DEAR TIM: We have a L-shaped basement storage area under our front porch. There's a metal ceiling in this space that supports the concrete porch slab above. There are no cracks in the concrete porch. This space has no ventilation and everything stored in this area becomes damp and then moldy. We installed a small […]
Barbara rents a house or apartment in Guilford, CT. But she's got a problem with her new furnace. "My landlord just installed a gas furnace. When it is running, cold air is leaking into the bathroom through the ceiling exhaust. When the furnace is at rest, no cold air is coming in. Why? and am […]
Sewer Smell When Using Fireplace Tom Grote, who lives in Ivoryton, CT, has an unpleasant experience when he starts a fire in his fireplace. It's not a smoking issue, it's a sewer smell. Read what he sent me: "I live in a two-story colonial with a bathroom and fireplace on the first floor. Every time I […]
Quick Column Summary: Intake vent for makeup air What height from the ground Be aware of blockages Randy King, who's in need of makeup air in Madison, WI, wrote: "I saw your video on make-up air. I'm installing Skuttle's Model 216-6 (6") damper control and exterior intake vent. The intake vent needs to exit through […]
Quick Column Summary: How to reduce humidity in basement You may be doing everything right Damproof or waterproof foundations Run a humidifier Tom Donohue, who lives up in Ontario, Canada, has a humid basement. He's not alone. Millions have this issue. "How can I reduce humidity in my basement in the summer. I do not […]
Quick Column Summary: Roof turbines keep blowing off Should I just remove them Great roof turbines can take high winds Link to great turbine manufacturer Bill Curtis, who lives in Concho, AZ, emailed me with a fascinating situation: "We have a barn that we installed 8 roof turbines. Four blew off, mangled. Company sent 4 […]
Dust control in your home can be tricky. There are many possible sources of dust in a home. One possible home dust control system is a central vacuum system.
A fresh air intake directly next to water pipes can cause a frozen water pipe. The fresh air is required for today's HVAC systems. By redirecting the make-up air inlet down to the floor, you can provide some pipe freezing protection.
To keep your attic cool, your attic ventilation requires moving massive amounts of air. More than natural ventilation will do. Attic ventilation fans or turbine roof vents will assist in moving the air. But, powered attic fans can draw your air-conditioned air out of the house.
Consider an attic fan if your attic gets as "hot as blue blazes." There are solar attic fans available. They work great on a sunny day. But the solar powered attic fans do not work on cloudy days or when the sun goes down. However, the attic still has hot air inside at sunset.
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