Home Performance NC http://www.homeperformancenc.com Helping you create a comfortable, healthy, safe, and energy-efficient home Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:01:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 Builders and HVAC contractors: we can help you with duct testing for 2012 NCECC requirements! http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/builders-and-hvac-contractors-we-can-help-you-with-duct-testing-for-2012-ncecc-requirements/ http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/builders-and-hvac-contractors-we-can-help-you-with-duct-testing-for-2012-ncecc-requirements/#comments Mon, 26 Nov 2012 23:31:49 +0000 Adrienne Bashista http://www.homeperformancenc.com/?p=1029 As of March 1, 2012, any new home permitted in the state of North Carolina must comply with the 2012 NCECC (North Carolina Energy Conservation Code), including mandatory duct testing and an optional blower door test to satisfy the air sealing and duct sealing requirements in the code. Home Performance NC can assist you with [...]

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]]> http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/builders-and-hvac-contractors-we-can-help-you-with-duct-testing-for-2012-ncecc-requirements/feed/ 0 We can help you with NCEEC code compliance – duct testing and blower door testing is our specialty! http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/we-can-help-you-with-nceec-code-compliance-duct-testing-and-blower-door-testing-is-our-specialty/ http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/we-can-help-you-with-nceec-code-compliance-duct-testing-and-blower-door-testing-is-our-specialty/#comments Thu, 02 Aug 2012 19:12:03 +0000 Adrienne Bashista http://www.homeperformancenc.com/?p=1000 Dear HVAC contractor, builder, or General Contractor: As you know, as of March 1, 2012, any new home permitted in the state of North Carolina must comply with the 2012 NCECC (North Carolina Energy Conservation Code), including mandatory duct testing and an optional blower door test to satisfy the air sealing and duct sealing requirements [...]

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]]> http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/we-can-help-you-with-nceec-code-compliance-duct-testing-and-blower-door-testing-is-our-specialty/feed/ 0 Insulation is sexy. Weatherize! http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/insulation-is-sexy-weatherize/ http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/insulation-is-sexy-weatherize/#comments Mon, 02 Jul 2012 13:41:47 +0000 Adrienne Bashista http://www.homeperformancenc.com/?p=993 Need we say more? Maybe. For posts on weatherization, see: Should you replace your windows? What’s a closed crawl space? Weatherizing rental properties Feeling hot hot hot! Need new windows? Need new air-conditioner? Nope! More on windows  How we’ve made our 100-year old home energy efficient, part 1. Part 2. Part 3.       [...]

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]]> http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/insulation-is-sexy-weatherize/feed/ 0 Money, money, money! http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/money-money-money/ http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/money-money-money/#comments Sat, 14 Apr 2012 19:49:05 +0000 Adrienne Bashista http://www.homeperformancenc.com/?p=975 Spring is here, and Ms. Green’s green thumbs are itching! The right one itches because it’s time to garden, and the left one is itching because it’s the perfect time to think about saving money by saving energy. Have you seen that billboard on 15-501 heading north to Chapel Hill? The one with the sand [...]

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]]> http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/money-money-money/feed/ 0 An energy efficiency quiz! http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/an-energy-efficiency-quiz/ http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/an-energy-efficiency-quiz/#comments Tue, 10 Apr 2012 19:46:24 +0000 Adrienne Bashista http://www.homeperformancenc.com/?p=973 The 2012 Ms. Green Energy Quiz – Do you know your energy efficiency facts? Readers, Ms. Green feels like she’s always hammering you over the head with the same basic information about energy efficiency, and yet she is worried that while many of you nod your heads when reading her informed and charming responses to [...]

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]]> http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/an-energy-efficiency-quiz/feed/ 0 Should you replace your windows? http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/should-you-replace-your-windows/ http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/should-you-replace-your-windows/#comments Sun, 08 Apr 2012 19:43:18 +0000 Adrienne Bashista http://www.homeperformancenc.com/?p=969 Dear Ms. Green, I just bought an older home and its energy bills seem high. I’m thinking of getting new windows to help with the bills. What can you tell me about replacement windows? –Cold in Carrboro   Dear Cold, Here’s what Ms. Green thinks about replacement windows: contrary to what the window replacement industry [...]

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]]> http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/should-you-replace-your-windows/feed/ 0 CFLs? LEDs? What’s the deal? http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/cfls-leds-whats-the-deal/ http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/cfls-leds-whats-the-deal/#comments Thu, 05 Apr 2012 19:41:58 +0000 Adrienne Bashista http://www.homeperformancenc.com/?p=967 Dear Ms. Green, Seems like just last week that I replaced all my regular old lightbulbs with CFLs, and now come to find out that I need to replace the CFLs with LEDs to really save energy and money (and the planet). What gives? Do I really need to fork up the cash for even [...]

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]]> http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/cfls-leds-whats-the-deal/feed/ 0 Energy Efficiency Incentives 2012 for central NC http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/energy-efficiency-incentives-2012-for-central-nc/ http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/energy-efficiency-incentives-2012-for-central-nc/#comments Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:38:38 +0000 Adrienne Bashista http://www.homeperformancenc.com/?p=965 Dear Ms. Green, Are there any tax incentives or rebates this year for increasing my home’s energy efficiency? What about financing? I really want 2012 to be the year I get an energy audit and follow up with weatherization, but I want to take advantage of whatever deals are out there. Chilly in Chapel Hill [...]

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]]> http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/energy-efficiency-incentives-2012-for-central-nc/feed/ 0 Looking for a LOCAL (Chatham County, NC) source to learn about green building? Look no further than CCCC. http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/looking-for-a-local-chatham-county-nc-source-to-learn-about-green-building-look-no-further-than-cccc/ http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/looking-for-a-local-chatham-county-nc-source-to-learn-about-green-building-look-no-further-than-cccc/#comments Tue, 06 Sep 2011 17:45:46 +0000 Adrienne Bashista http://www.homeperformancenc.com/?p=905 Dear Ms. Green, My family is going to be looking for a new house soon, and we’d love it to be as green as possible. Is there a place where we can learn about solar hot water, PV, green building, geothermal, and creating a nice, tight house like you’re always talking about? –Searching in Silk [...]

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]]> http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/looking-for-a-local-chatham-county-nc-source-to-learn-about-green-building-look-no-further-than-cccc/feed/ 0 Internet Resources to learn about Recycling + Recycled Art http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/internet-resources-to-learn-about-recycling-recycled-art/ http://www.homeperformancenc.com/http:/www.homeperformancenc.com/internet-resources-to-learn-about-recycling-recycled-art/#comments Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:27:03 +0000 Adrienne Bashista http://www.homeperformancenc.com/?p=901 WEBQUESTS/GAMES/ACTIVITIES Recycle City  http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/mainmap.htm Webquest for Recycle City: http://www.williamstown.k12.ma.us/weblessons/WasteRecycleWebQuest/ 1st part takes student through Recycle City; end has several projects to choose from) PlanetPals quick lessons in recycling: http://www.planetpals.com/EDrecyclethings/recycle_lesson.html Ollie Recycles: http://www.ollierecycles.com/ VIDEOS: Recycling Plastic bottles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TL_qH1ra7J0 Recycling Milk Jugs into Fencing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JQYwF4VyiY Recycling Aluminum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOpGhAdQFEY Lead Battery Recycling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJj5iIwF8p4 Cell phone recycling: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCU4o_Ce9PM CD/DVD [...]

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