3 Sources of Heat for High-Performance Homes
Earlier this week I wrote about the three main sources of heat in homes. At the end of the article I threw in a fourth one, solar energy, but then I dismissed it as something that people tried in the…
heating & cooling
The 3 Main Sources of Home Heating
It's wintertime in the Northern hemisphere and that means we're heating our homes. The new year started off a bit on the warm side, with the temperature at nearly 70° F (21° C) here in the Atlanta area. In terms…
Does Fiberglass Attic Insulation Really Lose R-Value?
When you get into the world of building science, it's inevitable that you'll hear about the study that proved fiberglass insulation loses half its R-value because of convection within the insulation. Or it could be you're a homeowner who's been…
The Unintended Consequences of High-MERV Filters
What is a hair's breadth? A strand of the finest human hair is about 20 micrometers (also called microns) in diameter. Take a piece and slice it in half. Then take one of those halves and slice it in half…
A Great Resource for the Nitty Gritty of HVAC
I love to share good resources and here's one you need to know about if you're interested in the nitty gritty of HVAC systems. I'm talking about HVAC School, with their various channels like their daily Tech Tips email, YouTube…
A Moisture Mystery Anyone Could Solve
Last weekend my wife and I went to Asheville, North Carolina to hear Lyle Lovett and His Large Band at the Biltmore Estate. It was a wonderful evening! Mountains, sunset, gardens... We even had four planets lined up over the…
7 Things You May Not Know About Ceiling Fans
Here we are in the middle of air conditioning season. So why don't we chop down some myths and misconceptions about ceiling fans. What got me on to this topic was a video of a fan with blades that hide…
Good HVAC Design Is 99% Invisible
Sometimes people are bothered by how things look. They don't want a return grille showing in that location or they'd rather have the supply registers low on the wall or they just can't stomach the thought of a wall-mounted ductless…
ASHRAE Conferences — Where Theory Meets the Real World
I've been going to the meetings of the ASHRAE residential ventilation committee (SSPC 62.2, to be specific) for the past few years. As a matter of fact, I'm writing this article from my room in Houston, the site of the…
Simple Steps to Improve Air Conditioner Performance
It's getting hot out there. Here in the Southeast, we love our air conditioning. In fact, without air conditioning, far fewer people would live in places like Houston, Hattiesburg, and Sopchoppy. And that's true for the hot, dry places, too,…