My First Week of Making Solar Electricity
In December 2025, we got a photovoltaic (PV) array installed on our roof. I was going to wait longer, but the 30 percent solar tax credit was going away at the end of 2025. We got in just under the…
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Duct Leakage Can Cost You a Lot
For those of us who heat and cool our homes with forced-air systems, duct leakage can matter a lot. I say "can" there because as with most things in building science, "it depends." For this article, I'm focusing on ducts…
Basement Remodel: Phase 1 Finished, Phase 2 Begun
We finished phase 1 of our basement remodel a year ago, but I never showed you how the guest suite turned out. So here's a video tour of it, along with a bit about how the beginning of phase 2…
U-Tube Manometer Madness, Part 2
Let's dive into some more manometer madness today, shall we? Last week I tried to clear up some weird stuff I saw online about U-tube manometers. And then I found out that I might have made things worse, at least…
How to Read a U-Tube Manometer
Take a look at the set of photos of the U-tube manometer on my new radon mitigation system above. Can you tell which ones show that the radon fan is on? In which ones would the fan be off? Are…
Radon Mitigation Basics for an Older Home
I've been telling you the story of radon in my Atlanta home for three years now. In April 2023, I got the results of my first radon test. In July of that year, I installed a continuous radon monitor to…
Insulation Manufacturers Announce New Airtight Fiberglass
You know how fiberglass insulation gets a bad rap because it doesn't stop air leakage? Go look around in an attic and you'll see nasty old insulation that's full of dirt (see lead photo). Some people even call it "filterglass"…
5 Ways to Get Carbon Monoxide Poisoning in an All-Electric Home
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be deadly. Even if it's not deadly, it can make you ill. Maybe it's just a headache that won't go away. Or flu-like symptoms. How about brain fog and lethargy? You can't see or smell carbon…
The Most Expensive Fixed-Capacity HVAC System
It didn't come naturally for me to use my hands when I talk. I had to teach myself to do that, and it has come in quite handy. (Did I really do that?) When I've spoken about the mismatch between…
It’s Hard to Undersize a Heating System
One of the biggest fears of HVAC contractors is to undersize a heating system. I'm not saying it's impossible, but installing a heating system that won't keep a house warm is really hard to do. Sometimes the rules of thumb…