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7 Steps to an Energy-Efficient House: 5. Mechanicals
Subtitle: Replace your furnace or boiler with a new energy-efficient model Images: Editor's introduction: With energy prices rising again, many homeowners are planning energy-efficiency improvements...
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Window-Mounted Air Conditioners Save Energy
Subtitle: Compared to homes with central air conditioning, homes with window units have lower cooling costs Images: Window-mounted air conditioners (also called room air conditioners) aren’t...
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The Magic of Cold
Subtitle: How your air conditioner uses electricity to make cold air Images: With the recent heat wave that set all kinds of records across the US, including an all-time high of 106° F here in...
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The Loophole and the Ozone Hole
Subtitle: How the EPA has let us (and the planet) down with its air conditioner regulations Images: Holes are generally bad things. Those of us who teach building science spend a lot of time showing...
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The Difference Between Air Conditioners and Dehumidifiers
Subtitle: These two appliances are almost identical — except for where the heat is rejected Images: There’s a great Patton Oswalt bit where he contemplates meeting George Lucas in 1996 (gotta love the...
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Does a Heat Pump Condenser Need to Go Outdoors?
Subtitle: Once you look at the necessary heat exchanges, the answer is clear Images: Occasionally I get asked if it's OK to put the condensing unit of an air conditioner or heat pumpHeating and...
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Climate-Specific Air Conditioners
Subtitle: John Proctor sells a $35 control that reduces cooling costs by 8% to 12% in dry climates — and he also has energy-saving advice for people in humid climates Images: If you live in a humid...
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A 3-Ton Air Conditioner Will Rarely Give You 3 Tons of Cooling
Subtitle: Even when a cooling system is perfectly designed and installed, three factors can reduce an air conditioner's capacity Images: Today I'm going to give you three reasons why your 3 ton air...
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An Epidemic of Duct Disease and Enclosure Problems
Subtitle: A report of the day I spent going on air conditioner service calls with an HVAC pro Images: When an air conditioner breaks down in hot weather, homeowners reach for their phone. The...
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Loving My Minisplits
Subtitle: Comfort is relative — so you can use your ductless minisplits a little or a lot Images: Last year, still living in my little cottage due to delays and problems attempting to build a new...
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Keeping Cool in a Two-Story House
Subtitle: If your second floor gets hot during the summer, there’s a good chance that your house is leaky and poorly insulated Images: I was recently a weekend guest at the house of some friends who...
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EPA Warns Against Unapproved Refrigerants in Air Conditioners
Subtitle: Cowboys in the HVAC industry have found another way to get around the R-22 phase-out Images: "A New Zealand technician got fire balled in the face,"a member of the HVAC-talk.com forum stated...
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Thou Shalt Commission Thy Ducts!
Subtitle: If you don’t commission new HVAC systems in high-performance homes, you’re gambling with callbacks Images: The typical new home gets a heating and air conditioning system that's about two...
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Four Ways to Find the Size of Your Air Conditioner
Subtitle: If you want to determine the cooling capacity of an older installed air conditioner, here are your options Images: Do you know what size your air conditioner is? In the world of building...
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Energy Efficiency Requires More Than an App on Your Smartphone
Subtitle: A lot of IT companies are looking to cash in on the home energy efficiency market, but they're missing something essential Images: When it comes to air conditioning, there are a lot of bad...
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Is It OK to Close Air Conditioner Vents in Unused Rooms?
Subtitle: In most cases, the answer is no Images: Your air conditioner, heat pumpHeating and cooling system in which specialized refrigerant fluid in a sealed system is alternately evaporated and...
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How to Tell If Your Air Conditioner Is Oversized
Subtitle: All you need is a timer and a thermometer — but data loggers make it easier Images: Back in 2009, I had a new air conditioner installed our condo. The previous one was an ancient 25 years...
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How Your Thermostat Can Grow Mold and Make You Uncomfortable
Subtitle: This setting on your air conditioner's thermostat is really bad in humid climates Images: I've been experimenting with my family lately. Or is it, experimenting on my family? In either case,...
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How to Clean an Air Conditioner Condensate Drain
Prime: prime Subtitle: Here’s how I did it, along with information about other products that can help Images: An air conditioner does two jobs: It cools down the air and it dehumidifies the air. If...
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How Much Will Shading Your Air Conditioner Improve Its Efficiency?
Prime: prime Subtitle: The Florida Solar Energy Center studied this issue and has the answer Images: I got a question this weekend that's often asked — and, I'm sure, wondered about — by homeowners:...
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