One of the oldest houses in Cottonwood Falls will quickly be powered totally by photo voltaic power.
The 1879 Stone House, positioned in downtown Cottonwood Falls, is without doubt one of the few newly renovated homes standing throughout the city since its founding and incorporation within the nineteenth century.
Owned by Susie and Steven Whitfield of Kansas City, the property is operated by native businessmen Kris and Pat Larkin as a part of Lark Inn Vacation Rentals. While the house has been superbly restored to take care of its unique glory for future generations to get pleasure from, the property now operates after hours after photo voltaic panels have been put in on the roof of the adjoining storage to energy the complete dwelling with inexperienced power.
Owner Susie Whitfield stated she and her husband lately occurred upon the Rural Energy for America Program, as a part of the USDA Rural Development Program. After seeing what the Kansas small enterprise program needed to supply, they determined to use. The Whitfields employed the Good Energy Solutions photo voltaic firm to write down the grant and this week, put in panels on the historic dwelling’s storage.
“The home is admittedly stone. It was inbuilt 1879 and I do not suppose it is value placing photo voltaic panels on the home. I’m actually making an attempt to get it on the historic register,†Susie defined. “But Pat constructed a two-car storage for us about fifty meters from the home and that roof was good. It has precisely the best pliant metallic, it has the energy and assist for the photo voltaic panels, and it faces the best course. It’s throughout.â€
The panels have been put in this week and work is now being accomplished to hook the panels into {the electrical} system that powers the historic dwelling.
“It’s sort of fascinating how they did it,†stated Kris Larkin. “They have not hooked it up but however they should put it within the storage, after which they should dig a trench and put in a path with all of the traces going to {the electrical} panel outdoors the previous man. home.â€
“The power we make ought to be sufficient, as a result of there’s extra solar in Kansas, greater than individuals know,†Susie added. “Our electrical energy should be capable to run that a lot and no matter we produce that we do not use, we will promote again to the ability firm.â€
While nonetheless dwelling in Kansas City, the Whitfields purchased their dwelling in Cottonwood Falls in 2016 whereas touring with the Symphony in Flint Hills Signature Event.
“I knew it was historic and I knew there have been plenty of fascinating buildings and I began googling issues just like the court docket home, which is admittedly lovely, after which I noticed the stone home and offered it. I used to be very underhanded about it,†stated Susie laughing. “I stated to my husband, ‘Oh, let’s simply drive to Cottonwood. Oh, how about we simply go on the highway? Oh, a home on the market!’â€
The home was empty for a number of years, however after a full restoration, now it stays in its former glory.
“We simply like it,†stated Susie. “We love coming down and feeling prefer it’s only a fantastic little treasure. You comprehend it was constructed with such love and care and now we love the home.â€