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Why Is It So Humid In Here?
An Ohio homeowner wonders why his heat-recovery ventilator is doing such a lousy job of controlling the relative humidity in his new house
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Choosing the Right Wall Assembly (2015)
An owner-builder planning a house in Nebraska wrestles with details for a cost-effective, practical design. Is a 2x8 stud wall the way to go?
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Designing an HVAC System for a Cold Climate
An owner-builder weighs two options for heating with an air-source heat pump
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Choosing a New Wood Stove
Matching the heat output of the stove with the heat load of the house, and leaving room for the quirks of human operators
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How to Heat a Garage
Exploring some low-cost options for keeping an attached garage comfortable for both people and vegetables
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Second Guessing an Insulation Upgrade
A homeowner has added a layer of rigid insulation to some interior walls, and now wonders if he’s made a big mistake
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Does a Crawl Space Make Sense?
A building convention in one region is mostly ignored in another. Does that make one side wrong?
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An Energy Upgrade On a Budget
A homeowner has to choose among recommendations from an energy audit: More insulation, new windows, or an air-source heat pump?
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Determining the Best Attic Option
Choosing between a conditioned or unconditioned attic hinges on the merits of spray foam insulation
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Passivhaus Design in Minnesota
Is Passivhaus certification so important that it justifies building an R-80 wall?
