Forced Air

• Focus on Energy: Mechanical Room Ventilation (Subscriber content)

  Venting mechanical rooms

   

• Sizing Air Conditioners (Subscriber content)

  To avoid callbacks, many hvac subs size air conditioners using methods that inflate the cooling load. The result is an oversized unit that cools the air, but operates inefficiently and does a poor job of reducing indoor humidity. Three energy engineers explain how to achieve proper cooling without...

   

• Heating System Tuneups (Subscriber content)

  Most furnaces and boilers more than five years old can benefit from modifications that will improve performance. A seasoned hvac contractor explains which upgrades will be most cost-effective for gas- and oil-fired systems.

   

• Duct Design Basics (Subscriber content)

  Budget, climate, and construction details all influence duct design for heating and air conditioning. An hvac engineer explains how to choose a layout that guarantees client comfort.

   

• Simple Whole-House Ventilation (Subscriber content)

  For small, tight houses and apartments, full-blown mechanical ventilation systems may be overkill. Here’s a tested approach that uses an upgraded bath fan, a programmable timer, and a few air inlets to guarantee fresh air at minimal cost.

   

• Troubleshooting Water Heaters (Subscriber content)

  Most water heater problems can be solved quickly and at little cost — if you know what to look for. Two water heater specialists explain the step-by-step procedures for finding and fixing trouble.

   

• Adding Ventilation to Forced-Air Heat (Subscriber content)

  Mechanical ventilation doesn’t have to be expensive and complicated. This simple system has dried up moisture problems for one builder.

   

• Woodburning Technology Update (Subscriber content)

  To comply with federal emissions regulations, manufacturers have designed a new breed of wood stoves and fireplaces that burn cleaner and more efficiently.

   

• Eight-Penny News

  Leaks in high-temperature plastic exhaust pipes, new asbestos regs coming, training architects as builders

   

• Heating With Sealed Combustion (Subscriber content)

  In a tight house, kitchen and bath exhaust fans can interfere with the natural draft of chimney-vented heating equipment. An energy expert explains how power vents and combustion air supply ducts can solve the problem.