by Cynthia Freeney | Mar 25, 2015 | Building Envelope, Conditioned Spaces, Energy-Savings Tips, Featured Posts
Uneven temperatures and uncomfortable rooms in the house Do you have rooms in your house that are too cold during the winter or too hot during the summer? It may be a seasonal problem or it may happen year round. The first thought you may have is that you need a...
by Tim Snyder | Feb 10, 2015 | Basements, Crawl Spaces, Featured Posts, Foundations
What to do about insulation, encapsulation, flood vents and more Up till now, most crawl space advice on this website has focused on crawl spaces that are located away from flood zones. Now it’s time to put our attention on how things change when your crawl space is...
by Tim Snyder | Dec 16, 2014 | Conditioned Spaces, Energy-Savings Tips, Featured Posts
It’s a common winter woe. Let’s look at the options for overcoming this icy problem. “The weather outside is frightful, but the fire is so delightful…” ‘Tis the season to sing this classic tribute to hearth and home. But are you really feeling cozy and warm while...
by Tim Snyder | Dec 10, 2014 | Basements, Crawl Spaces, Featured Posts
Making the right upgrades will prevent freezing pipes, keep rooms more comfortable and lower heating costs. The simple answer to the question above is: Yes. Just about anything you can do to separate your crawl space from frigid exterior conditions is a good idea. But...
by Cynthia Freeney | Nov 21, 2014 | ABC Action Plan, Attics, Building Envelope, Featured Posts
Homeowners have good reasons to be afraid of ice dams. These thick accumulations of ice along the eaves of a roof can damage gutters and roof shingles, while also causing water to leak into the house. The good news is that this distressing damage is avoidable. Check...
by Tim Snyder | Nov 11, 2014 | ABC Action Plan, Attics, Basements, Building Envelope, Conditioned Spaces, Featured Posts, Home Systems
Scared about cold drafts and high heating bills? Here’s what to do about it. Cold drafts. Chilly floors. High heating bills. We all have the same worries as winter approaches. But advice on how to avoid these discomforts varies greatly. Depending on who you’re talking...
by Tim Snyder | Oct 1, 2014 | Basements, Crawl Spaces, Featured Posts, Foundations, Home Systems
Material and treatment options depend largely on the condition of your crawl space If you’ve been reading about crawl spaces at myHOMEscience.com, this blog topic won’t come as a surprise. Among the many questions and comments on crawl space topics, quite a few are...
by Tim Snyder | Aug 18, 2014 | Building Envelope, Conditioned Spaces, Energy-Savings Tips, Featured Posts, Home Systems
Make the most of an energy-saving upgrade that also has a big impact on curb appeal Let’s be clear. Replacing an old entry door with a new ENERGY STAR® door will not have the same impact on comfort and energy savings as sealing leaky ductwork or upgrading attic...
by Joseph R. Provey | Aug 12, 2014 | Energy-Savings Tips, Home Systems, Plumbing
Summer is a good time to improve the efficiency of a conventional gas-fired tank-type hot water heater (the kind most of us have). Why summer? Because it’s a wet job that won’t be a lot of fun when the temperatures drop! Water heater tanks often collect sediment...
by Tim Snyder | Jul 23, 2014 | Building Envelope, Conditioned Spaces, Featured Posts, Home Systems, Sick Building Syndrome
Improving your home’s indoor air quality will protect family members from invisible pollutants that can cause serious health problems Normally I like to begin a blog with a few sentences that explain the importance of the topic I’m planning to cover. But the best way...
by Joseph R. Provey | Jul 8, 2014 | Energy-Savings Tips
Winter is the season we think of when it comes to fuel usage, but a surprising amount is used in summer lawn and garden maintenance as well. Paul Tukey, the author of the Organic Lawn Care Manual, has done the math. He claims that the average fuel consumption per...
by Tim Snyder | Jun 24, 2014 | ABC Action Plan, Building Envelope, Conditioned Spaces, Energy-Savings Tips, Heating & Cooling, Home Systems
There’s no need to sweat because of hot weather and high air conditioning expenses Summer heat is here. What could be worse than sweating all night long in an upstairs bedroom that your air conditioning system can’t seem to reach? How about being shocked by a huge...
by Joseph R. Provey | Jun 4, 2014 | Energy-Savings Tips, Home Systems
It’s that time of year again. The weather is getting nice just in time for you to spend hours and hours getting your lawn back in shape. Seems a bit crazy – as if we were human hamsters — especially when you realize there are few other countries in the world...
by Joseph R. Provey | May 8, 2014 | Energy-Savings Tips
Most of you know that evaporation of moisture from your skin makes you feel cooler. That’s because evaporation takes heat energy, thereby cooling the air wherever it takes place. Turn on a sprinkler on a hot day and the area surrounding it will feel cooler. Trees act...
by Tim Snyder | May 5, 2014 | ABC Action Plan, Attics, Building Envelope, Featured Posts, Home Systems
What’s so difficult about an attic insulation upgrade? Plenty. For just about any kind of job you might imagine, there are distinct differences between doing the work and doing the work REALLY WELL. This rule applies across every profession, from cleaning houses to...
