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Can ventless fireplaces make too much carbon dioxide?
August 22, 2013It’s Energy Smart Blog’s first guest entry! My old friend Steve Driver explores how much carbon DI-oxide is produced by ventless fireplaces, and if that could be a hazard above safe levels prescribed by OSHA and the like. Introduction Sometimes, it’s a small world. Steve Driver, my weightlifting partner in high school and classmate […]
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How to Get 3 Years of Dominion East Ohio Gas Bills
August 19, 2013If you are considering Home Performance upgrades to fix a concern you have with your home – high energy bills, icicles, rooms or floors that are too hot or cold, indoor allergies, or any of a number of other issues, one of the first steps is a good energy audit. Good energy audits need data […]
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Make that drafty but cool old house better than a new one – for less!
August 15, 2013I’m a little sick in the head. But I’m not alone. I like old houses, I always have, and I always will. Apologies to owners of new houses out there, but I feel like new homes lack ‘soul’. I like the built in cabinets, the unique wood trim, the old-growth hardwood floors, the architectural details, […]
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Home Performance Is On The Cusp
May 7, 2013And Now, Time for Something Completely Different! Normally I write with homeowners in mind, this post is for my fellow Home Performance pros. If you’re a homeowner, you’ll probably be bored with this one! Pros, I’m wedging this into one post, so there’s a lot here! ACI is a really wonderful conference that brings together […]
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Why You Should Insulate BEFORE Getting a New Furnace or AC
March 21, 2013Home Performance has 2 sides: making the heat and keeping the heat in. When done properly, your home will be much more comfortable, healthier, longer lasting, and efficient. Making a house perform to the best of its ability involves: 1. Insulating and air sealing it (keeping the heat in). 2. Making the heat as efficiently […]
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Making the Maurice Knight Home More Efficient Part 3 of 3 – The End
March 13, 2013In the first 2 parts, I explored the history of the 1913 Maurice Knight home in Akron, Ohio, then the diagnosis and beginning of the improvements on the home. We pick up with the surprise we found when we cut into the attics, the first time anyone had been there in 100 years. Surprise! I […]
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Energy Audit House Parties – The Way Forward for Home Performance?
March 12, 2013On Saturday March 9th, I was lucky enough to be invited by the Portage Trail chapter of the Sierra Club to present to some of their members about Home Performance. The homeowner jokingly called it an Energy Audit party, and I think he’s really on to something. More on that in a minute. It was […]
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Making the Maurice Knight Home More Efficient Part 2 of 3 – The Project
March 11, 2013Last time, I delved into the history of a very unique home we were lucky enough to work on recently. This time, we’ll look at diagnosing the home for energy efficiency upgrades and then the beginning of the upgrades. Next time we’ll finish the project! The Diagnosis The MA Knight Home was recently purchased […]
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Making the Maurice Knight Home More Efficient Part 1 of 3 – The History
February 26, 2013Apologies to customers out there, but sometimes a house is just a house. I’m quite familiar with ranch homes, split levels, Cape Cods, center hall colonials, and so forth. Every once in a while, though, you get to work on a truly spectacular house. If you’ve read the blog for long, you know I have […]
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Why Well Insulated Houses Get Ice Dams and Icicles
February 18, 2013In my last post, I dove into my house and the few icicles it gets. Now for a little advanced discussion. I have a detached garage: The garage has no ventilation at all, so the heat from the cars while they cool after driving is enough to melt some snow: It’s a little tough to see […]
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Icicles and Ice Dams On My Own Home – Newsflash! I’m Not Perfect Either
February 11, 2013I’m going to do something pretty dangerous with this post: open myself up to criticism. Why? Because I want to learn, and that requires openness. It shows I’m human as well. (Pros: please read carefully and see if you think I missed anything.) It’s also an example of the shoemakers’ kids going barefoot (or perhaps […]
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Insulation and Air Sealing: Extreme Coffee and Tea Edition
January 1, 2013I love analogies. Always have. Always will. So I was thinking about insulation and air sealing the other day as I drank coffee from my fancy-schmancy Contigo coffee mug (ok, they only cost $20, so don’t judge). I love this mug. It has a perfect air seal and you have to push a button to get […]
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