4 The Acton Free Press Wed December Solar heated home is project of Ric Symmes By Morton When friends and neighbors visit home near they arc startled at first Then they what It is Is it the ultimate version of a greenhouse Perhaps a coop for a special variety of hen Inally somebody takes a wild guess and suggests it might be some kind of solar receptacle and the mystery Is solved Exactly Bald Symmes standing beside the cxclu hot air solar collector connected to southwest wing of hte rural home located between the and Lines Motivated by the rising costs of home heating coupled with a sincere interest in con and the belief everyone should do some thing to curtail their energy consumption Symmes to build an alternate heat system The present unit which was completed one week ago operates on a heat transfer basis 1 attempted here to make a start on a practical unit that should pay for itself In 10 years said This system differs from most taut employ either water storage tanks that are designed to carry heat from season to season or the catchcan method which only produces heat with ade quate sunlight The sotrage tank system in my opinion Is lory as it casts considerable money to install and studies suggest it Is not economically feasible for a moderately priced home The obvious disadvantage with the catchcan system is that it is most efficient un der sunny bright conditions Another difficulty stems from the roc that only 30 percent of the daylight in the months of December January and February are usable ex plained Symmes Despite the lack of tcchnl col data In Canada about so lar heating was able to construct his present unit largely from Information obtained from a book on an international solar heating conference available at Ont Hydro The unit operates on the basis of heat exchange The flat glass plates at the front are backed by sheets of black aluminum On the upper cor is a self starting thermo stat encased In a black box Washed stones spread along the foundation act as the heat receptacles when In operation the stones are heated to any where between 170 and degrees depending on the intensity and duration of sunlight A fan connected to the thermostat blows air over the hot stones which retain the heat Into a house heat duct and recycle return cooler air from an outflow duct The thermostat shuts the entire system off when the rock pile Is cool down to degrees said Like many existing unitt had originally built a water transfer system but through trial and error dls covered It created more pro blems than it solves During the first year of operation the water carrying tubes and leaked out to tur spent on the mater Lais used which I might add are readily obtainable I quired 300 fL of partially defected glass removed from used patio units water washed stones from a nearby quarry and special caulking that would withstand high temperatures Because of the tack of Inf or motion about solar energy in Canada there arc no proven stock designs for homes What there arc of designs ore not appropriate for homes at ready Installing a solar collet lor should not be the first priority in a house Proper In combined with storm windows in an attempt to prevent need less heat loss are of primary Importance other wise you arc practicing false ccon cautioned Symmes Although it is not lately known expect this unit to heat about percent of my home this winter It is not economically wise o con struct a system that will pro vide over percent of a home heating require Installation of a large unit creates surplus heat re sulting In lower efficiency It is also Important to have a back up oil or electrical heating system for supple mentary use According to flat plate collectors have been ar ound for years and used in Israel Australia and Florida to heat water Probably the greatest barrier to widespread solar heating has been the throw away price of fossil fuel said Symmes However this la rapidly changing As soon as energy prices really go up the opportunity wilt be there There is also tremendous Inertia in the building trade People look at the Initial costs of solar collection and not the long term operating costs With solar heat initial cost is high but would reduce costs substantially Essential to low cost solar collectors Is mass production At this time there haven t been any mass produced units sold In either Canada or the US engaged in the full time production of panels bymmes who is General Manager of the edible oils and dairy division at Canada Packers in Toronto and chairman of the Sierra Club of Ontario a very Influential conservation organization hud been doing a number of experiments In alternating energy before construction of the solar collector During the summer he built a rotor barrel term 111 which was design to pump water He is cur rently debating how to heat water either by solar eollec tor Is done in many parts of Florida or with the aid of a windmill resistance And if the present expectations Intend to expand It next year HOW TO BEAT the high cost of energy Symmes at his home near Balhnafad has invented an alternate heating system which is a kind of solar receptacle Here shows the thermostat encased in a black box which res ponds to the angle and intensity of the sun and activates the unit accordingly FINE CHRISTMAS GIFTS Mile tied PEN PENCIL SETS BALL POINT PENS FOUNTAIN PENS byPiparmtta In Gold tie PRICED FROM 29c to 29 00 HINTONS Wolves killing sheep in Erin township council has paid more than to owners of sheep killed by wolves during the past month Commenting on the amount of the damage Reeve Donald said that the ravaging of sheep has been townshipwide rather than localized and that In many instances the reports of the inspector investigating were particularly gruesome 4000 in treads in two weeks A 4 000 Item for new tires bought within the last two wceKf caught the eye of finance committee chairman Harry Levy Monday It Just surprises me there are so many tire replace ments councillor Levy sold Levis CORDS HUNDREDS IN STOCK Open every night till Christmas Eve Tack Togs No frit committee asked the treasurer and purchasing agent to check with works department in determining If Kills has a tire main lenance program WITHOUT ANY stock designs Symmes has put considerable effort into creating a unit that is functional and aesthetically pleasing Creative playgrounds in north an nourishing in Norm and more are on ihe way The new tjpe of school plat ground was Tint started two ago at Pi view School and quicklv spread to Ho rlh Harrison and Park in George town and Schools Board Education official Herb said the schools and parents meet and plan the creative grounds and then the parents supply materials like tint rail road beams At Is the ground built on tunilK for il it schools the pjiitv pupil i built tin ground tlitrnMhet With IS creative play grounds already in operation in Hat ton another nine arc la including an extra in North Halton at Glen Vtilliams Fair view Percy W Merry and J M Schools A special subcommittee or the board outdoor education committee which takes care of creative programs asked Board of Education Thursday to consider setting up a budget to take care of maintenance of creative playgrounds In addition the board was asked to give Its support for further development of playgrounds in the region and the committee recom mended it should continue to help parents and teachers at schools where the special playgrounds are planned TOWN OF HALTON HILLS COMMERCIAL REFUSE PICKUP WARD I Commercial refuse normally gathered in Ward I on Thursday December 25th 1975 will be picked up on the morning of Wednesday Dec ember Further refuse normally gathered Thursday January 1st 1976 will be picked up Friday January 2nd THANK YOU DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS GREETINGS in ACTON CHAMBER of COMMERCE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Monday January the Band Hall DINNER MEETING 6 per person GUEST SPEAKER Julian Reed MPP All to Community Betterment I FRANK TOTH MOTORS LTD DEPENDABLE USED CARS Thlil lima when communication Is all Important a time when A frier need say how much mean to each other With this In mind The Acton Free Prats has a unique way or you to let your lands and relatives A know you ra thinking about them tht Christmas To with someone to you the best of the season simply ot your greeting down and give us a call at or drop It Into our office at Willow W SrreetAndthecomOnlyW minimum Inches This Christmas let The Free Press a help you greet that Special Someonel 24 HOUR TOWING RADIO DISPATCHED SNOW PLOWING Firestone Tires General Repairs BP Products 25 YEARS IN BUSINESS Guelph St Acton 8531840