HVAC Archives - Energy Vanguard https://www.energyvanguard.com/tag/hvac/ Building science knowledge, HVAC design, & fun Sun, 01 Oct 2023 11:42:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2 6 Reasons to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/6-reasons-to-make-your-home-more-energy-efficient/ https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/6-reasons-to-make-your-home-more-energy-efficient/#view_comments Wed, 07 Dec 2022 11:27:25 +0000 https://www.energyvanguard.com/?p=7946 With winter beginning soon and energy prices climbing, let’s talk about energy efficiency.  And I’m not talking about that standard crap about caulking the windows and weatherstripping the doors.  (You may recall that I’ve advised people NOT to caulk the…

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]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/6-reasons-to-make-your-home-more-energy-efficient/feed/ 1 What Is a Mini-Split Heat Pump? https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/what-is-a-mini-split-heat-pump/ https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/what-is-a-mini-split-heat-pump/#view_comments Mon, 24 Jan 2022 14:13:48 +0000 https://www.energyvanguard.com/?p=7123 Ah, mini-splits. They’re all the rage in the world of high-performance HVAC. But what exactly is a mini-split heat pump? Unfortunately, the terminology around this technology is confusing because it’s used so inconsistently. Let’s start at the beginning.  (Well, OK,…

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]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/what-is-a-mini-split-heat-pump/feed/ 28 A Net Zero Energy Home in a Beautiful Green Community https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/a-net-zero-energy-home-in-a-beautiful-green-community/ https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/a-net-zero-energy-home-in-a-beautiful-green-community/#view_comments Tue, 26 Nov 2013 05:00:00 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=a-net-zero-energy-home-in-a-beautiful-green-community I spoke at Serenbe,† a beautiful green community southwest of Atlanta, this weekend and got a chance to visit a net zero energy home while there. Built by Luis Imery, one of the home energy raters we’re a HERS provider…

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]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/a-net-zero-energy-home-in-a-beautiful-green-community/feed/ 11 Is Energy Efficiency More Important Than Indoor Air Quality? https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/is-energy-efficiency-more-important-than-indoor-air-quality/ https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/is-energy-efficiency-more-important-than-indoor-air-quality/#view_comments Thu, 21 Nov 2013 05:00:00 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=is-energy-efficiency-more-important-than-indoor-air-quality I was searching the Interwebs for data on what percentage of buildings are designed by architects this week when I came across the Home Design Trends Survey from the American Institute of Architects (AIA). (If you can point me toward…

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]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/is-energy-efficiency-more-important-than-indoor-air-quality/feed/ 13 Fixing an Old House? Follow Einstein’s Advice https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/fixing-an-old-house-follow-einstein-s-advice/ https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/fixing-an-old-house-follow-einstein-s-advice/#view_comments Mon, 04 Nov 2013 05:00:00 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=fixing-an-old-house-follow-einsteins-advice I get a lot of questions from people asking how they should go about fixing their homes. Sometimes it’s specific (What’s the best way to insulate my kneewalls?), and sometimes it’s a hands up in the air, With all these…

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]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/fixing-an-old-house-follow-einstein-s-advice/feed/ 11 Is the ENERGY STAR New Homes Program Dying? https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/is-the-energy-star-new-homes-program-dying/ https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/is-the-energy-star-new-homes-program-dying/#view_comments Wed, 30 Oct 2013 04:00:00 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=is-the-energy-star-new-homes-program-dying Back in 2009, I attended a webinar given by Sam Rashkin, head of the ENERGY STAR new homes program at the time. (He has since left the EPA for the DOE.) He explained the changes coming in the program as…

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]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/is-the-energy-star-new-homes-program-dying/feed/ 25 What Happens in the Real World Stays in the Real World https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/what-happens-in-the-real-world-stays-in-the-real-world/ https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/what-happens-in-the-real-world-stays-in-the-real-world/#view_comments Fri, 11 Oct 2013 04:00:00 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=what-happens-in-the-real-world-stays-in-the-real-world Today for your enjoyment, I have some mighty fine photos for you. They speak for themselves, really, so I don’t have to say much. First up is a nice package unit air conditioner (or heat pump) in Little Rock, Arkansas.…

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]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/what-happens-in-the-real-world-stays-in-the-real-world/feed/ 3 This Little Ventilation Mistake Can Lead to Comfort Problems https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/this-little-ventilation-mistake-can-lead-to-comfort-problems/ https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/this-little-ventilation-mistake-can-lead-to-comfort-problems/#view_comments Wed, 09 Oct 2013 04:00:00 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=this-little-ventilation-mistake-can-lead-to-comfort-problems If you’re designing a ventilation system, first you have to determine how much air the house needs. You can use ASHRAE 62.2 or the new BSC-01 for that task. Then you have to decide what type of ventilation system to…

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]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/this-little-ventilation-mistake-can-lead-to-comfort-problems/feed/ 12 Why Do So Many Expensive Homes Get Walmart-Class HVAC Systems? https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/why-do-so-many-expensive-homes-get-walmart-class-hvac-systems/ https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/why-do-so-many-expensive-homes-get-walmart-class-hvac-systems/#view_comments Tue, 08 Oct 2013 04:00:00 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=why-do-so-many-expensive-homes-get-walmart-class-hvac-systems The fellow standing in the home he’s having built is proud. It’s his dream home in Brookline, Massachusetts after all. The Wall Street Journal last week published an article about affluent home buyers getting their own jumbo construction loans to do…

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]]> https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/why-do-so-many-expensive-homes-get-walmart-class-hvac-systems/feed/ 10 Confessions of a Building Science Zealot https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/confessions-of-a-building-science-zealot/ https://www.energyvanguard.com/blog/confessions-of-a-building-science-zealot/#view_comments Mon, 30 Sep 2013 04:00:00 +0000 http://energyvanguard.flywheelsites.com/?blog_post=confessions-of-a-building-science-zealot Hi. My name is Allison, and I’m a building science zealot. I preach the gospel of building science, yet in my own life, I fall short of the perfection I exhort others to attain. Yes, I once built a green…

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