Sizing
Avg. $2,100/yr
Size Your Solar Array Without Paying for a Consultation
Pull your kWh history, calculate peak sun hours for your zip code, and spec the exact panel count before any salesperson walks through your door.
18 min read
Real homes · Real meter readings
Cut your energy bill. Do it yourself.
Step-by-step guides on solar sizing, heat pump retrofits, attic insulation, and smart thermostats — filmed in real suburban homes with actual before-and-after meter readings.
Marcus Reed
Licensed electrician · 140+ guides published
Live
140+
guides
$280
avg. saved/yr
☀️Solar
Own your power source.
$346/month
reader avg savings
"Most installers quote you a system that's 20% bigger than you need — because that's how they make margin. I'll show you how to run your own load calculation in 45 minutes with nothing but your last 12 utility bills and a $12 clamp meter."
Equipment
Up to $640 savings
String vs. Microinverter: The Decision That Shapes Your ROI
String inverters cost less upfront. Microinverters earn more in partial shade. Here's the real break-even math for a typical 8kW suburban system.
14 min read
Finance
Avoid $3,200 loss
Reading Your Utility Net Metering Agreement (Plain English)
Buried in your interconnection contract is a buyback rate that could cut your payback period by 3 years — or add 4. We decode the key clauses.
11 min read
Reader Result
Before
$387
/month
After
$41
/month
$346/month saved
"I used the sizing guide before calling three installers. The quotes dropped $4,000 once they knew I'd done my homework."
— Jennifer Alcott, Phoenix, AZ
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🏠Insulation
Stop heating the sky.
$114/month
reader avg savings
"Your attic is probably losing $80 a month through 3 inches of compressed, decades-old fiberglass. I know because I've measured it in 200 homes. The fix costs $400 in materials and a Saturday morning."
Audit
Avg. $74/month
The Attic Insulation Audit: Find Your Leaks Before You Buy a Roll
A $35 thermal camera attachment for your phone reveals exactly which joists are cold-bridging. Don't add R-38 on top of a gap.
16 min read
Materials
Save $320 in labor
Blown-In vs. Batt: Which One Actually Fills Your Joist Bays
Batts leave gaps at every pipe and wire penetration. Blown-in fills them. Here's when the $0.10/sq ft premium is worth every cent.
12 min read
Air Sealing
Reclaim 40% efficiency
Air Sealing the Top Plate: The Step Most DIYers Skip
Spray foam at the top plate stops convective loops that make insulation 40% less effective. 2 cans, 90 minutes, permanent.
9 min read
Reader Result
Before
$312
/month
After
$198
/month
$114/month saved
"The thermal camera tip alone was worth it. Found a gap above the master bath nobody had touched since 1987."
— Darren Kowalski, Minneapolis, MN
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Marcus publishes 2–3 guides per category each month. Subscribe to just the topics you need — no unrelated content.
🔧HVAC
Right-size your comfort.
$261/month
reader avg savings
"A contractor will quote you a new system based on the old system's size — not your actual load. That's how a 3-ton unit ends up in a house that needs 2.5. I'll walk you through a Manual J calculation you can do yourself."
Sizing
Avoid $1,800 oversize
Manual J Load Calculation for Homeowners (No Software Required)
Square footage alone is wrong. Ceiling height, window area, and local design temperatures change the number by 30%. Here's the spreadsheet method.
22 min read
Install
Save $900 in labor
Mini-Split Heat Pump Install: What You Can Do, What Requires a Pro
Line set runs, wall penetrations, and mounting: DIY. Refrigerant charging and electrical panel work: licensed only. Here's the exact dividing line.
19 min read
Maintenance
Protect $6,000 equipment
Filter Schedule That Actually Matches Your Home's Dust Load
A 1-inch MERV-13 filter in a dog household needs changing every 3 weeks. A 4-inch media filter in a clean home lasts 6 months. Know your number.
8 min read
Reader Result
Before
$428
/month
After
$167
/month
$261/month saved
"The Manual J sheet proved my contractor was about to sell me a 4-ton unit for a 2.2-ton house. Saved $3,400 on equipment alone."
— Priya Nambiar, Atlanta, GA
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📱Smart Home
Program the savings in.
$92/month
reader avg savings
"A smart thermostat without a schedule is just an expensive dumb thermostat. I'll show you the 4-period programming pattern that cuts runtime by 22% without you ever feeling the difference."
Programming
Avg. $38/month
Thermostat Schedule Programming: The 4-Period Method
Wake, Leave, Return, Sleep — with setback temperatures tuned to your home's thermal mass. Works on Ecobee, Nest, and any 7-day programmable.
13 min read
Monitoring
Cut $110/yr waste
Smart Plugs on Phantom Loads: Which Devices Are Worth Monitoring
Your TV's standby mode costs $18/year. Your gaming PC in sleep mode costs $94/year. Here's which circuits pay back a $15 smart plug in under 4 months.
10 min read
Monitoring
Find hidden $80/mo loads
Whole-Home Energy Monitor Setup: Sense vs. Emporia vs. Utility API
Real-time circuit-level monitoring tells you exactly which appliance is running. Compare three approaches by install complexity and accuracy.
17 min read
Reader Result
Before
$341
/month
After
$249
/month
$92/month saved
"The 4-period schedule took 20 minutes to program and my HVAC runtime dropped 18% the first month. No comfort change whatsoever."
— Tomás Guerrero, Austin, TX
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🌬️Weatherization
Seal it before winter.
$79/month
reader avg savings
"Weatherization is the cheapest energy upgrade you'll ever do — and the one most homeowners skip because it's unglamorous. Caulk and weatherstripping on a drafty 1980s house can cut heating costs by 15% for under $80 in materials."
Diagnostics
Find $60/mo leaks
DIY Blower Door Equivalent: Find Your Home's Leakiest Spots for Free
A box fan, a smoke pencil, and a cold evening. No $500 blower door rental needed. This method finds 80% of the leaks that a professional test would.
14 min read
Sealing
Stop $45/mo draft loss
Window Weatherstripping Replacement: Every Profile Type Explained
V-strip, foam tape, door sweeps, and compression seals — each one fits a different gap geometry. Match the seal to the window type or it fails in one season.
11 min read
Encapsulation
Avg. $55/month
Crawl Space Encapsulation: Vapor Barrier Sizing and Seam Taping
An unsealed crawl space adds 10–15% to your heating bill through cold floors. 20-mil poly, seam tape, and a Saturday afternoon. Here's the full sequence.
20 min read
Reader Result
Before
$298
/month
After
$219
/month
$79/month saved
"I found a gap behind the fireplace with the smoke pencil trick. Sealed it with a $4 tube of caulk. That gap was costing me $30 a month."
— Keisha Odom, Chicago, IL
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Free download
Your Free Energy Audit Checklist
A 47-point checklist covering every category in this guide — organized by payback period so you tackle the fastest wins first. No fluff, no upsells.
- Attic and crawl space inspection points~$74/mo
- HVAC sizing verification questions~$80/mo
- Solar readiness pre-qualification~$120/mo
- Smart thermostat schedule template~$38/mo
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