a matter of keeping your usage under the specified kilowatt hour. As for a/c...I once rented a house with three a/c units. I did not use them during the day...I opened the doors. But at night for decent sleeping, I turned the a/c on for an hour or two before bedtime and closed the door. When I went to bed, I turned it off and left the door shut. It was like sleeping in a refrigerator and kept the electricity bill down. Worked for me. Well, it looks like I didn’t get an answer to my 2009 question. We are now living in our house…albeit unfinished…and we are borrowing power from our neighbor. That’s with his knowledge. lol But I did ask CFE the question I posted above and the lady told me the rate does not change. The initial charge for putting in dos hilos/two lines is a bit higher, but it’s nominal.
I live in Quintanna Roo, whereas Merida is in Yucatan. CFE has the same procedures in both states. The rates could be different, but it’s still a matter of keeping your usage under the specified kilowatt hour.
As for a/c…I once rented a house with three a/c units. I did not use them during the day…I opened the doors. But at night for decent sleeping, I turned the a/c on for an hour or two before bedtime and closed the door. When I went to bed, I turned it off and left the door shut. It was like sleeping in a refrigerator and kept the electricity bill down. Worked for me.

]]> By: Rich http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/saving-energy-in-the-yucatan.htm/comment-page-1#comment-145962 Rich Wed, 30 Mar 2011 19:45:05 +0000 http://www.yucatanliving.com/daily-life/saving-energy-in-the-yucatan.htm#comment-145962 Thanks for this very thorough explanation. Do you know if the rates have changed in 2011? We've been visiting Mexico for several months and paying electric to the landlord, but curious if he's overcharging us. He charged 5 pesos a kilowatt hour, which seemed high. Thanks! Thanks for this very thorough explanation. Do you know if the rates have changed in 2011? We’ve been visiting Mexico for several months and paying electric to the landlord, but curious if he’s overcharging us. He charged 5 pesos a kilowatt hour, which seemed high. Thanks!

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