http://www.journalgazette.net/section/James Dulley en-us ℗ & © 2013, www.journalgazette.net Headlines from the Journal Gazette. Newspapers http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130407/FEAT0101/304079972/1120 Dear Jim: We are planning our energy-efficient dream home. We have heard about "net zero energy" designs. Are they as livable as regular efficient houses, do they look strange, and how much do they cost? - Steven F. Sun, 07 Apr 2013 03:00:00 EST James Dulley James Dulley 2013304079972 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130303/FEAT0101/303039973/1120 Dear Jim: Our old master bathroom toilet does not flush well, and we are thinking about adding a first-floor half bath. What are the best types of toilets to get for each room and which ones save the most water? - Connie H. Sun, 03 Mar 2013 03:00:00 EST James Dulley James Dulley 2013303039973 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130203/FEAT0101/302039976/1120 Dear Jim: I just moved into a new house, and I went up into the attic to store some holiday decorations. There was no insulation on the cover or seals around it. Shouldn't the cover be insulated and sealed? - Mike M. Sun, 03 Feb 2013 03:00:00 EST James Dulley James Dulley 2013302039976 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20130106/FEAT0101/301069980/1120 Dear Jim: I would like to use some free solar heating in a south-facing kitchen. What type of simple solar heater can I build for one room? - Quinn N. Sun, 06 Jan 2013 03:00:00 EST James Dulley James Dulley 2013301069980 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20121202/FEAT0101/312029975/1120 Dear Jim: Some rooms in our house are too hot or too cold, and someone is always complaining. What can we do to even out the room temperatures to keep everyone happy. Will doing this lower our utility bills? - Sean H. Sun, 02 Dec 2012 03:00:00 EST James Dulley James Dulley 2012312029975 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20121104/FEAT0101/311049975/1120 Dear Jim: Our bathroom vent fan has been getting noisier for years, so I want to install a quiet one. How can I tell which are most quiet? Is it more energy-efficient to run the vent fan or open the window? - Steve R. Sun, 04 Nov 2012 03:00:00 EST James Dulley James Dulley 2012311049975 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120902/FEAT0101/309029974/1120 Dear Jim: I prefer to use the kitchen range/oven for cooking, but heard using small countertop appliances is more efficient. Is this true and is there a simple way to determine which appliances are the best to use? - Cari M. Sun, 02 Sep 2012 03:00:00 EST James Dulley James Dulley 2012309029974 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120805/FEAT0101/308059971/1120 Dear Jim: We added a room, but our central air conditioner doesn't cool it well. Our second-floor master bedroom also does not stay cool. Does it make sense to install a window air conditioner or a mini-split system? - Kyle F. Sun, 05 Aug 2012 03:00:00 EST James Dulley 2012308059971 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120701/FEAT0101/307019978/1120 Dear Jim: I opened the attic access panel in my closet to get a box and the heat was staggering. We have plenty of attic insulation, so is this increasing our cooling costs? If so, what can we do to reduce the heat? - Michael N. Sun, 01 Jul 2012 03:00:00 EST James Dulley James Dulley 2012307019978 http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120603/FEAT0101/306039974/1120 Dear Jim: The sun bakes us through a large window. We also have a fireplace for heating in that room. Would installing a rolling shutter save energy and improve comfort? I am also concerned about security and storms. - Mike W. Sun, 03 Jun 2012 03:00:00 EST James Dulley James Dulley 2012306039974