Q&A / 

DEAR TIM: I’ve read about electric floor heating and wonder if it will really do the job. Growing up I lived in a home that had electric coils in the ceilings of the rooms. The house was never really comfortable so I’m skeptical of the claims of the radiant floor mat manufacturers. If they do […]

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Tim Carter in this video explains why houses feel cold even when the furnace is operating properly. Tim explains some of the reasons for heat loss in his December 28, 2017 AsktheBuilder Newsletter. In his February 21, 2016 AsktheBuilder Announcement, he explains the perspective differences in temperatures. He has a 47 degree swing in one […]

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Kathy Burke now lives in a noisy house in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. She caused the problem, but didn't mean to. A cold-air return vent makes noise. Here's her full report: "We have a small 950 sq. ft home with two return vents. We have never covered this one vent since living here as it was behind […]

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The Santa Fe Advance 2 is a great dehumidifier. How do you judge such things? Easy. The first thing to look at is how much water will it remove from the air in a 24-hour period. The Advance 2 by Santa Fe is rated at 90 pints of water.  If you remember your grade school […]

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Kristen almost got hit by a chunk of ice from her furnace exhaust pipe in Milford, CT. She's still alive to tell her story. Here it is: "Hi, Tim. I have a large ice pillar on my 3rd story/attic siding. I only noticed it when an arm-sized chunk of ice fell and nearly hit me. At […]

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Sharon's bathroom floor tile grout is cracking in her Anchorage, AK home. You're not going to believe the photos. Here's her story: "My master bath floor has cracked and chipping grout in more than 50 percent of the tiled area.  Some tiles sound hollow underneath. The sub-flooring is 3/4 in OSB with 3/8 inch interior plywood […]

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Anthony Biviano moved his family into a quiet home in Merrick, NY. But now everyone is having a tough time sleeping because the radiant baseboards are making NOISE! Here's his story: "Almost a year after we purchased our high ranch in Merrick, each time the heat comes on it sounds like a river is rushing through […]

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Larry Clifford had a humidifier install at his Richmond, KY home. He's now wondering if it was done wrong because it doesn't seem to be working right. Let Larry lay it on you: "I have a heat pump that came with the house. I am the original owner. A few years ago I had a HVAC […]

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A visitor to AsktheBuilder who'd rather remain anonymous and who lives in sunny, but sometimes cool, Phoenix, AZ, has two dogs he wants to be warm at night. Here's what he sent: "I need to keep my two dogs warm at night without heating the whole house.  Help! Even here in Phoenix, it gets cold in […]

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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 […]

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