Heres a Link: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/saving-energy-manual-j-and-manual-d Even when they do the calculations, the results are usually wrong In his posted comment, Bailes raised an interesting point: the problem of “garbage in, garbage out” (GIGO) Manual J calculations. Several energy experts have commented on the GIGO problem, including John Proctor, Hank Rutkowski, and Allison Bailes. Hank Rutkowski, the mechanical engineer who wrote the original Manual J document, was recently interviewed for a profile posted on the Green Building Talk Web site. The piece notes, “Rutkowski estimates that only 10% of heating and cooling equipment sizing decisions are based on some type of Manual J calculation and that less than 1% of the jobs are based on an aggressive implementation of the recommended design procedures.” Rutkowski explains the GIGO problem this way: “Manual J is a good tool if you use it aggressively. Follow the rules and it will give you a reasonable margin of safety. But the average contractor says, ‘Better safe than sorry,’ so he fudges here and there. He adds 5 to 10 degrees to the summer and winter design temperatures, calls the building ‘average’ instead of ‘tight’ and doesn't take credit for shading by interior blinds and drapes. Then when he finally comes up with a load number for sizing, he throws in an extra half-ton of AC just for the heck of it.” For a high-performance home, sizing by Manual J may still result in oversizing Several years ago, I had a conversation with building scientist Joe Lstiburek about air conditioners installed in Building America homes in Las Vegas. “HVAC designers are committed to the institutional oversizing of air conditioning equipment,” Lstiburek told me. “The average system is sized at 150% to 200% of the requirements of Manual J. They oversize because they don’t know what they will get for a building envelope, and to compensate for duct leakage and inappropriate refrigerant charge. If you size according to Manual J, there is already a fudge factor built in. But most designers then add another fudge factor.” According to Lstiburek, their experience proved the high-performance Building America homes in Las Vegas could have had HVAC systems sized at about 60% of Manual J. To be conservative, his team recommended installing systems sized at 80% of Manual J. Does oversizing matter? There are strong arguments against routine oversizing of HVAC equipment. The best argument is simple: oversized equipment usually costs more than right-sized equipment. Oversized equipment suffers from short cycling. For example, an oversized furnace brings a home up to temperature quickly, and then shuts off. A few minutes later, it comes on again, only to shut off quickly. Many homeowners find the see-saw sound of a short-cycling furnace to be annoying. When air conditioners short cycle, the units don't run long enough to achieve much dehumidification ��" at least in theory. (During the first few minutes of operation, an air conditioner cools a house. But not enough moisture has collected on the cold coil or on the pan below for any water to have actually gone down the drain. When the air conditioner turns off, all of the moisture in the pan and on the coil just re-evaporates.) The conventional wisdom may be wrong, however Increasing evidence shows that energy experts have exaggerated the negative effects of equipment oversizing, however. Studies have confirmed that oversized furnaces don't use any more energy than right-sized furnaces. Moreover, newer modulating or two-speed furnaces operate efficiently under part-load conditions, solving any possible problems from furnace oversizing. Although there are ample reasons to believe that oversized air conditioners are less effective than right-sized equipment at dehumidification, at least one field study was unable to measure any performance improvements or energy savings after replacing an existing oversized air conditioner with a new right-sized unit. The bottom line The main reason to choose right-sized equipment is to avoid paying too much money for equipment you don't need. A Manual J calculation will ensure you don't spend more than necessary for your furnace, boiler, or air conditioner. Moreover, a Manual J calculation will provide room-by-room heat loss and heat-gain information that is essential to good duct design. Without good duct design, you're running the risk of comfort complaints.

I use this pattern...It is the 5/12 for beginners.. Free Crochet Pattern 5½ hour Throw Lion Brand® Jiffy® Pattern #: 519 SKILL LEVEL: Advanced Beginners.. 5½ hour Throw Lion Brand® Jiffy® GAUGE: In pattern, 3 V-s sts = 6", 4 rows = 6". BE SURE TO CHECK YOUR GAUGE. When you match the gauge in a pattern, your project will be the size specified in the pattern and the materials specified in the pattern will be sufficient. If it takes you less stitches and rows to make a 4 in. [10 cm] square, try using a smaller size hook or needles; if more stitches and rows, try a larger size hook or needles. NOTES: Throw is worked with three strands of yarn held together throughout. THROW: Starting at bottom edge of the throw, with three strands of yarn held together, loosely ch 67. Row 1: Dc in 5th ch from hook, ch 1, dc in same st, * skip 2 ch, (dc, ch 1, dc) in next ch; repeat from * to last 2 ch, sk 1 ch, dc in last ch. Ch 3, turn. Row 2: *(Dc, ch 1, dc) in next ch-1 sp-one V-stitch made; repeat from * across, ending with dc in top of turning-ch. Ch 3, turn. Repeat Row 2 until 40 rows have been completed. Fasten off. EDGING: With the right side facing you, work 1 row of sc along each side edge of the throw. FRINGE: Wind a single strand of yarn around an 11" piece of cardboard. Cut at one end, making 22"-long strands. Attach 9 strands per fringe. Fold strands of yarn in half to form a loop; insert the crochet hook through back of work in first stitch along bottom edge of throw; pull loop through. Bring the ends through loop and tighten. Continue to attach fringe in every other space along the bottom edge. Repeat for the top edge. Trim fringe evenly. ABBREVIATIONS / REFERENCES Click for explanation and illustration approx = approximately beg = begin(s)(ning) ch(s) = chain(s) dec = decreas(e)(s)(ing) fpsc = front post single crochet hdc = half double crochet inc = increas(e)(s)(ing) rem = remain(s)(ing) rep = repeat(s)(ing) rnd(s) = round(s) RS = right side sc = single crochet sl = slip st(s) = stitch(es) tbl = through the back loop tog = together yo = yarn over I use about 9 or 10 8oz skins..

OMG, did I write this: like blinkers on a horse???? BLINDERS on a horse. My excuse: I typed this out 3 times--I kept losing it (deleted it from the pasteboard bcs I didn't know how the buttons work; kicked the power strip and turned the machine off). It's a typo; same finger, different hand. Thanks, all! There's still more that can come out; one of those boxes has out-of-season clothes in it for DD, and I know that not a one of them will fit her. But I put my blinDers back on, and put it on the shelf. I can only tackle so much at a time, and I had a deadline. i think I may get to those clothes before month's end.

Oh gosh yes, but my quilting is like playing musical chairs, as I move from one project to another. I have broken my new year's resolution not to start another quilt before I got the ones in progress done. LOL. It all started out when I decided to straighten up my stash so I could get it all back into tubs and put away. You know how one thing leads to another. I decided I had way too many crumbs and scraps.......so took all the scraps large enough to cut a four inch block from and spent the morning generating blocks. Well that lead to putting some together. I had this one pattern I wanted to try and ended up getting a two by four section of quilt top done on it and HATED IT! It was one of those 'what was I thinking' moments. A chain pattern and one doesn't really know how they'll look until you get a few together. I was smart enough to just stop right there and I may even take it apart to rescue some of the vintage print fabric I used in it. I then had to start choosing a different pattern with my blocks and found one I liked and now I can't stop working on it. rofl. I love it. I have a paper piece with all the blocks made but not put together on the design wall, and a baby quilt I am within days of finishing the hand quilting on. So, here I am with three projects in the mill again.