Here's another great tip from BobVila.com. It s important to make your home energy-efficient by sealing all gaps and insulating thoroughly. But don t overlook ventilation. Vent fans in the kitchen and bathrooms are required by code in most states, and they re a good idea everywhere. They help protect indoor air quality and get rid of excess moisture from cooking and bathing that can lead to mold problems and structural damage. In the kitchen, range hoods now come in all shapes and sizes to go with your cooking surface and d cor. They can be ducted through a ceiling or exterior wall. This often requires tearing out plaster or drywall and it s best done during a remodel. If you don t want a large hood, consider a cooktop with a downdraft vent ducted through the floor. Either way, ventilation fans should always be ducted to the outside, never into an attic or crawlspace. Bathroom ventilation fans have come a long way, too. Energy Star-certified models with built-in ceiling lights can do double-duty and save you money, especially since these are so often accidentally left on. And they re much quieter, too. Some installers recommend the roof-mount type of fan. The fan and motor are installed on the roof and ducted to the interior space. In some homes, this can make installation and service easier since the unit s out in the open instead of built into the ceiling. Find out more at BobVila.com: The ultimate home improvement web site! BobVila.com 2008

The ceiling fan is being installed in the Punta Gorda home. Its workbox must be firmly mounted to hold the ceiling fan in place. This house is Energy Star qualified, which means that, in addition to the insulation, windows, and building materials, the appliances are also Energy Star rated. Fluorescent bulbs are used in the fixtures to reduce energy use throughout the year. The burnished brass-look fixtures are from Sea Gull Lighting and are all Energy Star certified.

Replacing a light fixture with a ceiling fan can bring comfort and energy savings to the home.

Bob meets with Mark, a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning mechanic. Bob and Mark have an in-depth discussion on why a homeowner had to add an air-conditioning unit to an existing air-conditioning unit. The new space added onto the residence was too large for the old unit to cool, so a new 1-1/2 ton unit had to be added. They also describe how the particular unit cools the home and the major components of the unit.

Here s another great tip from BobVila.com. Get a jump on the hot weather by making sure your room air conditioner s up to the challenge. Before you pull it out of storage, consider the age of your air conditioner. Efficiencies have improved so much that replacing an old clunker from the 70s with a new 10-seer unit could cut your cooling costs in half. Regardless of age, all units need maintenance every season and about once a month during the season. First, unplug the unit and see your manual for instructions on discharging the capacitors to avoid a shock. Dirt is your air conditioner s worst enemy. Clean out the drain ports with a length of wire. Vacuum the evaporator and condenser coils and gently straighten any bent fins with a fin comb, which you can get at most hardware or plumbing supply stores. Remove the filter and wash and dry it thoroughly or replace it with a new one if it s the disposable kind. Run the unit for a few minutes to see how it performs. If the fan s making noise, try tightening the blade s set screw as well as the bolts that hold the fan unit to its housing. If the power cord, switch or thermostat is worn or faulty, you can replace it without having to buy a new unit. The coils, compressor and motor are all sealed and should be repaired by a professional. On the bright side, if you do this check early, you won t be put on someone s waiting list in 90-degree heat! Find out more at BobVila.com: the ultimate home improvement web site! 2008 BobVila.com

Bob meets with Brian Quinn, the siding contractor, and installs beautiful gable-end fan sunbursts from clapboard siding. Brian explains how to layout the center moon, or half-circle, how to calculate the spacing and size of each fan, and how to cut the material to fit perfectly. Brian uses a, by eye, measurement to determine the size of the center moon, he did this by placing different sized half circles into the space until it looked right. To insure the proper curve, Brian draws each curve free hand, transferring the curve to each clapboard then cutting and securing before going on to the next piece.

Bob meets with Mark Gallivan from Sears HVAC and Brent Morin from Morin Mechanical Services to review the heating system installation at the modular home project. The high efficiency, state of the art Hydro-Air system uses components of a traditional boiler, humidifiers, variable speed fans, electronic air cleaners and three exterior condensing units. Carrier manufactures many of the heating unit�s components including the boiler. The boiler produces hot water for both a forced air unit and a baseboard radiant heating system. The forced air unit allows for a consistent level of humidity in the house, that traditionally radiant-only units cannot accomplish, plus it receives the efficiency of radiant by employing a baseboard system. This gives the home�s occupants a more comfortable living environment. There are seven zones employed in the home�s heating and cooling system. The cast aluminum heat exchanger in this unit transfers heat three times faster than a traditional heat exchanger. The boiler uses a direct venting system that takes air directly from outside and vents it through a flue located in the center of the intake vent. This means no combustion gases are being mixed with the home�s interior air. The system�s zones can be turned on or off as needed, providing an added level of efficiency if the entire home is not being occupied at a given time.

John Livermore joins Bob to explain the Energy Star Homes program started in the 1970s by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The red blower door is in place to do the blower door test required for certification as an Energy Star Home. Certified homes must be at least 30 percent more efficient than the model energy efficiency code. Once certified, homeowners and builders are eligible for rebates and services from a consortium of utilities and energy service providers. Livermore reviews key areas of energy-efficient building with Bob, including air sealing. He repeats the builders' motto, "build tight and ventilate right," when discussing the importance of a tightly sealed home with proper air exchange. Livermore shows Bob a light expansion foam that can be used with a foam gun to seal against air leaks around doors and windows and the Panasonic Whisper Light fans that bring air changes to the home at a controlled ventilation rate. Another energy saver is the programmable thermostat that allows homeowners to schedule heat for waking hours of occupancy. Compact fluorescent lights are also used throughout the home because they use 70 percent less energy, have a lower heat output and last longer than traditional incandescent bulbs.

Bob meets with Dave Talbot, the HVAC contractor, to discuss the heating and cooling for a greenhouse. A system of thermostats, blowers, vented windows, and a boiler are designed to keep the greenhouse at ideal temperatures.

Because today's new houses are built to allow less air infiltration than older homes, mold growth has become a concern. Properly installed roofing and tile, ventilation fans in bathrooms and kitchens, and pans under washers are all good ways to avoid water infiltration and mold growth in your home.