Paul Raymer is chief investigator of Heyoka Solutions, a company he cofounded in 2006. He has been wandering through the mysteries of building science since 1977. He has multiple BPI certifications and is a HERS Rater.
Digital Manometers
One of the most frequently asked questions that I get when I teach building science courses is, “What equipment should I buy to get started in this business?” There is no question that ... [continue reading]
Combustible-Gas Leak Detectors
You may have heard of houses and neighborhoods exploding due to gas leaks in old pipes under the streets. Inside the home, detecting combustible-gas leaks is an important part of combustion safety testing. Gas connections ... [continue reading]
Measuring Mechanical Ventilation Airflow
As the house gets tighter, the effectiveness of the ventilation system becomes increasingly critical. [continue reading]
Analyzing Combustion Analyzers
Just talking about CO can be confusing. Although the terms used in this article are defined in the sidebar (see “Terminology”), CO can be deadly, and so I want to emphasize the basic ... [continue reading]
Blowing Smoke
Long ago, when I started in this business, I wished for a pair of glasses that I could put on to see how the air was moving. (Now I wear glasses all the time just ... [continue reading]
Testing Duct Testers
According to DOE’s Building America program data, typical residential ductwork efficiency is about 67%. That means that if you install a 90% efficient furnace, your system efficiency would be just over 60%. Another way to look ... [continue reading]
Calibrating Measurement Tools
To quote the wise Yogi Berra, “You’ve got to be very careful if you don’t know where you are going, because you might not get there.” In terms of ... [continue reading]
Borescopes: Eye Spy
Remember ET’s finger? That could be seen as an advanced version of a borescope—ET could touch things and cure them. The borescopes I am describing here are cameras with illumination on ... [continue reading]
Angry Air!
Paul Raymer
John Tooley said, “Air is like crooked rivers, crooked people, teenagers, and cheap labor. It always seeks the path of least resistance.” He didn’t say that Angry air is Noisy air. Air doesn’t like being forced through corrugated, flexible ducting, pushed around corners, and made to force open dampers. It resists being made to perform in a way that it doesn’t want to. It takes more and ... [continue reading]
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