One condo owner in the Seattle, Washington, area chafed at their homeowners association's restriction on adding heat pumps to their building. They approached Reddit for advice on how to get those rules changed.
"Most residential buildings here that are more than a few years old do not have air conditioning," said the original poster. "Currently, my HOA doesn't allow us to permanently attach anything to the outside of the building or put holes in the walls to the outside. I'd like to change the rules so we can install ductless heat pumps, but I'm unsure how to do it."
The original poster also pointed out another benefit. "I'm hoping I can use the argument of safety because most units still have baseboard heaters, but even then, I'm not sure where to start. Should I just go to a meeting and suggest we change the rules?" they asked.
In most cases, there is actually an official process for changing the bylaws in an HOA. It may require the support of a certain portion of the neighborhood and usually does involve attending the meetings. The HOA's legal documentation will include the procedures.
Given that heating and cooling account for a huge fraction of home energy costs, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the right HVAC upgrades can help you save up to 50% on your energy bills.
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Save $10,000 on solar panels without even sharing your phone number Want to go solar but not sure who to trust? EnergySage has your back with free and transparent quotes from fully vetted providers in your area. To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner. Solar panels can save you more than $50k over their 25-year lifespan, and EnergySage can help you save as much as $10k on installation. Which begs the question — isn't that worth an email or two? |
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When was the last time you upgraded your HVAC system? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Less than 5 years ago 😎 
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