You'd think that HVAC companies would have this locked down. The V in HVAC, after all, stands for ventilation. But ventilation falls below duct systems for many contractors. And duct systems are below what's in the box that makes the…
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…
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…
Want to be known for your home performance expertise? Or add to your building science knowledge and skills? How about connect with others who do home performance work? There's one event that is hands down the best place to do…
When it comes to the air moving through your HVAC system, filter bypass is not a good thing. The lead photo above shows a bad case of bypass. What you're looking at is an old-style high-efficiency pleated filter. I don't…
It's time for another update of my ongoing personal heat pump case study. I wrote here in 2020 about how the inverter-driven mini-split heat pump serving most of my main floor is undersized for cooling and for heating. And I…
Over the past seven years or so, I've written a bunch of articles about high-efficiency filtration. I've covered everything from how filtration fits into a good indoor air quality (IAQ) plan to why high-MERV filters often don't work to the…
Let's talk thermostats today. This ubiquitous device in homes is the user interface that allows people to control their heating and cooling systems. It might seem simple. Turn it up when you need more heating or cooling and down when…
Well, it's official. It may have taken 3.8 years to make it happen, but my Zehnder ComfoAir Q600 energy recovery ventilator (ERV) is running now! I started it up on 29 December, so it's been helping to clean my indoor…
With winter beginning soon and energy prices climbing, let's talk about energy efficiency. And I'm not talking about that standard crap about caulking the windows and weatherstripping the doors. (You may recall that I've advised people NOT to caulk the…