Indoor air quality is something most of us take for granted until musty odors, allergy flare-ups, or visible mold on the evaporator coil force us to pay attention. I spent three months testing and comparing the best HVAC UV light air purifier kits on the market, and what I found changed how I think about … Read more
If your furnace heating bills are climbing every winter, you are not alone. Heating accounts for roughly 45% of the average home energy bill, and an outdated thermostat could be costing you hundreds each year. After testing and comparing the top models on the market, our team put together this guide to the best wifi … Read more
Finding the right thermostat for electric baseboard heaters, radiant floors, or fan-forced wall heaters can feel overwhelming. Most thermostats at big-box stores are designed for low-voltage HVAC systems, not the high-voltage electric heating that powers millions of homes across North America. If your home runs on 120V or 240V electric heat, you need a line … Read more
Walking barefoot across warm tile on a cold morning is one of those small luxuries that changes how you feel about your home. But that comfort depends entirely on the thermostat controlling your radiant floor heating system. I learned this the hard way when my builder-grade thermostat could not keep a consistent temperature, leaving some … Read more
If you have ever watched your heat pump struggle through a January cold snap while your energy bill climbs higher than your driveway snow bank, you already know the problem. The thermostat sitting on your wall might be the weakest link in your heating system. I spent the last three months comparing smart thermostats specifically … Read more
Dry winter air turns your home into a static-electricity zone. Cracked lips, itchy skin, squeaky hardwood floors, and that annoying zap every time you touch a doorknob — these are all signs your indoor humidity has dropped below the comfort zone. I dealt with this for years before installing a furnace-mounted whole house humidifier, and … Read more
Finding the right smart thermostat when you have electric baseboard heaters is genuinely frustrating. I know, because I spent months trying to figure out why my Google Nest would not work with the baseboard heaters in my older home. The answer surprised me: most popular smart thermostats only work with low-voltage (24V) central HVAC systems. … Read more
Winter heating bills can spiral out of control fast, especially when temperatures drop below zero and your HVAC system is working overtime. I have spent the past three winter seasons testing smart thermostats in a home that regularly sees minus 20 degree Fahrenheit days, and I can tell you firsthand that the right thermostat makes … Read more
Winter dry air is more than just uncomfortable. When the temperature drops and your heating system kicks into overdrive, indoor humidity can plummet below 20%, leaving you with cracked lips, dry skin, scratchy throats, and static shocks every time you touch a doorknob. I have spent the last three winter seasons testing humidifiers in my … Read more
Dry winter air does more than crack your lips and make your skin itch. It dries out your sinuses, worsens allergies, damages wood furniture, and even helps airborne viruses survive longer indoors. I learned this the hard way after spending three winters in a drafty old farmhouse where the relative humidity regularly dropped below 20%. … Read more