Spin Control
Ceiling fans look sharp and produce a welcome cool breeze on hot summer days. But a recent study of 400 homes by the Florida Solar Energy Center found that ceiling fans actually increase energy bills if they aren't used properly. The study found ... [... more]
This Old House |
Fan Appreciation
Lighted ceiling fans offer a lot of bang for the buck. Their gentle, cooling breezes can transform a room that feels like a jail cell on a muggy tropical isle into paradise. What's more, they're easy to install. Replacing an overhead light ... [... more]
This Old House |
The Right Setting
No, it's not your imagination—it definitely is getting hotter. The eight warmest years on record occurred over the past decade. But staying cool this summer doesn't necessarily mean you have to pay a fortune to keep the air-conditioning running ... [... more]
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REMOTE CONTROL
You might not think it to look at one, but there's a pretty dramatic story behind the electric ceiling fan. Invented in 1882, its early applications were commercial—in city meat markets for instance, to turn away airborne pests. But fans' ... [... more]
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Hit the Ceiling
By now you're probably starting to realize just how much that cranked-up AC cost you this summer. Pretty disturbing, huh? To lower next year's bills—and keep your house cooled down during these final days of summer—how about installing a nice, ... [... more]
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Choosing a Fan
Nimbus, The Modern Fan Company Tristar, Emerson Odyssey, Emerson Malibu Star, Casablanca Star, Casablanca Innova, Hunter Orion, The Modern Fan Co. Petal, Emerson The right ceiling fan will help cool down sizzling July afternoons and add a nice ... [... more]
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How to Install a Ceiling Fan: Overview
Somewhat easy. It takes a bit of work to install a fan-approved electrical box, but the ceiling-fan assembly and installation are very straightforward. The popularity of ceiling fans continues to grow as more and more homeowners discover ... [... more]
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Air Conditioners Really Are Getting Better
The Refrigeration Cycle Inside scroll compressors, two spiral-shaped scrolls work to compress gas so it can cool more easily. Central air-conditioning has always been the convenience people love to hate. Despite the fact that it's standard ... [... more]
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Uncle Sam Wants to Pay You
While it's too late to take advantage of those fat federal tax credits for energy-saving products such as high-efficiency furnaces, water heaters, windows and insulation (Washington put the kibosh on those late last year), there are plenty of ... [... more]
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Calling in an HVAC Pro
Nothing in your house affects your comfort more than your heating and cooling systems. Yet unless the heater conks out during a blizzard or the air-conditioning goes on the fritz in the middle of a heat wave, most of us pretty much ignore our ... [... more]
This Old House |
From the Ground Up: HVAC
Not so long ago, staying warm meant shoveling coal or chopping wood. Those two fuels—which heated you twice, as the saying went—accounted for three-quarters of all residential heating in 1940. Today, with gas- and oil-fired central heat, ... [... more]
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Adding Central Air
A split-system condenser sits outside, free of any obstructions to airflow. The condenser vents heat absorbed from the refrigerant as it pipes cool refrigerant to the fan-and-coil system inside the house. A fan-and-coil system, typically mounted ... [... more]
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