Energy saving for cabin in Pigeon Forge.

[John Underwood]

Have you installed any energy savings devices in your STR properties?

We have a 4400 sq ft 6 bedroom cabin that just had an $800 electric bill.

We have 2 HVAC systems and an inline dehumidifier. These run alot in the summer. People are keeping temperature set around 70F in most cases. I think that is lowest AC can be set.

Hot tub, 240vac (has some age on it)

2 80 gallon commercial water heaters

Well pump, 2nd pump for holding tanks

Tons of LED lights and ceiling fans.

Large windows facing the mountain views.

Have you invested in things like Geothermal heat pumps, solar cells, window film to filter some heat( helpful in summer, harmful in winter), solar cells, etc?

[Bonnie Low]

I've worked for an energy efficiency firm for over a decade as my W2 job so I'd like to offer a few recommendations. First, you have some major energy using appliances on your property that are going to use a lot of power no matter what (ex: hot tub, well pumps, 2 HVAC systems). Also, 4440 sq ft is just a lot of space to heat and cool, period. Not sure how many people the cabin sleeps, but I'm guessing in the 10-12 range or more which equals a lot of hot water usage for showers and laundry. Human behavior is not your friend. They'll run the AC and leave the windows open (I'm sure you know this), set the thermostat beyond what is necessary in summer and winter simply because you're paying the bill. All that said, there are a few things you could consider. #1 do a building envelope survey. A qualified contractor should be able to tell you where your cabin is leaking energy. Either drafts coming in or air going out. They'll use a thermal camera to do your building envelope assessment and then recommend enhanced insulation, sealing gaskets, duct repairs, etc. It's the #1 thing you can do to save energy in a home. Insulation and duct repairs/maintenance can go a LONG way towards improved energy efficiency. I'd look at installing smart technology, too, so you can control the thermostat remotely. Smart technology also can tell you things like a window left open when you can see the AC running. If you wanted, you could then alert the guest who may not realize their kids left a window open in a room the adults aren't in. Lastly, I'd be cautious about installing a tankless water heater. While yes, they don't have to keep 40 gallons or more of water hot 24/7 they do require a LOT of energy to heat it up quickly. For example, ours has 8 legs of power. In hindsight, I probably wouldn't have gone that route but then again, space was an issue. Window film is not that effective (though window film salespeople will tell you otherwise ; ) Solar is great, but even with solar you want to reduce the amount of energy you have to use before you put on a new energy generation system and, as others have mentioned, it might not be as beneficial in the Smokies depending on the lot orientation and amount of sun you get.