Home Energy articles from September 2002

Home Energy archives from September 2002

Duct tape again. (Editorial).
September 1, 2002... An article in this issue reports that California has banned using duct tape alone to seal--of all things--ducts. The California Energy Commission upheld an earlier decision requiring the use of more effective duct-sealing technologies, and...

That's NEAT. (Letters).
September 1, 2002... In a May/June 1994 article ("Computerized Energy Audits," p. 27), you indicate that the National Energy Audit (NEAT) computer program is public domain software. Could you please refer me to a site where I may download it? Greg Wozniak...

Cape Cod Syndrome. (Letters).
September 1, 2002... We are longtime subscribers and have been in the instrumented audit business since 1981. I am writing with respect to the first entry in your Letters page in the May/June '02 issue, concerning the opening below the kneewalls of a bonus room. In...

A tankless job? (Letters).
September 1, 2002... I am writing in response to the article "Tankless Water Heaters" (HE, May/June '02, p. 8) and would like to touch on a few issues pertaining to the electric powered units. I would first like to applaud your article; it was the first that I have...

Attic ventilation. (Diagnostics).
September 1, 2002... Q: I live in Livermore, California, which is near San Francisco. Our local utility (PG&E) offered rebates for installing whole-house fans. I installed a 5,600 CFM model. My problem is that it requires approximately 7 [ft.sup.2] of unobstructed...

Air flow measurements in the bag. (Diagnostics).
September 1, 2002... Many people in the building performance field know about a certain, easy-to-perform air flow test that involves common household items. If you are not among them, read on. If you already know about the garbage bag air flow test read on...

Double flushing dilemma. (Appliances).
September 1, 2002... During the California drought and water shortage of the mid-1970s, advice given to homeowners was short, to the point, and--most important--easy to remember. Homeowners were told: If it's yellow, let it mellow; if it's brown, flush it down. Now...

Weatherization pays down the debt. (Weatherization).
September 1, 2002... Participants in an Ohio weatherization program not only got warmer, tighter, and healthier homes--they also shrank their past--due energy utility bills. Our company, Quantec LLC, was asked by Columbia Gas of Ohio to assess the relationship...

Duct lab does duct tape. (HVAC).
September 1, 2002... Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL)'s Environmental Energy Technology Division duct lab has a "wall of shame" showing the test results of duct sealants that could or couldn't take the heat. The lab tests cloth tape with rubber...

New technologies generate bicoastal successes. (Programs).
September 1, 2002... A Florida electric utility and a New Jersey technology firm are teaming up to offer customers a unique program that combines a time-of-use rate structure with cutting-edge load control technology Known as GoodCents Select, Gulf Power Company's...

The West Coast experience. (Programs).
September 1, 2002... While many utilities offer time-of-use (TOU) rate options to their residential customers, one Washington State-based utility's program is remarkable for its level of customer participation. In May 2001, as part of a pilot program, Puget Sound...

How the good old days weren't. (Programs).
September 1, 2002... Putting in place some fairly run-of-the-mill efficiency improvements can lead to substantial increases in home energy ratings scores. That's what Adams Electric Cooperative, of western Illinois, found when it created an energy improvement...

A new path for whole-house contractors. (Programs).
September 1, 2002... The nation's most populous state just took a major turn toward residential energy efficiency with the creation of the California Building Performance Contractors Association (CBPCA). The new association offers training and guidance to...

Enabling home automation: home automation can be at the service of energy efficiency. (Home Automation).
September 1, 2002... I have a spinal cord injury that makes it difficult for me to operate lights and other home and office appliances manually. This disability has prompted me to delve deeply into methods of home automation--and even to create a Web site dedicated...

Saving Home Energy (magazines): here's how to protect valuable possessions--like your collection of Home Energy magazines--in your basement. (Appliances).
September 1, 2002... Mold, mildew, and rot are causing a lot of problems these days. The company that carries the commercial liability insurance for my energy surveying work just sent me an exclusion of coverage on any work I do dealing with mold and mildew. That...

Watching the humidity: if you remodel a basement, you'd better worry about moisture. (Renovation).
September 1, 2002... A recent article by Don Fugler, "Dry Notes from the Underground" (HE Mar/Apr '02, p. 18), points out the complications and pitfalls of basement remodeling. If you remodel a basement, you'd better be careful to control moisture. I've developed...

An easier way to measure duct leaks: finally, a duct leakage measurement that HVAC contractors might even love. (HVAC).
September 1, 2002... Regular readers of Home Energy are familiar with the problems associated with duct leakage in residences: heating and cooling energy losses, house pressurization, added infiltration, and indoor air quality (IAQ) problems. (See "Only Testing...

Learning from the residents. (Field Notes).
September 1, 2002... Creating a cutting edge home is exciting, and so is getting a chance to demonstrate to other builders, Realtors, and community residents that the promises of green building can be kept without excessive costs. However, the true test of a highly...

Caveat emptor. (News and Reviews).
September 1, 2002... The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has begun sending warning letters to firms that make deceptive energy-saving claims on the Internet. Some distributors are making exaggerated claims about the performance and energy savings...

Make a case for your own project. (News and Reviews).
September 1, 2002... A new database of high-performance buildings from around the world is now available on-line. The case studies include land use, ratings, materials, lessons learned, and financing. Developed by BuildingGreen, Incorporated, of Vermont with the...

Feeding the grid. (News and Reviews).
September 1, 2002... Net metering, which allows customers to install their own power generation systems and feed excess power back into the grid, is now available to some extent in 36 states. Utah and Kentucky have recently joined their ranks. Utah's legislation...

Wind blows green in the Northwest. (News and Reviews).
September 1, 2002... A collaboration of nonprofit groups in the Pacific Northwest plans to start up a new wind power cooperative. Called Our Wind Co-op, the cooperative will install small wind turbines on farms, ranches, and rural facilities throughout the region...

All about sheet metal. (News and Reviews).
September 1, 2002... A new manual, Residential Sheet Metal Guidelines, offers a source of expert information on the fabrication and installation of exterior sheet metal. Topics include roof drainage systems, decks, chimneys, windows, doors, and ledges. The manual...

The summer of '01. (News and Reviews).
September 1, 2002... Although how California fared during the summer of '02 was not known as Home Energy went to press, light has been shed on what helped the state to avoid blackouts last year. According to a Lawrence Berkeley National Lab report, needed load...

Calendar.
September 1, 2002... September 5-6 Concrete Homebuilder Show, San Antonio, Texas. Tel: (800)748-7690; Web site: www.concretehomebuildershow.com. September 12-13 Building Expectations 2002: Delivering Performance, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. ...