Heat Pump Basics
Whether you're thinking of getting a heat pump or you already have one, knowing these heat pump basics can help you get the right heat pump and operate it properly. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) here in the US has…
Whether you're thinking of getting a heat pump or you already have one, knowing these heat pump basics can help you get the right heat pump and operate it properly. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) here in the US has…
It's been a good year in the Energy Vanguard Blog. Counting this one, I've published 46 articles during the year. Of the previous 45 articles, I think the following might be ten most important ones. This is just my own…
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…
Oh, the controversies of duct design. Standard versus high-efficiency filters. Radial versus trunk and branch. Central versus dedicated return vents. Flex versus sheet metal ducts. But there's another duct debate that centers around the location of the filter. In our…
The central vs dedicated return vent debate has a clear winner. But first, let me explain the terminology. A forced-air heating and cooling system has supply ducts that blow conditioned air into the rooms of your house. That's the part…
I've written about the load calculation and equipment selection process I went through for the new Mitsubishi* ducted mini-split heat pump in my house. Now let's take a look at the design and performance of the duct systems for the…
Last year my wife and I bought a 1961 ranch-style house, and I've been having a lot of fun fixing it up. I wrote about the problem with the spray foam in the attic not covering the top plates and…
If a 12 step program is good for helping people deal with addictive behaviors, then a 17 step program ought to be better, right? Or maybe it's just a random number that fits the number of tips that popped into…
I like mini-split heat pumps, especially of the ducted variety. And because I don't like to pay for a lot of excess power, I prefer to use ducted mini-splits with smaller blower motors operating at a low total external static…
Ah, so many choices. If you want to design and install a duct system to create problems, the possibilities are endless. I've certainly written about a lot of them (as well as how to do it properly). Today, though, let's…