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Are you unintentionally poisoning your family?
A family friend recently told me of “issues” with their home heating system – “when it runs, the lights get halos around them from all the soot in the air.” I couldn’t believe it when I heard this, and...
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Doing your own energy audit and save energy – step 1: Open your eyes
During the winter, as I look around, houses yell out to me. Do they speak to you? Look at this photo. It’s a beautiful day after a light snowfall. Half of the roof has virgin snow. The other half is...
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When can adding insulation cause problems?
Sometimes, attics and insulation can be confusing. Usually they make a lot of sense, but occasionally, they’re really confusing! So when people ask “how do I insulate my attic?” – the only correct...
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Attic insulation problems and solutions – Part 2
In the first post, we looked at how adding insulation could lead to frozen pipes if the insulation was put in the wrong location. But, just like a sweater, if you put everything you want to be warm...
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Insulating walk-in attics
Most walk-in attics are behind knee-walls – those little walls about 3′-5′ tall that intersect the sloping roof line. Usually the entire space would have been an attic, but they were reclaimed for...
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Why do I have moisture in my walls?
I just received a question that was too complex to answer quickly, and so interesting that it deserves an entire post. Unfortunately, it represents a situation that occurs far too often. To summarize,...
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Do you wonder why your house gets dusty so fast?
Do you feel like your house is always dusty, in spite of how much you vacuum and clean? Have you tried all the tricks – HEPA vacuum cleaners, air cleaners, taking your shoes off before coming in the...
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How NOT to insulate your house
The other day, I was talking with a friend of mine – an energy auditor who was a builder for decades. The topic came around to bad advice that “experts” give about insulating. It’s something that we...
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Insulating Basement Crawl Spaces
Crawlspaces – those nasty, damp, moldy spaces under your home that you dread entering. They’re one of the least understood parts of a home and the source of countless problems. In this post, I’ll...
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Generators
While it’s too late for this storm (we’re currently awaiting the full force of hurricane Sandy), I thought the current conditions were appropriate for a post on generators while waiting for trees to...
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How to Install House Wrap around a Window
When I head out around the countryside, I am frequently dismayed by all the examples of improper construction techniques. “There’s another house that’s going to rot out in a few … Continue reading How...
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Heating Systems 101 – Learning the Lingo
She Blinded Me With Science! One of the toughest things about researching a new heating system is learning the tech talk. Your HVAC company will throw out all sorts of … Continue reading Heating...
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How Should You Insulate Your Attic?
One of the hottest topics in energy efficiency and building science is “how should you insulate your attic?” Why? Simply put, the attic has more impact on your efficiency and comfort than any other...
View ArticleLED Recessed Light Retrofits – Pros and cons
A reader, Adam, recently asked about the pros and cons of using LED retrofits vs. sealing recessed lights from the attic. It’s such a good question that I had to write up a quick post detailing my...
View ArticleWhy can’t they make a thermostat that can keep the house at a constant...
Someone asked me this question, and I live this reality every day. Let’s look at what’s involved! Each room in the house has its own thermal loss and gain. To simplify, this is directly related to the...
View ArticleExterior Insulation – Do’s and Don’ts
If you’re building a new house or redoing the exterior of your existing home, do yourself a favor and watch this excellent video on exterior insulation. It could save you huge amounts of heartaches and...
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