Village Squire, 1979-04, Page 12Windows to let the light and heat in and stone walls to retain
heat are part of the passive solar energy system in the McQuail
house.
Photo by Elaine Townshend.
fireplaces would have been more effective if they had been built
into interior walls rather than exterior walls.
Wood is an excellent back-up to solar heating, maintains Tony,
and is a renewable resource, if managed properly. McQuails
have 25 acres of bush and orchard on their 100 -acre farm.
Fran cooks on a wood and kerosene stove. A water pump
windmill system supplies the house and barn with cold running
water. Tony plans to heat the house water with a solar collector
mounted on the roof of the greenhouse. He has also purchased a
windmill generator and hopes to have electricity in the house
soon. He adds that wind power is in an experimental stage
similar to solar heating.
Daytime temperatures in the house average 65 degrees
Farenheit to 70 degrees Farenheit, with cooler temperatures at
night. Tony and Fran believe the cooler temperatures and better
humidity, are healthy. especially for people. like farmers. who
have to go outside often.
"You learn to dress for cooler temperatures." explains Fran.
"For example, we usually wear flannel shirts rather than
synthetic fabrics."
Tony estimates the total cost of the house has been $10.000 to
$12,000. He admits they made. some mistakes and would do a
few things differently if they built another house. For instance. a
cement roof would give longer heat retention and a north wall
built further into a hillside would give more protection. Little
information was available on solar heating when Tony and Fran
began planning the house, and most of the information. that was
available. pertained to California climes rather than Canadian
weather patterns.
"When 1 Consider what the house is doing," Tony concludes.
"I feel very satisfied."
Tony is convinced solar heating is an excellent way to conserve
energy and save money. He is involved with the Energy
Conservation Board in Goderich. The key to solar heating. he
says, is a soundly -built structure. good insulation and a reliable
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10 Village Squire, April 1979