November 2023 - Renters, Slumlords, and Why Your Furnace Filter Is Lying to You

Jeff Flaherty opens with a topic most people don't know about: renters can access NYSERDA energy efficiency programs too, as long as the landlord agrees. He covers how the tenant's income drives eligibility, why landlords who refuse are probably hiding something worth finding, and why high tenant turnover costs more than fixing a drafty unit. From there he gets into furnace filters, MERV ratings, and why a one-inch filter that doesn't fit its sleeve is barely doing anything. He also shares a quick diagnostic tip: if the plastic fittings on top of your hot water tank are melted, your water heater has been backdrafting combustion gases into your home. Plus why duct cleaning is often oversold, how to bring fresh air into a tight home without losing control of the humidity, and whether UV air purifiers create ozone in your living space.