Water in Bottles

[helwen]

Well, I was lazy or something this fall, and so I didn't get around to filling the glass bottles with water until today. What glass bottles you say? Well, they are all sorts -- old soda and water bottles, a few wine and ale bottles, a couple of sparkling cider ones, and one champagne bottle.

Anyone who's left a glass in sunlight for long enough knows how hot it can get. Water in the glass helps retain the acquired heat longer. I put these bottles in the windows during the winter, the east and south windows in the kitchen, and the three most southerly facing windows in the living room.

The optimal color for water-filled containers, for the purpose of passive solar heating, is flat black. Well.... only three of them are black -- I decoupaged them with some cool-looking dark papers. The rest are either too interesting as they are, or I haven't gotten around to doing anything with them yet. Although I think brown and dark green do pretty well. I have a Two Druids Solstice Ale bottle from nq3x -- excellent stuff, and sorry I am that the brewers went away. Then there's the bottle from An Dubhageainn, with the sexy St. Pauli Girl Duck on the label :D I have some classic soda bottles from Coke, Pepsi, Hires, and Squirt -- back in the "old days" they used to paint the labels on, instead of using paper or plastic sleeves. And who knew Poland Spring used to come in glass? Their bottle has their name as part of the glass mold itself.

I'm not sure how effective they are, but I imagine they contribute a little heat, and since I don't have them capped, a little moisture too. Not much, since the openings are so small, but seeing as I have around 20 bottles on the sills, it contributes some. I suppose I could get corks for them, but I haven't gotten around to it.

They're nice to have for the emergency aspect too -- we have other sources of water, but if push came to shove, I have some extra water for dishwashing, watering the plants, etc.

As the weather warms up later this year, I'll start using them up watering the plants, and then put them away until next autumn, so they aren't collecting heat during the height of summer ;)

They don't take up a huge amount of space since I can stash small groups of bottles here and there.

And, they're kinda neat looking, and add a little extra color and interest during the long white and grey days and nights of winter :)

Comments

[harpnfiddle.livejournal.com]

I should put water in all of those antique bottles in the sun room (so named because the windows all face south). It's unheated, so they wouldn't help in that respect, but as extra bits of water, they might do - not drinking though. Some are not the cleanest inside because they were dug up from waste pits. Hours of scrubbing still didn't get it all!

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I wouldn't use the water in my bottles for drinking either, although I washed most of them pretty well. Since they aren't sealed, the water is naturally suspect. But plants are hardier than people in that regard :)

Since your sun room is unheated, would freezing be a problem? Just thinking about expansion if a bottle has a cap. Otherwise, no worries. It would probably add something in that room, I'd think, as you have so many of them. That would be cool! Or rather, warm... um... well, you know what I mean :D

[freya46.livejournal.com]

What a great idea. It isn't necessary here for heat as I actually have to open windows it gets so hot. But I do like the idea for having the humidity and water just in case. Our cold water is being turned off on Monday so I'll be filling stuff. I drink a great deal of it during my time awake.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Glad you like it :) I don't think it contributes hugely, the way I do it -- I'd need a _lot_ more bottles, and maybe set up a shelf or two, inset into the window frames, like my mom used to do for houseplants. I used to do it at Holyoke on the unheated porch though, with large containers painted black.

But the humidity and water just in case, definitely high points :) I know lots of folks have limited space for storage, so I was thinking it's a space people don't usually think to use. For short term like you're talking about, probably even plastic bottles are okay. Although I've found that I can't stand the taste of plasticy water since I've gotten away from plastic bottles... sigh. My water that's in plastic I put in the pantry, out of the light.

Hope your water doesn't have to be off for long!

[freya46.livejournal.com]

It's just for about 10 hours or something like that. I keep the empty plastic bottles to keep my filtered water in when I leave the apt. It's about all I drink anymore.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

K. Sounds like a plan then :)

[gigglingwizard.livejournal.com]

I had read somewhere--probably something by the New Alchemy Institute--that instead of using a flat black container, you should leave the container transparent and dye the water. That way, the heat is radiating directly into the water and being held there instead of just radiating into the thin layer of paint and then conducting into the water from there. Of course, this may ruin the water for other applications later.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Interesting, hadn't read that one. Hm... I guess you'd need actual dye. I tried tea and it came alive.... not good. Maybe food coloring? But yeah, then I couldn't water the plants or use it for washing.

Does make sense though. Thanks!