John Proctor, P.E. is the CEO of Proctor Engineering Group, San Rafael, California.
Thinking Ahead to a Humid Summer
Q. I recently read that a variable speed, two stage air conditioner can maintain 50% relative humidity (RH) even when the latent load is 60% of the total load.Would this really work? &... [continue reading]
Duct Leakage: How Much
Q:Is there a standard for energy-efficient ducts? I was called to a home built in 1955 that is under a warranty from a recent sale. The customer wanted us to “fix the ducts.” ... [continue reading]
Crawlspace Condensation
Crawlspace Condensation Q:I was called to a doublewide mobile home to investigate a problem with a 4- year-old duct system (the original duct system was ... [continue reading]
Sizing Air Conditioners
A mountain of data leads to an unusual conclusion - sometimes bigger is not so bad. [continue reading]
WHAT'S WRONG WITH REFRIGERATOR ENERGY RATINGS?
As refrigerators become more and more efficient, consumers and utility demand-side managers are faced with a number of questions. [continue reading]
Leak Detectors: Experts Explain the Techniques
This article is an effort to bring together the ideas of several innovators who have invented methods of diagnosing duct leakage. [continue reading]
Savings and Showers: It's All in the Head
How much energy do low-flow showerheads actually save? To answer this question, Proctor Engineering Group (PEG) and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) metered 243 showerheads as part of a larger evaluation of PG&E's low-flow showerhead rebate program. [continue reading]
Bigger is Not Better: Sizing Air Conditioners Properly
A colleague of ours (we will call him Bill) approached us at a conference seeking advice on selecting an air conditioner for his renovated home. Our recommendations included, "Be sure that the cooling load is calculated and that the air conditioner is sized to that load." [continue reading]
