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tag: energy efficiency
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Home Energy-Efficiency Upgrades for Beginners
Advice for homeowners: Inspect your house for these common energy problems to get a better idea on where your money is best spent
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A Shortcut for Air-Sealing Houses
Researchers who developed a method of sealing leaky air ducts set their sights on a whole-house treatment that should make it easier for builders to make tight houses
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Ventilation Strategies for Houses in the Hot-Humid South: Good/Better/Best
Build tight, ventilate right. I learned that from building science guru Mark LaLiberte. But what is the right way to ventilate a house in Texas (or anywhere in the hot/humid South)? I'll give you my recommendations for three strategies.
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How to Do Everything: The Energy Nerd's Greatest Hits
1 commentIf you plan to design, build, or remodel an energy efficient house, Energy Nerd Martin Holladay's collection of how-to articles is a must-read
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High-Performance Homes Dos & Don'ts: Mark LaLiberte Seminar Notes
2 commentsMark LaLiberte is an amazing building-science teacher. Read my blogging notes from his seminar titled "Building High-Performance Homes Dos & Don'ts," which I attended in Austin, Texas. Remember that this is focused on Texas construction, but there is plenty to learn here for anyone in the U.S.
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Blower Doors Have Become Essential Home-Building Tools
2 commentsUse one to measure a building’s airtightness, to locate leaks, or to comply with a green building program
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Airtight Wall and Roof Sheathing
13 commentsIn the early 1970s, residential builders knew almost nothing about air tightness. Nowadays, there's plenty of data showing why it's so important to air-seal houses.
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Major Thermal Bypasses: Energy-Wasting Holes in Your House
4 commentsDon’t worry about the cracks around your windows until you’ve sealed all of the big holes in your house
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Flashing A Recessed Window using Liquid Tyvek
1 commentFlashing a recessed window is tricky, this new product from DuPont Tyvek called Fluid Applied (Liquid Tyvek!) makes the process much simpler. In this jobsite video we will take you through the steps to form a water tight, air tight, and vapor permeable window install.
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Wood Siding - Best Practice Installation Method
You don't see much real wood siding on houses anymore, but wood can be a durable (and beautiful) option if we take the care to install it correctly. In this video I'll show you the tricks to a wood siding installation that will set you up for decades of beauty for your home.
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Weatherization's Home-Stretch Recovery
1 commentEven though the expanded Weatherization Assistance Program struggled out of the gate – and can always be improved – it has produced encouraging, credible results
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Taking Aim at California's Low-Carbon Target
As the state prepares to cut greenhouse gas emissions 80% below 1990 levels over the next 38 years, scientists predict a mostly electric future
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Lawmaker Targets DOE's Weatherization Program
3 commentsIt's all part of Representative Chuck Fleischmann’s campaign to stop "green initiative abuse"
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Survey: Americans Taking Half-Measures on Energy Upgrades
2 commentsThere’s still a disconnect between Americans’ awareness of energy efficiency benefits and the “magic number” of actions they need to take to significantly reduce their utility bills
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A Senate Bill That Values Energy Efficiency
Proposed legislation would require home appraisals to reflect expected energy costs, allow homeowners to recover investments in upgrades, and even create jobs in the retrofit and construction sectors
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Solar Raises Its Voice in the Job Market
Despite competitive pressures and the failure of Solyndra, the solar-industry workforce has more than doubled since 2009, the Solar Foundation says in a report titled "U.S. Solar Market Insight: 2nd Quarter 2011," which can be viewed here: http://www.seia.org/galleries/pdf/SMI-Q2-2011-ES.pdf
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Remodeling's Brightening Prospects, Part 5 of 5
Compared to the 2000s, the coming decade for remodelers is expected to feature more stability, and more spending in two key emerging markets, the Joint Center for Housing Studies says
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Choosing a Chimney Flue-Top Damper
Pop-up dampers and hinged dampers install and operate similarly.
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Remodeling's Brightening Prospects, Part 3 of 5
Although the remodeling industry is still highly fragmented, larger firms have continued consolidate and attract a growing share of jobs
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Framing with Energy in Mind - We're Still Missing the Boat!
10 commentsThere's a raised ranch house going up next door to my house in Plainville, CT. The 7-man framing crew finished their work today, so I snuck over after work to peek at the quality of their work. I...
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How to Paint Fiber-Cement Siding
Painter Jim Lacey shares some tips for caulking and painting fiber-cement siding. read more
