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 […]
Building Performance
When Choosing a Heating and/or Cooling System Give Your Customer the Choice to Round Down
When choosing the right size heating and cooling system for your customer, it would be a great practice to give […]
Sizing, Installing, And Maintaining An HVAC System
When installing an HVAC system, calculate heating and cooling loads using a recognized method (ACCA Manual J), and ensure you […]
Case Study: Controlling Humidity in Affordable Multi-Family Housing for Health, Comfort and Property Protection
The following is the last article in a three-part series addressing mold and moisture control in multi-family housing. The first […]
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 […]
Case Study: Preventing Mold and Moisture Issues in Senior Housing
The following is the second article in a three-part series addressing mold and moisture control in multi-family housing. The first […]
Making Homes Healthier for Families
Imagine that you are faced with a choice: a home you could afford, or a home that is healthy for […]
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. […]
How To Create A Winning Culture
My Dad was a simple man with simple sayings that were profound. He always said “the fish stinks from the head […]
The Ideal HVAC System for Multifamily Buildings: Designing for Health, Comfort, and Efficiency
The primary considerations for any HVAC system design should consist of health, comfort and efficiency – probably in that order […]
Let’s Talk About Basements – Common Problems Along with Solutions
When air sealing and insulating a home, you should always give the attic first priority and then go to the […]
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 […]
Diversification or Diversion
I just returned from ACCA’s IE3 conference in the nation’s capital. I was struck by how much conversation there was […]
Different Methods to Treating a “Walk Up Attic”
Walk up attics have to be dealt with differently than a normal attic with a hatch. They are different because the […]
What About Adding Home Performance to Your Business Plan?
If you have been ignoring the home performance market, you can use the ANSI/ACCA 12 QH Home Performance and Evaluation […]
The Importance of Addressing Humidification In HVAC/Home Performance Conversation
It continues to amaze me how often we are in a customer’s home as the second, third or fourth opinion […]
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, […]
