Sunday, June 19, 2011






So. Awnings eh? Everyone I tell I am going to take them off immediately: because they are ugly, and because I can't see anything out my windows but the inside of them , and because I don't get the light into my house I dearly love, says, "nooooo don't do that. Your heat bill will go wayyyyy up." And I think, "you know, I don't think I care too much about that. What can I be talking, a couple bucks a month?" Well, I haven't taken them off yet (see earlier post about letting the house have some input). I also Googled awnings and energy savings. Apparently, they do a lot. Some estimates are that they can lower a house temperature by as much as 8-15 degrees. By the way; lately it has been hot as hell. I just came out of an efficiency apartment that was pushing 550 square ft. So My heating and cooling bills were pretty low. I am not so enthusiastic about getting walloped by the first electric bill. I am a man of open mind and consideration - especially when money is involved. So, I can consider the awnings. They really are ugly. I am also a man of aesthetic sensitivity. So I have a dilemma. The "green" thing to do would be to leave them and praise the simplicity and efficiency of such a simple and, in this case, given, energy efficiency assistant. On the other hand, I can say, "hey, life is short, the world is in a shambles, nothing is going to last anyway, why not just chuck the stupid ugly things and enjoy the sunlight?" I will feel a little guilty if I take them off for purely aeshetic reasons and, do so, knowing I will use more energy as result. So, being an intellectual, I have to come up with some kind of rationalization. Ahhh. No problem..., I have one already. Here it is. I will leave the awnings up till I devise a way to grow a natural vine arbor over the windows that will give shad in the summer and allow the sunlight in the winter. Perfect. Ok. next issue with this house....

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

why not paint them? Polka Dots might be fun...Cheerful, insouciant and certainly an invitation for lightheartedness.

Randy said...

Insouciant? Wow! Good thoughts, but no.

John Franks IV said...

too funny randy!

You are the craftsman so start crafting!