The clocks are turned back, the stores are full of holiday decorations, and the days are getting cold and stormy. If you haven’t done so already, you probably are regretting not replacing that old, inefficient furnace. There is still time, however, and if you address it now instead of waiting until next year, your winter will not only be more comfortable, but your heating bills will be lower as well.

Furnaces typically facilitate forced-air heating and can also work to heat hot water. They can be fueled by electricity, gas, diesel, propane, or oil. Trying to decide which option is least expensive can be a bit difficult. This article offers extensive advice on how to choose a new furnace. As it wisely points out, it is in your best interest to choose the type of fuel based upon rates for your area. This can vary greatly depending on where you live; and what may be advantageous for me in Oregon may be a lot more expensive for someone in Florida. (more…)

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Recently we received the following comment:

“Last summer I purchased an old one-and-a-half story house, probably constructed in the 20s, 30s, or 40s. The second floor (1/2 story) just has two small bedrooms and a shared closet. The roof is a 4-sided hip roof with three dormers. The upstairs is excruciatingly hot in the summer and, in spring and fall, it is still way hotter than the downstairs. I live in Atlantic Canada and this heat is unusual for me. Inside the eaves (behind the knee walls), it is even hotter. It appears to me that the enclosed eaves and ceiling of the 2nd floor have no ventilation and so the heat just builds up all day. From what I can tell, the soffits are boarded shut. So, the only ventilation is from the 3 small dormer windows, but it just will not cool off at all. It is so hot that no one can sleep up there. Do you think my assessment of the cause of this problem is correct and, if so, can I fix it? Is there some technique or product that I can use to ventilate the eaves to the outdoors? Someone suggested a cupola or a ridge vent for the attic/peak, but I’m not sure what to do about the eaves. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.”

I would guess your assessment of the problem is spot on. It sounds like there is zero ventilation in the attic and soffits and, therefore, nowhere for rising warm air to go. This is not only uncomfortable but bad for the building materials up there. Thankfully, there are plenty of solutions for providing air flow through the attic.

As for the roof, yes ridge venting is a good idea. However, considering that your roof is a four-sided hip design, I’m not sure how much ridge you have to work with. I will say that ridge venting is typically the best way to vent a roof because it does not allow any warm air to be trapped in the upper reaches of the attic. Another option would be to cut vent holes in the roof, usually a few feet down from the peak, and install vents. You can even install vents with built-in fans to encourage airflow, should you so choose. You do live in Atlantic Canada where excessive heat is not a typical problem, so I think allowing air flow should be enough. (more…)

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According to Gary Puco, president of Atlantic Heating and Cooling, Inc., the newest trend in HVAC is efficiency. With oil and gas prices going up steadily, customers want higher efficiency equipment. Everyday, Gary gets requests from customers ready to make the switch to something greener. Here’s what he tells them:

1. High-efficiency furnaces use 90 to 95 percent or more in gas input. If your furnace is 20 years or older, you are probably using 60 percent gas input. By changing your old system, you’ll save 40 percent on your gas bill. This also results in less pollution, which is better for the environment.
2. If you are looking for a new, high-efficiency AC system, seek out products with a 13 Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) rating or better. If your air conditioning system is over 10 years old, it probably has an 8 SEER rating, or less. Installing a new, energy-efficient system with a rating of 13 to 19 SEER will result in savings of 40 to 60 percent on your energy bill. (more…)

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