Allow me to be the first to apologize. I understand that there are a lot of you out there listening to the Home Fix-It show Saturday mornings from 9 til noon and, well, you may have no idea what we are talking about.

That is my fault.

Sometimes I/we get to throwing around terms without explaining them. While I try not to do that, it happens.

So here is a list of large ideas that get tossed around on the show and basically what I am referring to in the context of the show when I use them…

Encapsulation. Encapsulation is the name used when you fix your crawlspace so it isn't the dank, damp, moldy thing that makes crawlspaces so loveable. It includes putting plastic on the floor, sealing the vents, making provisions for water leakage and dehumidifying.

We like it because it vastly improves your indoor air quality. It can be a bit pricey, but it is money very well spent.

Mini-split system. A mini-split system is a small, ductless heating and air unit that works great in places like basements and bonus rooms where you might not have your house hvac system linked in.

I like them because they can turn unusable or uncomfortable space into well-conditioned, usable rooms. They can also aid in mold prevention.

Blown-in insulation. In my small little brain there are basically two kinds of insulation: spray-in foam and blown-in insulation. Spray-in foam in your attic goes in over your head, while the blown-in insulation goes on the 'floor' area of your attic.

There are several types of blown-in insulation including fiberglass and cellulose. Each have their pluses and minuses.

So while you ‘spray’ or ‘blow’ in both types of insulation, when we talk blown-in we are speaking of the stuff on the attic floor and not the foam.

Electronic damper system. This system goes into your ductwork and open/closes off ducts blocking (or forcing) air from flowing through some ductwork when the thermostat says that the temperatures in the rooms serviced by those ducts has been met.

Huh?

Say you have Room A which is always hot and Room B which is comfortable. If your thermostat is in Room B, it will shut off the air when that temp is met, leaving Room A hot. An electric damper system will see that Room A is still hot and just shut off the air to Room B so Room A will continue to receive cool air until it gets cool.

Very nice product. If your problem with a room too hot and/or too cold is too bad you can opt for a mini-split system (see above).

Recirculating pump. This is a plumbing device that continually circulates hot water through your hot water pipes so that when you call for hot water it is right there and you don't have to waste time, and water, waiting for hot water to get to that faucet.

These are generally a good deal, but can be a little tricky to set up if you have a tankless water heater. Not so tricky tho to discourage you from getting either a tankless water heater or a recirculating pump.

Stack effect. Perhaps the granddaddy of all the terms used on the show. Very basically the stack effect is what happens as hot air leaves your house through your attic. The air that replaces it is generally air from the floor below which you paid to heat and/or cool. That air moving into the attic is replaced by basement air or crawlspace air or outside air – just think of the whole house as a smoke stack with air leaving the top being replaced by air below it.

The stack effect is a great, if not number 1 reason you need to seal your house the best you can. Your goal is to heat or cool the air in your house then hold on to that air as long as you can.

Insulation, caulk, foam, weather-stripping, house wrap – those are all things that help you fight the stack effect.

There is a basic primer. Never be afraid to call and ask questions if something pops up that you don’t understand. The best way to keep your largest investment running and to save money is to ask questions.

Talk to you soon…