Heat transfer by radiation is pretty much entirely different from the types of heat transfer discussed in the previous two articles: conduction and convection. That’s why I’ve saved it for last in this series. You could make a solid argument that radiant heat transfer is the hardest to understand of the three, but I bestowed … Read more
This week we’re going to talk about the type of heat transfer that I personally find most confusing: convection. You might find it easiest to start with the previous article on conduction if you haven’t read it already. (The third type of heat transfer, radiation, we’ll discuss in the final article in the series.) To … Read more
It’s been heating up around here, and for the past few weeks we’ve been slowly increasing our use of box, window, and ceiling fans. I sat down this morning to write about how to use, and how not to use, these seemingly simple machines. But then I realized I was getting ahead of myself. If … Read more
As we talked about in a recent article, replacing your old incandescent bulbs with LEDs is one of the biggest no-brainers in energy savings. Even if you’re somebody who doesn’t have the time or motivation to crawl through your attic with a can of spray foam, there’s just no excuse not to spend an hour … Read more
Did you know that in 2014, the Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to the three guys who invented the blue light-emitting diode (LED)? Why such an important prize for just one of the colors on a string of Christmas lights? In the spirit of Thanksgiving, let’s take a minute to understand and appreciate the … Read more
Editorial note: If by chance you’ve been reading from the first article, you know that Green Old Home has taken a pretty linear trajectory from basic energy saving habits, to big-picture energy concepts, to how to air seal your home and the basic tools you’ll need to do so. Going forward, we’re going to continue … Read more
Making a removable chimney plug is one of the quickest and cheapest projects you can do to improve your old home’s energy efficiency. You might even have all the materials you need already, making the project 100% benefit and 0% cost. And depending on how leaky your chimney currently is—a chimney flue can be the … Read more
This article outlines the pros and cons of caulk and spray foam so that you can make smart choices about which to use for different jobs when air sealing your house. This article is also a summary of the information contained in the previous few articles, which cover the following topics in more detail: Types … Read more
This article will teach you how to use cans of single-component closed-cell expanding polyurethane foam—AKA Great Stuff—to air seal gaps, cracks, and joints in your house. As discussed in the previous article on the properties of spray foam, your goal when using those cans should be to air seal, not insulate, your home. If you’re … Read more
If you’ve read any other articles on Green Old Home, you probably already know that I think 100% silicone caulk is the single most useful product for do-it-yourself weatherization—despite the fact that you won’t find it in the weatherization aisle of most big box stores. But what about everybody’s other favorite sealant, the cans of … Read more