An e-mail from Roger in Cambelleville Ontario:We have just started to build our home (3300 sq. ft.) and I recently found out that natural gas is not available. So the great debate begins on what fuel source to use. I have narrowed down my selection to radiant heat using a propane to heat the ...
Elise from Montreal wrote: We bought a small warehouse that we converted into living space. Three years ago we changed all the piping for the hot water radiators. Now it is time to get rid of the very old and costly oil boiler. We are thinking of switching to an Electric boiler. Is this ...
The oil crises of the 1970's spurred all kinds of financial incentive programs from both governments and utilities with the objective of conserving energy. This availability of funds created an army of fly-by-night contractors willing to blow just about anything into your attic. Although mu...
When you consider the total heat given off by an open fire place versus the amount of household air that goes up the chimney throughout the burn cycle, an open fireplace may warm up the room it is in, but it delivers a net energy loss to the house. It is in fact a wintertime air conditioner ...
Jack wrote: I recently installed an electronic thermostat. I have it set for 21 degrees before bed and then down to 15 overnight. Someone told me I shouldn't have more than a 5 degree difference because the furnace would have to work harder in order to warm up the house in the morning, there...
Air drafts through the walls cost us the most heating and air conditioning dollars, far more than a lack of insulation. Blocking them up is called Air Sealing.If a crack is meant to move, like a door or a window, then we block the drafts with weather stripping.If the crack is not meant to move, l...
The manufacturers of lighting devices are constantly improving their products, constantly changing the names of things and totally confusing me if not you. So I decided to visit Sylvania's 'Light Point' display center in Toronto to try and catch up for both you and me.Durability: Some bulbs ...
All air conditioners have a passage for room air to flow into the unit, flow over the cold side of the compressor coil and return to the room. This both cools the air and condenses some of the moisture out of the room air, which makes the room dryer, more comfortable and easier to cool. Wit...
Heating water accounts for almost 20 percent of the total heating costs in a normal home. The percentage is higher in an energy-efficient home (the same dollars, it's just a bigger piece cut from a smaller pie).
Almost all of the recommendations for improving heating systems for space heating ap...
Drain water, or grey water, heat exchangers run the warm drain water next to the fresh incoming water to raise its temperature a bit, taking a load off of the hot water tank.
Although there are more and more products to accomplish this available on the market. The problem is that most plumbing c...
