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The Top 5 Things to winterize your home
Freezing temperatures are setting in around much of the country, so now what do you do? While each house is unique, there are some things to remember to avoid unpleasant surprises and expensive repairs...
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Reduce your heating bills – seal your ducts
I admit it – I go crazy when I see leaky ducts. I’m not talking about ducts that have little leaks, I’m talking about problems that cost you hundreds of dollars per year and could be fixed in a few...
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The Energy Geek Video 3: Ultra Efficient Heat Pump Review
I bumped this back up to top of the list since it’s one of the most popular posts I’ve ever done. I also just had the misfortune of losing ALL THREE indoor units during a recent storm and power surge...
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Are you unintentionally poisoning your family?
A family friend recently told me of “issues” with their home heating system – “when it runs, the lights get halos around them from all the soot in the air.” I couldn’t believe it when I heard this, and...
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Understanding and Evaluating Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are a bit of magic. But you use one in your home every day – your refrigerator. So if you can accept that your fridge works, somehow making 0 degree air from the 70 degree air in your home,...
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5 Things to consider when replacing your heating system
#1: Research replacement systems before your current system dies Hopefully, you’re reading this before you need to replace your heating system. Other than buying a car, a new heating system is likely...
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Do you wonder why your house gets dusty so fast?
Do you feel like your house is always dusty, in spite of how much you vacuum and clean? Have you tried all the tricks – HEPA vacuum cleaners, air cleaners, taking your shoes off before coming in the...
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Insulating Basement Crawl Spaces
Crawlspaces – those nasty, damp, moldy spaces under your home that you dread entering. They’re one of the least understood parts of a home and the source of countless problems. In this post, I’ll...
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Fujitsu – time to clean the air filters!
After receiving a question recently about cleaning the Fujitsu’s air filters, I thought I’d better check mine. Good thing – yuck! Fortunately, a quick spray down in the sink and they’re good as new....
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Location of secondary filters on Fujitsu mini-split heat pump
A picture’s worth a thousand words…
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How to diagnose your high heating bills and drafty home this winter
Part 1: Introduction to Winter Energy Audits Here in the mid-Atlantic and Northeastern U.S., we’re getting hit by another deep freeze. Those in the center of the country are probably thinking we’re...
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DIY Energy Audit, Part 2: Why Do Heat Pumps (sometimes) Cost a Fortune to Run?
After the first article, Matt collected his utility bills and other background information we need to get started. Here it is: “Colonial 3,300 square feet. 3 adults one child. 2 Electric Heat Pumps:...
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Why I can no longer recommend Fujitsu mini-split heat pumps
Sadly, I can no longer recommend Fujitsu due to their unacceptable support and warranty policies. Poor product durability eliminates all cost savings gained from efficiency A home’s heating system is a...
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GE GeoSpring Heat Pump Water Heater
Intro In July 2014, I purchased this GE GeoSpring heat pump water heater to replace my existing all-electric water that had sprung a leak. Admittdely, it was an impulse buy because Lowes was having a...
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Heating Systems 101 – Learning the Lingo
She Blinded Me With Science! One of the toughest things about researching a new heating system is learning the tech talk. Your HVAC company will throw out all sorts of … Continue reading Heating...
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Why Does My House Smell?
People often ask: “why does my house smell?” Often, this is during the winter because your house is sealed up for months, with little fresh air. In fact, with tight, energy … Continue reading Why Does...
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Why Doesn’t My Mini-split Heat Pump / Air Conditioner Work?
I recently had an interesting question – a reader asked what could cause a Fujitsu mini-split air conditioner to cause the air to become *more* humid. In fact, they noted … Continue reading Why Doesn’t...
View ArticleHow Should You Insulate Your Attic?
One of the hottest topics in energy efficiency and building science is “how should you insulate your attic?” Why? Simply put, the attic has more impact on your efficiency and comfort than any other...
View ArticleWhat Temperature Should I Set the Thermostat to When Away for the Winter?
I recently received this question on Quora and decided to share the answer with readers there as well as on TedsTips. I hope this will save some of you from heartbreak after your winter vacation! A...
View ArticleWhat are the biggest electricity consumers in a typical home?
As a baseline, consider that typical homes in the United States consume on average 30–60 kilo-Watt-hours (kWh) of electricity per day (=900–1800 kWh per month) at a cost of $0.10-$0.20 per kWh. Those...
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