What is a Heat Pump? You may have seen the term on various devices including the indoors part of your central air conditioning system, near the furnace. It’s been used a bit too freely, and it’s confusing. Let’s clarify: for the purposes of this article, a “heat pump” is a device that uses a reversible […]
How to Choose the Right Furnace
August 4, 2016 by 1 Comment
When a furnace or air conditioner is installed in a building, it becomes a part of a system. The device’s actual performance – regardless of whatever ratings it boasts – will depend almost entirely on how it interacts with that system. With that in mind, here are the three most important factors to consider when purchasing an HVAC […]
LED Lighting – Cool, Easy, Efficient
June 21, 2016 by 1 Comment
If your home is getting too warm this year, you may be thinking about cooling upgrades. Here’s a tip: don’t immediately jump to conclusions about your AC unit, as this can lead to many burnt bridges if done incorrectly (see near the bottom of this article). Instead, start with some small, non-invasive upgrades and go from there. Consider an […]
Should I Get an Energy Audit?
April 12, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Short answer: If you own a home, then yes, you should get an energy audit. Longer answer: Let me ask you a few questions. Is your home too cold in the winter? Too hot in the summer? Are temperatures uneven from room to room? Is your energy bill high? (Specifically, your heating/cooling costs) Do you have concerns […]
2015 Highest Energy Saver Award
March 18, 2016 by Leave a Comment
We at Eco Performance Builders are proud to announce that we have won the 2015 Highest Energy Saver Award! This award, granted by PG&E’s Home Upgrade program, signifies that during 2015 we achieved the highest average energy savings for home performance retrofit projects performed by contractors in the PG&E area. The statistics for the award are based on […]
Meeting the Demands of the Grid
February 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
One of the toughest challenges in the energy business today is that of peak-hours electricity demand. We’ve all experienced or at least heard about the rolling blackouts, and the increased price of electricity used during peak hours (or “time-of-use” rates). On the surface, it’s a simple matter of not having enough power output to meet […]
Air Sealing and Indoor Air Quality
February 3, 2016 by Leave a Comment
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Air Sealing a home’s points of leakage is the first step in making a home efficient. But, you might ask, what about making the home comfortable and healthy? It turns out that air sealing is essential for air quality as well. Here’s why. Indoor Air Quality When […]
Should I Replace My Furnace?
December 22, 2015 by 1 Comment
My electricity bill is too high. My heater is too noisy, and wakes me up at night. Some rooms are too hot and others are cold. The air feels stuffy or musty. My heater has stopped working entirely. Please read the following before replacing your furnace. The long-term effects of making the right (or wrong) […]
Hydronic Forced Air Heating Advantages
December 12, 2015 by 2 Comments
Hydronics refers to the use of a liquid as a medium of heat transfer in heating or cooling systems. Specifically, a Combined Hydronic Air Handler, often described as a “hot water furnace,” uses hot water to heat a home. How does a Combined Hydronic Air Handler system work? It uses two appliances in conjunction: […]
SB-350: Building the Future of Energy Efficiency in California
November 20, 2015 by Leave a Comment
In September 2015, California legislature passed SB-350: the Clean Energy and Pollution Reduction Act, also referred to as the 50/50/50 plan. There are two main goals for this plan (originally there were three, until the oil companies got involved). Objective 1: (quoting directly from the bill) To increase from 33 percent to 50 percent, the procurement […]
Soundproofing and Insulation
October 31, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Completely soundproofing an existing home is fairly difficult and costly on its own. There are a lot of “tips and tricks” out there, but the fact is, the only way to fully soundproof a home is by tearing into your walls and/or ceiling. The upside is, if you’re thinking of redoing your insulation or […]
Insulation Materials: the Good and the Terrible
October 9, 2015 by 5 Comments
Sometimes, you get what you pay for. But most of the time, it pays to do a little research first. Today we want to give an example of the importance of making educated purchases. There are a variety of insulation materials to choose from, and most have their strengths and weaknesses. However, one stands out […]
Energy Upgrade Financing in the CA Bay Area
August 6, 2015 by Leave a Comment
In the California bay area, energy and water efficiency are more important, and more available, than ever before. The CaliforniaFirst PACE financing program now covers nearly all cities in the bay area (Concord was recently added to the list). Eco Performance Builders is an approved contractor for this program. We’ve used this program already with […]
Air Conditioner: Repair or Replace?
June 18, 2015 by 5 Comments
If there’s nothing wrong with your air conditioner, but your electricity bill seems too high during those hot months, you may want to schedule an energy audit. During this process, we will thoroughly evaluate the energy efficiency of your house, and recommend the most cost-effective combination of upgrades. If you’re deciding whether to repair or […]
