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Found 122 results for the keyword(s) ‘Ventilation’

  • Article

    CONFUSION: SHOULD VENT DUCTS GO THROUGH THE CEILING?

    Many government or crown corporation publications are afraid to ask too much of homeowners both in terms of work and comprehension. They prefer that homeowners do things half-way rather than not at all. When compromises seem to work some of the time, these publications (and many contractors) are ...
  • Article

    How do you prevent condensation in an exhaust duct?

    I hate to put exhaust ducts through roofs, because there will always be some condensation that could drip back inside. I would much rather go through a side wall, or down and out the side of the basement. But if you must go up and through the roof... Don't allow your ducting to have any loops in...
  • Article

    How do you balance a ceiling fan so it won't wobble?

    Oh how many times has the wobbling ceiling fan driven you crazy. Sometimes it is acceptable on one speed but not another. Sometimes it just click, click, clicks so badly that you can't get to sleep. Fixing it is easy, but not fast. There are a large number of things that could be wrong so work yo...
  • Article

    Choosing between an HRV and an ERV

    After 30 years of installing Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRV) we are now asked to choose between an HRV and an ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator).  What is an ERV and does it really work in Canada? Early Development Both HRVs and ERVs were developed together in the early 80s with the promise that ...
  • Article

    Making an X-Ray of your roof

    When there is morning frost or light snow on a roof, you can learn a lot about a heat losses from the house and how to eliminate ice dams and icicles.    What causes problems  Melting the bottom of a snow pack or melting off all snow at the crown of the roof sends water down under the snow to ...
  • Article

    Insulating a Cathedral Ceiling - OVERVIEW

    Hello Jon, I have a cathedral ceiling with a shingled roof. If I insulate the roof air tight, will the shingles lift and curl as they do on poorly ventilated roofs? The other thought is leaving an 1 1/2 inch space between the roof deck and the insulation  and installing a ridge vent, which give...
  • Article

    WHAT IS AN AIR-TO-AIR HEAT EXCHANGER, HRV and ERV?

    Air-change ventilation systems exist that take stale air out and bring fresh air in so as to not rely on cold air drafts for the entry of fresh air to the house. They are simply a box with two fans. In a few of the warm spots of Canada these are legitimate systems on their own. In most of Canada ...
  • Article

    Hole Saws: Automatic plug ejectors & the 1 tooth saw

    When you use a hole saw, it is often very difficult to get the plug out of the saw cup when you are done. More and more manufacturers have provided slots on the side of the hole saw to allow you to jam a screwdriver in and pry the plug out. But this is often not so easy. (By the way, the larger t...
  • Article

    WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN NEW FURNACES?

    The field of energy efficient heating systems is advancing rapidly and constantly and I cannot evaluate all the new products here. Remember that it usually takes a company a couple of years to work the bugs out of new products. And some companies try so hard just for novelty that... for example i...
  • Article

    How do I install an exhaust fan in a basement?

    Draw air off the floor, not off the ceiling The basement is different than the rest of the house because the floor is colder, attracting more moisture, and the cold air falls and is trapped on the floor as well. So the first step is to plan for the exhaust fan to draw the air off the floor of th...