How Energy Efficient Is Your Ceiling Fan?
I was in one of the big box home improvement stores yesterday and thought I'd take a look at ceiling fans while I was there. Ten years ago when I was building a house and buying a bunch of ceiling…
HVAC
Does a Geothermal Heat Pump Count as a Renewable Energy Source?
Here's another rant that goes in my Drives Me Crazy category of articles. I'm in good company, too. Green Building Advisor ran an article this week about making the choice between an air-source heat pump and a ground-source (aka geothermal)…
Release the Kraken! — The Ductopus Is Bad for Air Conditioning
Just a quick little post today to show you the new image I put together. Last year I wrote an article about a type of duct system that's just a complete mess. A lot of home energy pros call it…
A Sword through the Ribs of the Building Envelope
The title of this article refers not to the two framers charging the house with a large timber but to the framing timbers already installed above the porch. Home designers, builders, and framers aren't used to thinking about the building…
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about the HERS Index
A lot of home builders and homeowners are getting certified home energy ratings to find out how efficient their homes are. There's also a lot of buzz about HERS ratings, with builders looking at them as a tool for marketing…
Two Open Doors to the Attic – A Building Science Nightmare
Take a look at this first photo. If you've got any building science training at all, I really don't need to say anymore. Sure, I could fill you in on some of the details, but I'm betting you already know…
Keep Your Elbow Rigid — A Lesson in Flex Duct Installation
Flex duct. It's ubiquitous now in homes with forced air heating and cooling systems. It's easy to install. It's cheap. The installer can show up and rough in a whole duct system without ever having seen the house before and…
It’s Called an Air Conditioner — Not an Air Cooler!
As I sit here on a nice cool May evening, getting ready for my trip to New England tomorrow, I'm thinking about sweat. And that makes me think about air conditioning. It may seem like it doesn't make sense, but…
We Are the 99% — Design Temperatures & Oversized HVAC Systems
We're making progress! With the all the emphasis on energy codes and energy efficiency programs like ENERGY STAR New Homes, more homes are getting Manual J heating and cooling load calculations these days. The intent is that the heating and…
3 Ways to Tell if That Contraption Is a Heat Pump or an AC
So, you've got a heating and cooling system in your home. There's a metal box outside that makes noise, and you control it with the thermostat on the wall. Can you tell me right now whether it's a heat pump…