We've normalized the abnormal in our homes in so many ways that most people have no idea what kind of performance they should expect. If you've never lived in a house with a good building enclosure and HVAC systems, for…
An attached garage is the source of a lot of indoor air pollutants for a great many homes. That's because we store gasoline, pesticides, paints, and other toxic materials there, and we exhaust the fumes of automobiles there as well. …
For those of us who live in warm or hot climates, this question about roof temperature is confusing. A lot of people talk about cold roofs and hot roofs, and unfortunately, it's not just about the time of year, current…
The past 2.5 years of the COVID pandemic have put a big spotlight on indoor air quality and the spread of infectious disease. I've been writing about various aspects of indoor air quality since I started this blog in 2010,…
What?! Building enclosures and mechanical systems are both important in homes. The building enclosure is where the control layers are, those parts of the building that control the flows of heat, air, and moisture. The mechanical systems provide heating, cooling,…
You may have found yourself needing to understand building science for one of a thousand different reasons. Perhaps you've bought a house and want to make sure it's comfortable, healthy, and efficient. Maybe you're an architect with a new client…
I've written a lot of articles about ducts here, but I haven't yet addressed today's topic: common problems with ducts and how to fix them. This one is for homeowners or renters who want to save money and be more…
Humidity control is becoming a bigger deal than it used to be. As Joseph Lstiburek, PhD, PE said to me one time, "the gap between stupid and hurt is narrowing." Building codes and best practices are getting better, which is…
In my last post, I told you about the plumbing work I did to begin the retrofit of my hot water distribution system. I'm bypassing the original too-long, too-big copper pipes with shorter, smaller runs of PEX tubing. My goal…
Did you know that some plumbers stuff a wad of white bread (sans crust) into a pipe before they solder it? That's one of the things I learned during my weekend plumbing adventure. More about that later, though. The purpose…