FAQ’s, Acronym’s, & Terminology

Gas vs Diesel vs Electric: Trucks, SUV’s, Towing & Camping

In the last two pieces we have focused mainly on “regular” gas and electric cars as diesel isn’t even an option in that arena anymore. Now when you get to trucks and SUV’s, diesel is still very much alive and well. Another facet we haven’t explored yet was towing – while we did cover long […]

Gas vs Diesel vs Electric: Part Deux

Welcome to part two of which option for a vehicle might be better for you – is it gas, electric, or maybe even diesel? In the last piece we looked at a metric to help truly compare fueling costs easily, which looks like an easy win for electric at this point in time. We then […]

Gas vs Diesel vs Electric Vehicles

Should my next vehicle be gas, diesel, or how about electric? Up until a year… ok, maybe even a few years ago, most “normal” people wouldn’t have really considered that last one even as an option. Now that they are becoming more of a legitimate choice that will work for many, the times have changed […]

Know thy Numbers: Electricity kWh Cost

Simple rule: In order to predict savings, one must first know their costs. As we have discussed previously in Saving on Heating Related Costs & Energy Savings & Efficiency 101, there are only 3 ways to reduce costs: reduce usage / conserve, improve performance, or change fuel sources. For years most of us would get […]

Know Thy Numbers: Ice & Water Shield / Barrier

For a mere 162 words, why is there so much confusion on just how much Ice & Water Barrier / Shield (herein called IWS) that needs to be installed? You distill it down to the root and it simply states that said IWS, when required by the … “shall be used in place of normal […]

FAQ: Should I always use the Bathroom Fan when taking a Shower?

I am sure you have heard it all before; start the bathroom exhaust fan before your shower or bath, use a timer, run it for 10/20/30 minutes after… The question though is do I really need to always use the bathroom fan; does anything change based on it being summer or wintertime? Heh, does this […]

FAQ Insulation Values & Comparisons – Metric and Imperial

Have you ever wondered what the insulation requirements are like in other countries? Shoot, are we as behind as some might have you believe? Well before we can start to figure that out, did you know that there are also differing ratings? As one gentleman from down under said “We use metric (SI) units. Not […]

2021 IECC Insulation vrs PHIUS 2.0 & other programs

In our last post we looked at the newest insulation requirements found in the 2021 version of the IECC. Curious how that stacks up to say an ENERGY STAR, Zero Energy Ready Home, or maybe even Passive House (PHIUS)? Well lets do that, but first a quick recap with the full chart showing how the […]

Insulation Requirements & 2021 IECC First Look

One common question many people ask is, just how much insulation should I have or use for XY or Z? This generally gets followed up by what type, is more better, how about diminishing returns, and the list goes on… On the flip side, most of those that have building homes for quite a while […]

FAQ: Bifold door knob location

Why is it so hard to open or close my bi-fold’s? I just bought new, or am replacing my bifold door, where should I place the knob(s) & how high? Heh, should I measure from the top of the door like others or the bottom? Well let’s dig into this, but first make sure your […]