for Cold Climate Housing and much more

Found 110 results for the keyword ‘Heating’

  • Insulating the floor of a bedroom over a garage

    You might also call this entry “Insulating the ceiling of a garage under a bedroom”.  Any floor over a cold space will be cooler than a floor over a heated space, no matter how well you insulate it.  So bay window jut-outs always have cold floors as do rooms over garages.  For the bedroom over a...
  • Stopping cold air drafts from ducts to the outdoors.

    I get a lot of complaints about cold air drafts coming in through ducts connected to the outdoors. Here are some solutions.  Butterfly dampers Any exhaust vent that rises up and out will have a tendency to let cold air fall back down that duct. Quality butterfly dampers are available that have ...
  • What temperature should a house be when you are gone for the winter?

    Jim from London, Ontario is wondering what temperature he should leave his thermostat while he migrates south for the winter. The short answer is 55 degrees F, or about 12 degrees C. That should keep the pipes from freezing, keep the humidity under control, keep the furniture from going through ...
  • Sealing ductwork in an attic

    Often furnace heating and air conditioning duct work is run though an attic and then back down into the house. Personally I think that this is a really bad idea unless there is absolutely no alternative route. Why? First, most duct work is not sealed where it goes through the ceiling, so a lot o...
  • Is a Dual Energy electrical rate program worthwhile?

    Many electrical utilities across the country offer a "Dual Energy" rate program. Before trying to decide if it is appropriate for your house, you should understand why the utilities have created this system.  Click here to get the full picture on Hydro Quebec's residential electrical rates and su...
  • Should heating by oil be banned in Montreal?

      This letter was written to Montreal municipal officials relative to total banning of heating with oil in February of 2021.  It will give you the full ecologically valid arguments against this proposal.  In the fall of 2021 the Quebec government has decreed an end to residential heating with oi...
  • Quebec Residential Electrical Rates and Subsidies

    Saving money on residential heating in 2022 – a look at the financial side.   Electrical Rate Structure summary:  Hydro Québec is developing various incentives for people to reduce their electrical use during peak periods in the winter.  Lowering the peaks in the demand for electricity allows f...
  • Zoom Consultation - Detailing an in-floor heater

    Video conferencing, like Zoom, is known for head-to-head talks, but it is also a dynamic tool for interactive inspections, remote on-site consultations, and remote on-site teaching.    In 2016 I tried to start a Zoom interactive webinar but back then, not many people were comfortable with video c...
  • How do you solder copper pipes?

    There are three key steps to making leak proof copper pipe joints.     Clean off both the inside of the elbow and the outside of the pipe with steel wool or a special cleaner tool.     Apply a soldering flux to both cleaned surfaces. The cleaning gets rid of contaminates and oxidation o...
  • Why Zoom problem solving consultations are effective and easy to do!

    Video conferencing, like Zoom, is known for head-to-head talks, but it is also a dynamic tool for interactive inspections, remote on-site consultations and remote on-site teaching.    See for yourself! Let me show you how much amazing detail I can see with a Zoom consultation, and with it being...