Home Performance

Using home performance testing methods and equipment gives a contractor super powers. Why it matters: Seeing through walls and seeing things the human eye can’t see helps us fight off the bad guys. 🥊 Reality check: Air, heat and water are stealth intruders attacking your building materials and dominating the air inside your house. We […]

The 1987 film Predator brought thermal (infrared) images to the big screen for the first time. Showing us a different way to see. Why it matters: Using thermal imaging we can find clues that help us understand what’s going on with our building enclosures. 🔬 Zoom in: I was testing my new thermal camera at my

Systems thinking understands that spending more on one system can mean spending less on another. Why it matters: Focusing on individual line items in a budget can cause us to miss these opportunities. 📖 Story time with Steve: Steve Baczek is an architect and one of the great voices in building science. Steve says we should

A one time investment in air sealing and insulating your home will reduce your energy consumption, saving you money. Year after year after year. Why it matters: A small investment now can yield significant results for the long haul. 🔦 Pro Spotlight Cody Bridwell of Blown Away Insulation is approaching this the right way. Cody and

We know insulation in our building envelope resists heat flow, so adding more should be better, right? 🥊 Reality check: Adding insulation is really step number 3. You’re wasting money if you don’t do steps 1 and 2 first. ⚡ Flashback: Step 1 is to air seal, which I wrote about here. Air seal —> then

After you address air leaks in your home by air sealing, then … and only then … you can add insulation. Start here to read the beginning of the “Ready your envelope” series. Why it matters: Adding insulation without air sealing is like putting on a sweater over bare skin and walking outside when it’s

This current email series is focused on helping you move towards independence in your home. Independence is the first step toward interdependence —> think about the message we hear on airplanes, “Put on your oxygen mask first.” 🥊 Reality check: A leaky house (like mine) is LESS resilient. A tight building envelope gives you more

You can tighten your building envelope by air sealing your house. That’s the first step toward controlling temperature, humidity and air quality. 🔎 Between the lines: Measuring the leakiness of your house gives you the knowledge you need to make changes. 👉 You can know how leaky your house is compared to current new construction standards.

We’ve been focusing on the forces of nature that cause heat and moisture to go in and out of our houses. Why it matters: The leakier our envelope —> the less control we have over the conditions inside the house. Envelope = The 6 sides of the house —> ceiling, floor and four walls 📣 Good