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

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Fire Resistant Homes: Testing Vulcan, Silica, and Baffled Intumescent Vents

We found these vents at the International Builders' Show, and were excited to test their performance (partly so that Grace could use her flamethrower). We test the three main types of fire-resistant venting for homes: an intumescent honeycomb vent, a silica vent, and an intumescent baffled vent.

Airflow testing was performed with an airtight box made of plywood and acrylic, using a DU300 fan and DM-32 and DG-8 digital pressure gauges. For the fire, we used a propane weed torch you can get at any hardware store. The chart of our airflow testing shows the square inches of opening inside the metal frames, the airflows, and the pressure drops of all three vents.

For the 'Net Free Vent Area' (NFVA), visit the manufacturers' websites. Brand names of these three vents are Vulcan Vents, Embers Out, and Brandguard. For more on the vents that performed best: https://VulcanVents.com

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

How to Design and Install Kitchen Exhaust and Make Up Air Ventilation (Case Study)

Another installment in a series with Healthy Indoors Magazine (http://HealthyIndoors.com) follows the real-life, gritty planning and installation of the make up air system in a 1950's ranch over a crawlspace. The goal here is to install effective ventilation for the kitchen range with an exhaust hood AND make up air that will hopefully be the path of least resistance. We're using a Broan exhaust hood paired with an Aprilaire KV make up air damper, or an 8144NC (in an experimental application, as explained in the video). This house is not airtight by any means, and some might think make up air is overkill in an older home, but obviously we disagree enough to suffer through this.

Learn more about making your home healthier at: http://HealthyIndoors.com

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Get training or consulting with Corbett directly: http://BuildingPerformanceWorkshop.com

Cleaning House May Be Bad for Your Family

Home Diagnosis co-host Corbett Lunsford explains why the HOMEChem scientists are saying cleaning might not be the answer for indoor chemistry. Explore the meaning of vacuuming with and without a HEPA filter, and where a central vacuum system should be installed to keep from totally messing up your indoor physics and chemistry. Subscribe to Healthy Indoors Magazine for free at: http://HealthyIndoors.com

Check out this NuTone HEPA central vac system at: http://www.nutone.com/purepower

More on this build at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv/atlanta-homestead

Foundation Wall Airsealing, Insulation, Waterproofing

After 9 months of exposure, the footing of the crawlspace foundation is being buried- here are the answers to all your questions. See the finishing of the Form-a-Drain, sealing of the ForceField-concrete junction, permanent fastening of the Platon, and gluing of the 3" Rockwool ComfortBoard 80.

Building Performance Podcast #85

Today Corbett and Grace address several more questions about building science and home performance from homeowners and pros across the U.S. See the show at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv Become a supporting member of their work at: http://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosis.tv

How to Protect Your House from Subterranean Termites

Corbett's family build is getting a layer of durability all new homes should have: a perfectly installed, class I vapor barrier that ALSO is termite proof. See how Pango Wrap is installed and what it'll do for the home's longevity.

More at: http://PangoWrap.com

Healthy Indoors Minute: Radon Problem Solved

Corbett shows the simple solution used to mitigate radon in the 1960's retrofit project. One fan, one pipe, one hour, problem solved.

See the other videos in the series at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iciAPohuLNM&list=PLsc2-5fAgMq5lgu0U_wVocxzUPoSq_JKM

Retrofitting for Performance: Crawlspace Encapsulation

Using 475 High Performance Building Supply materials, Corbett and his dad are encapsulating the vented crawlspace of a one-story ranch home in Atlanta. See what a difference the improvements make to the test data from the Ultra-Aire Sentry system and the blower door.

Home Improvement to Tune Performance: Test-In

Corbett runs a full enclosure diagnostic on a one-story ranch for his family before planning and performing the improvements on vented crawlspace and attic.