7 Reasons Filters Don’t Improve Indoor Air Quality
Indoor air quality (IAQ) researchers have established that little bitty invisible pieces of stuff that float around in the air […]
Author: Allison Bailes, III, PhD
Allison A. Bailes III, PhD of Decatur, Georgia, is the founder and owner of Energy Vanguard in Decatur, GA, and the author of the Energy Vanguard Blog. Also, check out his in-depth course, Mastering Building Science at Heatspring Learning Institute, and follow him on Twitter at @EnergyVanguard
Ranking Indoor Air Pollutants
That face above is of a physician, alchemist, and astrologer named Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim. He is deemed […]
What Is the Relative Humidity When It’s Raining?
Serious question here. Have you ever thought about what the relative humidity is when it’s raining? I’ve heard people say […]
Make Dew Point Your Friend
I’ve been on a bit of a mission for the past several years. My goal is to get more people […]
Solving the Difficulties of the Low-Load Home
I found out last month that the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) is working on a new design manual. […]
Are You Making These Mistakes With Manual J?
When you do a heating and cooling load calculation using ACCA Manual J, it’s important to be as accurate as […]
HVAC Design Is About More Than Equipment Sizing
Many people seem to think HVAC design means you get a load calculation (Manual J in the ACCA protocols) so […]
The Physics of Heat and Air Flow
Heating and cooling loads matter. That’s why we do load calculations. We enter all the details of the building, set […]
Is a Ventless Fireplace More Efficient Than a Condensing Furnace?
One of the primary benefits of an unvented gas fireplace is that you don’t lose any heat up the flue. […]
Is R-8 Really Enough for Ducts?
If you know a little building science, you’ve no doubt seen a lot of problems that occur with air distribution […]
Ventilating A Home In Cold Weather
When I woke up on a recent Saturday morning, the temperature outdoors was -40 degrees†. The wind chill was -100 […]
The Four Laws of Thermodynamics
Building science is an odd subject. Few colleges and universities teach it. The majority of those who work on buildings […]
When Do Door Undercuts Suffice for Return Air?
Most people don’t know that simply closing a door in their home can make them sick, increase their energy bills, […]
An Easy Retrofit for Return Air
A bedroom really doesn’t aspire to be a balloon. Yet, because of the way the heating and air conditioning system […]
An Air and Moisture Mystery in a Trendy Restaurant
I’ve got the curse, you know. I can’t walk into a building and not check out what’s going on with […]
Case Closed: Ducts Don’t Belong in Unconditioned Attics
About the worst place you can install a duct is up against the roof deck. Dave Roberts, a senior engineer […]
How Bad Is Compressed Fiberglass Insulation Really?
I’ve been guilty of perpetuating a myth. Not long ago I wrote an article in which I said, when installing […]
Calculating Friction Rate – It’s Not a Constant
Friction rate is a pretty simple topic. It’s just a straightforward calculation that gives us the design friction rate from […]
The New Code Requirements for Buried Ducts
Two articles ago, I wrote about what can happen when you bury ducts in attic insulation. The Home Innovations Research […]
The Home Performance Forum Has Launched!
The Internet age has made it easy to find information. Occasionally you can find some that’s even true. That’s where […]
