Home Energy
Follow Home Energy in the Factlen app and get an alert when there is news. Get the app
Building Codes
States Adopt 2021 Energy Code, Mandating Stricter Air Sealing, EV-Ready Infrastructure, and Higher HVAC Minimums
3 sources · 65d ago
Energy Tax Credits
The Federal Heat Pump and Solar Tax Credits Are Gone for 2026: What Homeowners Need to Know
8 sources · 60d ago
Appliance Standards
New DOE Rules Will Turn Commercial Water Heater Replacements Into Condensing Retrofits
6 sources · 64d ago
More in Home Energy
ExplainerHeat Recovery
How Counterflow Heat Exchangers Recover 90 Percent of Exhaust Energy
Building Scientists 40%Energy Regulators 35%Factlen Editorial 25%
ExplainerBuilding Physics
Why Radiant Foil Requires an Air Space to Block Heat Transfer
Building Physics Researchers 50%Building Material Manufacturers 50%
ExplainerHeat Pump Tech
Every 1°C Drop in Water Flow Temperature Boosts Heat Pump COP by 2.5 Percent
Thermodynamic Engineers 45%Retrofit Advocates 30%Traditional Installers 25%
ExplainerThermal Dynamics
Letting Empty Rooms Cool Cuts Heating Bills Because Thermal Loss Scales With the Indoor-Outdoor Temperature Difference
Building Physicists 40%HVAC Technicians 35%Heat Pump Specialists 25%
ExplainerThermodynamics
Evaporator Coils Run 5°C Below Ambient Air: Why Heat Pumps Frost Heaviest at 2°C to 5°C
HVAC Engineers 40%Homeowners 30%Manufacturers 30%
ExplainerFluid Dynamics
Why Radiators Stay Cold at the Bottom: How Magnetite Sludge Chokes Convection
Heating Engineers 40%Homeowners 30%Boiler Manufacturers 30%
ExplainerThermal Dynamics
Why Curtains Hung Without Pelmets Create a Freezing Draft on the Floor
Building Physicists 40%Homeowners & Renters 35%Interior Designers 25%
ExplainerLatent Heat Recovery
Return Water Temperatures Above 54°C Prevent Condensing Boilers From Capturing Latent Heat
Heating Engineers 40%Energy Regulators 30%Homeowners 30%
ExplainerAppliance Standards
The 0.5 Watt Limit: How International Standards Regulate Appliance Standby Power Consumption
Energy Regulators 40%Appliance Manufacturers 30%Consumer Advocates 30%
ExplainerHVAC Efficiency
The 1,705-Hour Cooling Season: How the SEER2 Rating Predicts Your Air Conditioner's Annual Kilowatt-Hour Consumption
Federal Regulators 35%Contractors and Installers 35%HVAC Manufacturers 30%
ExplainerThermostat Strategies
The 1% Per Degree Rule: How Thermostat Setbacks Translate to Actual Heating Energy Savings
Building Scientists 40%HVAC Technicians 35%Energy Regulators 25%
ExplainerBuilding Science
Why Traditional Climate-Based Rules for HRVs and ERVs Fail in Airtight Homes
Passivhaus & Building Scientists 45%Traditional HVAC Contractors 30%Cold-Climate Builders 25%
ExplainerBuilding Science
Air Changes Per Hour (ACH50): How the Blower Door Test Quantifies Home Air Tightness and Predicts Energy Savings
Building Scientists 40%Code Officials 30%Homeowners & Buyers 30%
ExplainerBuilding Science
The Physics of Radiant Floor Heating: How Thermal Mass and Fluid Dynamics Actually Dictate Comfort and Cost
Building Science Researchers 40%Energy Regulators 30%Industry Manufacturers 30%
ExplainerHVAC Filtration
MERV 8 vs. MERV 13: The Air Quality and Static Pressure Trade-Offs in Residential HVAC
HVAC System Designers 40%Indoor Air Quality Advocates 40%Energy Efficiency Analysts 20%
ExplainerHome Electrification
How Smart Electrical Panels Actually Prevent $5,000 Service Upgrades During Home Electrification
Electrification Advocates 40%Cost-Conscious Homeowners 35%Energy System Engineers 25%
ExplainerBuilding Science
Framing Fraction and Effective R-Value: How Thermal Bridging Reduces Wall Insulation Performance by Up to 50% in Wood and 80% in Steel Construction
Building Scientists 40%Traditional Contractors 30%Energy Code Regulators 30%
ExplainerBuilding Science
Why Leaving an Older Home to 'Breathe' Actually Causes Winter Condensation
Building Envelope Engineers 70%Traditional Tradespeople 30%
ExplainerHeat Pumps
Coefficient of Performance: Why Heat Pump Water Heaters Break the 100% Efficiency Barrier
Energy Efficiency Advocates 40%HVAC Contractors 35%Building Code Regulators 25%
ExplainerWindow Ratings
U-factor and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient: The Fundamental Trade-Offs Dictating Window Energy Efficiency
Building Scientists and Energy Auditors 35%Window Manufacturers 35%Homeowners and Buyers 30%
ExplainerHome Ventilation
How ERVs and HRVs Ventilate Airtight Homes While Retaining Thermal Energy
Building Scientists 40%HVAC Contractors 35%Homeowners 25%
ExplainerWindow Tech
The Physics of Low-E Glass: How Window Coatings Actually Block Heat Without Blocking Light
Energy Efficiency Researchers 40%Glass Manufacturers 30%Consumer Fenestration Advocates 30%
ExplainerHVAC Technology
The Physics of Heat Pumps: How Refrigerant Cycles Actually Move Heat Instead of Generating It
Thermodynamic Efficiency Advocates 40%Practical Installers 35%Cost-Conscious Consumers 25%
ExplainerWater Heating
Tankless vs. Storage Water Heaters: The True Cost and Efficiency Trade-Offs
Efficiency Advocates 40%Pragmatic Homeowners 35%Plumbing Professionals 25%
ExplainerEnergy Diagnostics
Blower Door Tests and Diagnostic Tools Quantify Hidden Home Air Leakage
Building Scientists 40%Homeowners & Buyers 35%HVAC Contractors 25%
ExplainerPermitting Reform
California Legislature Passes Bill to Standardize and Expedite Heat Pump Permitting Statewide
Clean Energy Advocates 40%HVAC Contractors 35%State & Local Government 25%
ExplainerHVAC Standards
The DOE's 2028 Mandate Bans 80-Percent Furnaces, Requiring New Venting and Plumbing
Federal Regulators 40%HVAC Industry Groups 40%Maintenance Professionals 20%
HVAC ElectrificationPolicy Explainer
Multi-State Building Codes Ban New Gas Furnace Installations, Making Electric Heat Pumps the Default
State Regulators & Climate Advocates 40%Energy & Building Researchers 30%Market & Policy Analysts 30%
Building CodesPolicy Reversal
HUD and USDA Rescind 2021 Energy Code Mandate for FHA Loans, Citing $31,000 Added Cost
Home Builders and Developers 40%Federal Housing Officials 35%Energy Efficiency Advocates 25%
ExplainerRebate Rules
DOE Restarts $8.8 Billion Home Efficiency Rebates, Excludes Funding for Electrification Switch
Weatherization Advocates 40%Electrification Proponents 35%State Energy Offices 25%
ExplainerSolar Financing
The Economics of Residential Solar Without the Federal Tax Credit
Third-Party Leasing Providers 40%Direct Ownership Advocates 35%Grid Resilience Proponents 25%
ExplainerHome Electrification
Michigan Deploys State-Funded Heat Pump Retrofits to Cut Energy Bills for 120 Homes
State Environmental Regulators 41%Low-Income Homeowners 35%HVAC & Weatherization Contractors 24%
ExplainerBuilding Codes
Major 2026 International Energy Code Takes Effect, Mandating Continuous Insulation and Higher Window Standards for New Homes
Home Builders 35%Energy Regulators 35%Building Science Professionals 30%
Building Codes
The $9.2 Billion Debate Over the 2024 Home Energy Code: Costs, Savings, and What It Means for Buyers
Federal Regulators 40%Code Developers & Advocates 40%Climate Policy Watchdogs 20%
ExplainerTax Credits
New Federal Law Terminates Home Energy Efficiency Tax Credits for 2026
Fiscal Conservatives 35%Industry & Environmental Advocates 35%Homeowners & Consumers 30%
Home RebatesPolicy Explainer
DOE Blocks $8.8 Billion in IRA Rebates for Switching from Fossil Fuels to Electric Heat Pumps
Fossil Fuel and Propane Industries 38%Environmental Advocates 38%HVAC Contractors and Analysts 25%
ExplainerSmart Windows
Electrochromic Glass Uses Dynamic Tinting to Block Solar Heat Gain in Homes
Energy Efficiency Advocates 35%Cost-Conscious Homeowners 35%Architectural Designers 30%
ExplainerThermal Mass
Phase Change Materials in Drywall Regulate Home Temperatures Using Latent Heat
Building Scientists 35%Material Manufacturers 35%Sustainable Architects 30%
ExplainerThermal Networks
Networked Geothermal Replaces Gas Pipelines With Shared Underground Water Loops
Decarbonization Advocates 40%Gas Utilities and Labor 35%Grid and Ratepayer Analysts 25%
ExplainerAI Energy Management
How Agentic AI is Turning Homes into Autonomous Power Plants
Consumer & Industry Optimists 40%Academic & Technical Researchers 35%Market Analysts 25%
ExplainerVirtual Power Plants
How Virtual Power Plants Are Rewiring the Electrical Grid
Grid Operators & Utilities 38%Clean Energy Advocates 31%Consumer Advocates 31%
ExplainerEnergy Resilience
How Community Microgrids Are Rewiring Neighborhoods for Energy Independence
Decentralization Advocates 41%Traditional Utilities 29%Climate Resilience Planners 29%
ExplainerKitchen Tech
Why Induction Cooktops Use Magnetic Eddy Currents to Heat Cookware Directly
Electrification Advocates 40%Appliance Reviewers 35%Scientific Educators 25%
ExplainerBuilding Science
The 5 Principles of Passive House Design: How Super-Insulated Homes Cut Energy Bills by 90%
Passive House Advocates 45%Urban Planners & Policymakers 35%Conventional Construction Industry 20%
ExplainerHome Weatherization
Why Air Sealing Matters More Than Insulation for Stopping Home Heat Loss
Building Scientists 35%Energy Efficiency Advocates 35%DIY Homeowners & Educators 30%
ExplainerHome Energy
How Cold-Climate Heat Pumps Are Rewiring Home Heating
Energy & Climate Researchers 45%Consumer & Industry Analysts 35%Factlen Editorial 20%
Per page

















































