Recently I got a short email from someone that read: Recently I got a short email from someone that read: “Just like you to know I'm glad you aren't in charge. If you stood between me and my freedoms of…
The new Georgia energy code, based on the 2009 IECC, moves our state a step ahead of other states. The major new requirement is that all new homes be tested for infiltration rates with a Blower Door. As far as…
Put your hand out, palm up. Believe it or not, you're now holding about 200 pounds of air in your hand. You may have heard that standard atmospheric pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch. Your hand is probably in…
Martin Holladay, the famous Energy Nerd from Green Building Advisor and one of my favorite building science geeks, outdid himself this year with his building science variations of famous Christmas carols. Our friends at Energy Circle, who are much more…
Starting on the 1st of January 2011, all new homes permitted in Georgia must have a Blower Door test! You heard, right? I've written about this twice before - last April, when the new Georgia state energy code was finalized…
In the past two years, I've helped my parents-in-law make dramatic improvements in their home. Two years ago, I tackled their building envelope, encapsulating the crawl spaces, sealing the air leaks, isolating the mechanical room, and adding insulation. One year…
The most interesting topic we covered in my first semester of college physics was fluid dynamics. I found it fascinating, especially Bernoulli's principle. It wasn't until I left academia and entered the field of building science, however, that I really…
I visited a new house earlier this year that had a basement wall that looked fine* at first glance. At left you see this wall, with its 2"x4" framing and fiberglass batt insulation. That wall you're looking at, though, has…
There's been a lively discussion going on in the RESNET/BPI group on LinkedIn. I posted my article about how infiltration occurs at the surface, not in the volume, and it's generated some good comments. In that article, I said we…
At the gym the other night, I was thinking about a tweet I'd seen the day before: "@EFL_Guy 'Air leaks through surfaces not volume" Joe Lstiburek.'" I'd been meaning to blog about this for a while, so, during my workout,…