Simple Roofs Perform Better
Ten years ago, I spent a fair amount of time up on the roof of the SIP house I was building. Now, Martin Holladay, the famous Energy Nerd of Green Building Advisor, has an article titled Martin’s Ten Rules of…
The Energy Vanguard Blog
Naked People Need Building Science
Don't you just love to strip down to your socks and jump on the bed? As a kid, you may not get away with it, but you're a grown man or woman now, so who's to stop you? And then,…
Bob Vila and the Vent-Free Gas Fireplace — A Sorry State of Affairs
A few days ago I ran across an article about gas fireplaces on Bob Vila's website. Naturally, I wanted to read their take on vent-free gas fireplaces (sometimes called ventless, unvented, or just plain stupid). "Vent-free technology, once considered controversial,…
The Mad Housers – Not Your Average Cup of Tea
I talk about homes here in the Energy Vanguard blog all the time - new ENERGY STAR homes, HVAC systems to heat and cool homes, home energy audits... Today I'm going to talk about the homeless. I talk about homes…
How Much Extra Will the HVAC Cost for ENERGY STAR Version 3 Homes?
I just finished teaching another ENERGY STAR Version 3 class for HERS raters. As usual, the new HVAC requirements generated the most discussion and raised the most concerns. I haven't heard any hard numbers yet, but I'm wondering how much…
Hydronic Furnace & Tankless Water Heater — A Great Combo!
I'm embarrassed to admit it, but yes, that photo is the gas furnace and water heater in my condo. It's an 80 AFUE (80% efficient) furnace and natural draft water heater. Notice also that they're common vented, which can be…
Fire! — Understanding What’s Happening in Your Combustion Appliances
Fire is just so dang interesting! Its discovery by our early ancestors changed the lives of humans forever. Who doesn't love a good fire?! When I was about 8 years old, I got so fascinated with it that Bubba, my…
10 Reasons to Buy a Home Energy Audit on Cyber Monday
For about the same price as you'd pay for an iPad, you can buy a home energy audit to give to a loved one this holiday season. Yes, the iPad is sexier. Yes, the iPad is more fun. Yes, everyone…
Don’t Let the Turkey Get You Down! Carbon Monoxide Alert
I love Thanksgiving! It's my favorite holiday, full of memories of big meals at my grandparents' house in Leesville, Louisiana. We all sat around the big round table made by my grandfather, Allison Sr., ate way too much turkey, stuffing,…
Do You Need an Extreme Home Makeover to Get a Soundproof Home?
Recently I saw an episode of Extreme Home Makeover in which Ty Pennington and crew built a house for an Iraq war veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Because noise was a huge trigger for the stress attacks he experienced…