Hack Archives | The Cool Down

A Hydro-Québec vehicle.

Home

Quebec utility's free heat pump signups close after 20,000-home offer fills for 2026-27

Artichoke plants.

Home

A thriving artichoke plant shows even 'tricky' crops can pay off in one season

An unfinished attic with exposed ductwork.

Home

Hot attic air could be sabotaging your AC before cool air ever reaches your upstairs

A person using a wrench to repair an air conditioning unit.

Home

Why one homeowner's AC works at 78, then stops cooling when the thermostat goes lower

A steel vent on a rooftop.

Home

Homeowner's plan to vent a sweltering attic reveals a common cooling mistake

A gardener holding seedlings.

Home

Canada gardeners can still plant fast fall crops in August, even with October snow

A man standing in front of tomato plants.

Home

Maryland gardener shares 6 late-summer tomato moves to keep harvests going until frost

A smart thermostat displaying a temperature of 74 degrees Fahrenheit on a wall.

Home

California homeowner uses a simple AC timing shift to make a solar battery last until morning

The piping for an HVAC unit.

Home

Heat pump kept shutting off on 80-degree nights, and one small pipe may be to blame

A person holds a large bowl of freshly harvested vegetables in a garden.

Home

After a few days away, a gardener returns to an overflowing harvest of summer produce

A bee on millenium allium.

Home

Gardener says this standout flower is one that your garden 'can't live without'

A tankless water heater.

Home

Broken water heater part left homeowner debating a 3,800-watt swap, but others urged a smarter fix