Over the last 30 years, there has been a big move away from conventionally framed roof structures towards engineered structures— specifically engineered trusses and load-bearing engineered beams like micro laminated and even steel. I have been in so many attics where the engineered roofing or other load-bearing structures have been cut to accommodate equipment, wires, […]

This article was written by senior furnace tech Benoît (Ben) Mongeau. Ben hails from the frozen tundra of Ontario, Canada, where high-efficiency gas furnaces are commonplace. While some codes and practices may be different from the US, I find that most of it is common sense and translates pretty well. One glaring difference between Canada […]

You may have heard about “swamp coolers” before. Surprisingly, we don’t see too many of them in Florida—even though the state is famous for its swamps.  Contrary to their name, swamp coolers are common in arid (dry) climates. They’re also called evaporative coolers because they use the evaporation process to cool the air.  This article […]