HVAC and Insulation From a Working Tech
Last August, I got a call from a homeowner in the middle of a heat wave. She’d already had two other companies out that summer. The first told her she needed a new refrigerant charge. The second said her system was just “getting old” and quoted her $7,800 for a replacement unit. She was frustrated, … Read more
Last July, I got a call from a homeowner in a newer subdivision — let’s call him Greg. His two-year-old AC unit was running constantly, the house wouldn’t get below 78°F even at night, and his electric bill had jumped nearly $90 from the previous summer. When I pulled up to his house, I spotted … Read more
If you’re trying to figure out vapor barrier insulation when to use it and when to leave it out, you’re asking exactly the right question — and the fact that you’re asking it probably means you’ve already heard conflicting advice. You’re not alone. This is one of the most misunderstood topics in all of home … Read more
If you’ve ever wondered why your hardwood floors feel like ice in January despite a fully heated basement, I want to tell you about a service call I went on a few years back in a 1960s split-level outside of Salt Lake City. The homeowner had already replaced her furnace, added attic insulation, and even … Read more
Last summer, I got a call from a homeowner in Gilbert, Arizona — let’s call him Ray — who was furious. He’d just paid a contractor $1,200 to install a radiant barrier in his attic, and his July electric bill was nearly identical to the year before. “The guy told me I’d cut my cooling … Read more
Understanding rigid foam board insulation where to use it correctly is one of those things that sounds straightforward until you’re standing in the lumber aisle staring at three different colors of foam board, all roughly the same thickness, all claiming to be the right choice for your project. I got a call last spring from … Read more
Last spring I got a call from a homeowner in a panic. She’d just gotten three quotes to insulate her 1,400-square-foot attic — one came in at $1,800 for blown fiberglass, and two others came in at $7,500 and $9,200 for closed-cell spray foam. All three contractors told her their option was “the best investment.” … Read more
Last summer I got a call from a homeowner in a 1960s ranch-style house. She’d been fighting hot bedrooms for years — her master bedroom sat at 78°F while the living room where the thermostat lived stayed a comfortable 72°F. She’d already had two other HVAC companies out. One replaced her capacitor. Another cleaned her … Read more
Last spring, I got a call from a homeowner in central Utah — Climate Zone 5 — who was furious. She’d just paid $4,800 to have her attic roofline sprayed with open-cell foam, and three months later she was seeing moisture stains on her rafters. Her contractor had done a beautiful job on the application. … Read more
If you’re trying to figure out how to size ductwork for HVAC, a solid duct sizing chart CFM residential HVAC reference is the foundation you need — and most homeowners never have one until something goes wrong. Last spring I got a call from a homeowner in Salt Lake City who had finished his basement … Read more