Paul

As a homeowner, I am constantly experimenting with making the structure of my house more energy-efficient, eliminating pests, and taking on DIY home improvement projects. Over the past two decades, my family has rehabbed houses and contracted new home builds and I've learned a lot along the way. I share my hard-learned lessons so that you can save time and money by not repeating my mistakes.

I receive a lot of questions on air-sealing a home. I’m no expert but I have certainly done my research and invested a lot of sweat equity in rehabbing old houses and building new ones. My insight doesn’t come from a degree in engineering. It comes from countless hours of research and hands-on experience. I’ve …

When building my new home I researched options for making the structure as energy efficient as possible. At the same time, I needed to work within a budget. I considered foam insulation but it wasn’t the right choice for me at the time. I decided to focus on air sealing, blown in insulation, and some …

I had heard about phantom energy, also called vampire energy, for some time but I never really knew if it was a real thing. And even if it was, did it really matter? I mean, how much energy could I really be losing from devices that aren’t even turned on? If you have wondered the …

At this very moment, energy is being lost in your home. Money is literally seeping out through inefficiencies in your home’s thermal envelope and being lost from inefficiency practices and home routines. If you are wanting to learn how energy is wasted and what you can do to stop it, here’s what you need to …

There was a time when a device’s energy consumption was easy to understand and estimate. When you turned a device off, it was truly “off” and no power was drawn until it was turned on again. Today, however, we live in a world of always-on electronics. Even when “turned off” these always-on devices continue to …

I frequently notice standing water in my garage when I pull in during a rainstorm that will sit for a couple of days. The garage also suffers from condensation on the floor at times. I have been wondering if I need to install a dehumidifier in my garage to prevent mold and structural damage. If …

I am in the process of installing radiant barrier foil in my attic and was on the roof getting surface temps for a before and after study. My feet knocked some granules loose and when they fell to the ground my son asked why these granules are on the roofing shingles. That got me to …

Gas bills in an apartment can be very frustrating because you have no control over many of the factors that impact your bill. You can’t, for example, just go out and buy a more efficient water heater or furnace. And you probably can’t shop around for a more competitive gas provider. At the same time, …

My daughter’s apartment windows were in bad shape due to age, deterioration, and misuse by previous tenants. I could literally sit next to the window and feel air coming in. If you have a similar issue, I’ve got the solution. Tried and proven. Drafty windows in apartment? Here’s what to do: Air seal around the …

Insulation is one of the primary barriers in the thermal envelope and foam insulation has recently seen a surge in homeowner interest. It’s easy to understand why. The question is, is foam insulation worth it and what are the pros and cons of choosing foam insulation? I’ve researched this extensively I’ve learned that there is …