Heat pumps
Balance point, in plain English: what actually happens to a heat pump at 20 below
The one number that decides whether a cold-climate heat pump suits a Minnesota house, and what backup heat really does on the coldest nights.
Writing
The reasoning, in public, so you can argue with it
If a contractor cannot explain why, the why is usually a sales target. These are the four things we end up explaining at kitchen tables most often.
More writing
Air conditioning
Why upstairs is always hotter, and why a bigger air conditioner will not fix it
The most common comfort complaint in a Twin Cities two-storey house is almost never a capacity problem. Here is what it usually is, and how to tell.
Humidification
If your windows are frosting on the inside, your humidifier is set too high
Dry winter air is genuinely miserable, but more humidity is not automatically better. How to set a whole-home humidifier against the outdoor temperature.
Furnaces
Cracked heat exchangers: what the phrase means, and when to take it seriously
The one furnace diagnosis that is genuinely urgent, and the one most often used to sell a furnace that did not need replacing. How to tell them apart.
Or just ask us the question directly
If you have read something here and it does not match what a contractor has told you about your house, we are happy to look at it and say which of us is right.