Not Everyone Needs Continuous Insulation, but Here's My FAVORITE Thing about it

Some people can get really freaky about 'thermal bridging', and while I do think much of the discussion about it is way out of proportion, there is a reasoned approach when it comes to continuous insulation. Here's my take on the #1 reason to consider exterior continuous insulation on any project. See how we used Rockwool to turn our home into one of the most comfortable homes in the country: https://homediagnosis.tv/episode-206-windbreakers-air-sealing-and-insulation

Learn more about exterior insulation approaches: https://www.rockwool.com/north-america/products-and-applications/external-wall-insulation/

Get 1-on-1 help with any home: https://buildingperformanceworkshop.com/video-consulting

Basement in Florida? Why Mold Took 20 Years to Fail this House...

A very cool client of ours named Niko came to us with a wildly different home issue- a finished basement. In Florida. That's vented to the outdoors. Watch us tour the home being renovated with Tony Gomes, my Tampa go-to-guy for advanced diagnostics on existing homes. We explore how it's possible that mold was held at bay for 20 years, until Niko did a 'good' thing and replaced an old HVAC system with a VRF (variable capacity) heat pump.

Find the brilliant Tony Gomes and Faraday Energy in Tampa Bay at: https://faradayenergy.com/

Test your home for airborne mold with this easy kit: https://GotMold.com

How to Hide HVAC Grilles and Replace Your A/C Faster

My friends, DO NOT DO THIS. Friends don't let friends put HVAC grilles, especially the central return grille, anywhere a couch might end up backing up against it. Ceilings, great. High wall, fine. Floor, not so great but probably better than this. Learn more about HVAC performance by subscribing to our channel and joining our Patreon membership: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

Mold House Tour and Scientific Causes: Disaster Production Home Build in Houston Texas

Meet our friends Anil and Nilima Mittal- they're suing the biggest production home builder in the USA. With help from Jason Earle, 20-year mold inspection veteran, we tell the story of how this mold disaster of a brand new home began, and how their health has suffered because of it.

Get your own simple mold test: https://GotMold.com

Become supporters of our work, just like Anil, and join our Patreon group for as little as $5/month! https://Patreon.com/homediagnosistv

HERE’S A SEPARATE VIDEO WITH ANIL’S TIPS AND TRICKS ON THE LAWSUIT ALONE:

Tearing a Historic Home Foundation Apart- Pouring a Passive House Concrete Slab and Shotcrete Wall

Our friends, Builder Matt Hoots (https://www.youtube.com/@sawhorsedesignbuild) and architect Chris Laumer-Giddens (https://www.youtube.com/@LGSquared) have made lots of progress on the 1920's Passive House Retrofit since our initial blower door test, the leakiest test I've ever seen. See and hear the details of how this is working, and what's to come down the road for this project.

Here was the blower door test before they started the renovation:

Where Best to Put Ventilation Intakes? ERV, HRV, Supply and Intermittent Exhaust Vent Terminals

The maintenance of homes just doesn't stop, whether it's a high performance home or not. There are too many variables between family behaviors, between homes, between neighborhoods and climates that you just can't predict everything. Tweaks must be made. Here's a quick demonstration of HOW and WHY to clean the ERV or HRV outside ventilation terminals, as well as a quick modification of the insect screen on these 8" round duct hoods.

More on this home at: https://homediagnosis.tv/atlanta-homestead

Bath Fan and Duct Inspection Tips for Restoration After a House Fire

Our friend Shawn had a fire disaster last year, and though it’s a terrible loss he’s helping us and our audience learn from the experience. Here’s a quick preview of what will be coming in Season 3 of Home Diagnosis. Here we point out two things to watch out for- one good, one bad. Easy to inspect a construction site if you know how things are supposed to work! And Shawn’s awesome fitness hammers can be seen at: https://bamfhammer.com/

Our DIY Forever Home Build: Testing Blower Door, Infrared, HVAC, Pressure Imbalances

From ‘Home Diagnosis’ Season 2 ep13: See what comprehensive home performance testing looks like, as we prove the forever home we built does what we designed it to do. Test instruments used, all available thru https://TruTechTools.com:

• Retrotec 5000 blower door and DM-32 pressure gauge

• Retrotec Flow Box

• Hikmicro M30 infrared thermal camera

• TEC DG-8 pressure gauge

• TEC TruFlow Grid

• HOBO MX1101 temp/humidity datalogger

• Testo 400 large vane anemometer

Watch the whole episode: https://homediagnosis.tv/episode-213-proof-testing-the-house

Chef-Level Home Kitchen? Chef-Level Exhaust Hood. Don't Be Lame.

From 'Home Diagnosis' Season 2 Ep7: For all of us upping our home kitchen game, it's important to be reminded that the most important piece of equipment in the kitchen, and in fact in the entire air quality system of the home, is the kitchen exhaust hood. Don't let your kitchen designer or your glossy home makeover magazine tell you different. See the entire episode at: https://homediagnosis.tv/episode-207-slow-burn See our own home's Ultimate Kitchen Exhaust System: https://buildingperformanceworkshop.com/blog/2021/5/15/how-to-design-install-and-test-a-perfect-kitchen-exhaust-and-make-up-air-system

Join our Patreon team and become part of our exploration of the Science of Homes: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

Spray Foam Inspection & Testing in Crawlspace and Side Attic

From 'Home Diagnosis' Season 2 Ep6: Spray foam insulation is often advertised as a cure-all, but there are LOTS of ways to mess it up. Here's a tour and testing of a home in Atlanta where the spray foam insulation isn't doing what it was intended to do. Watch the whole episode: https://homediagnosis.tv/episode-206-windbreakers-air-sealing-and-insulation

Join our Patreon team and be part of our exploration of the Science of Homes: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

How to Maintain Your ERV: Pressure Check, Clean Filters, Evacuate the Bugs

Depending on where you live, where your fresh air intake is located, and how you run your ventilation system, your filters may get pretty gross in a matter of months. Here’s a few pointers on picking, and maintaining an ERV or HRV. Renewaire ERVs: https://www.renewaire.com/our-ervs/single-multi-family/

Broan ERVs: https://www.broan-nutone.com/en-us/fresh-air-systems/residential

Fantech SER150 installed here: https://shop.fantech.net/en-US/ser--150--fresh--air--appliance/p512709

Consult or coach with me via Zoom or in person: https://buildingperformanceworkshop.com/video-consulting

Join our Patreon membership and help guide our exploration of the Science of Homes: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

How to Test HVAC Room Pressurization (Zonal Pressure Testing for HVAC Commissioning)

Using a TEC DG-8 manometer and a Testo 400 hot wire anemometer, Corbett evaluates the HVAC balancing in the home his family built in Atlanta. Keep your room pressures below 3 Pascals if you can, 5 Pascals will start to give you problems- rooms don't receive enough conditioned air, and/or whistling or doors closing from 'ghosts'.

Join our Patreon group and be part of our R&D team: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

Watch the first ever TV series about the science of homes: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv