The List of HVAC Installers Who Respect Science and Math

Welcome to The List. It's free to view, free to be listed on, I have no interest in stealing anyone's information or making a few bucks on a kickback:

https://homediagnosis.tv/hvac-installers

I've had people from Alaska to Manhattan asking where to find an HVAC installer who even understands how to read a Manual J calculation, and just assuring them that 'they're out there' is getting boring. Here is a FREE directory of those people, SELF-SELECTED. I am NOT vetting them. They vet themselves.

Good luck to us all.

3 Rules for Kitchen Make Up Air Systems: Planning Home Ventilation that Performs

The 3 rules are: don't blow make up air on people, don't blow it on surfaces, and keep the circuit short.

See our own full kitchen exhaust and make up system at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMkvCn1sGvk

See a demo of the calculators for sizing and selecting make up air at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSmwDGxtlHU

Brilliant Basic Tools for Building Science: Psychrometric Wheel Calculator

To predict and prevent humidity problems, use a tool like this Psychrometric Wheel Calculator. Understand more about the relationship between tehmperature and relative humidity, absolute humidity, and dewpoint.

Join our Patreon members for as little as $5 a month: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

You should be able to find one of these for sale (between $2 and $50): https://www.google.com/search?q=psychrometric+wheel+calculator

How to Start a Mold Investigation Inexpensively: GOT MOLD? DIY Mold Test Kit

Our friend, longtime mold inspector Jason Earle has developed an affordable DIY kit for renters, teachers, and anyone else who'd like a quick and easy way to spot check for airborne mold. Here's his background with mold exposure from childhood, and what led him to R&D for this valuable monitoring solution. Check out the kits or order one: https://GotMold.com

5 Factors for Ventilation: How to Plan a Healthy Home

The 5 Factors for Ventilation are:

1. Circulation

2. Capture/Filtration

3. Humidity Control

4. Dilution Air

5. Pressure Relief

This way of approaching ventilation design is condensed from hundreds of hours consulting on home projects across North America- let me know if this way of thinking about ventilation is missing anything, we're pretty sure it's a comprehensive guide! Check out the ventilation course: https://buildingperformanceworkshop.com/ventilation

The ventilation brands I refer most include:

https://Broan.com
https://AirCycler.com
https://Renewaire.com

How Many CFM Does My Home Need? Ventilation Advice from HVAC Researcher Jeff Siegel

Spoiler alert: Corbett's wearing a retainer. Yes. You don't have to comment about it. Video forthcoming, as a matter of fact. Jeff Siegel is a superstar of HVAC research, and you can learn more from him in his original interview with me and at his research site. We're in the University of Toronto's rooftop climate chamber, shooting the bull about how many air cleanings per hour (aka air changes per hour, which is confusing to blower door folk) we should aim for in our living spaces. Learn more about specific ventilation strategies at:

https://Broan-Nutone.com

https://AirCycler.com

https://Renewaire.com

https://HVI.org

Filterless Air Cleaners Make No Sense: Airfree Lotus Air Purifier

Honestly, it's starting to piss us off that some of these marketing teams are combining their shocking lack of understanding of what they're selling, with an assumption that their customers won't be able to understand it either. Let's fix that right now, starting with this Airfree Lotus 'filterless air purifier'. Oh, and they make one specifically for baby rooms too, if this wasn't dumb enough already.

If you need cleaner air, use good filters, or dilute with outdoor air using something as simple and affordable as an AirCycler: https://www.aircycler.com/

Join our team and be part of our work! https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

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

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

Behind the Scenes at the Blower Door Factory: Fan and Manometer Calibration

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cu2m0GP6v38

Peek behind the curtain at Retrotec, into the calibration process for new and old blower doors and duct testing fans. Thanks to Alex Peelle and Jay Edmonds for the technical tour.

More about these systems at: https://retrotec.com

Get trained and certified on blower doors and duct testing in 1 day with me: https://buildingperformanceworkshop.com/det-verifier

Become a member, support our work, and get behind the scenes access: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

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

How to Make Enemies & Improve Gas Mileage Simply and Stressfully: HYPERMILING

Do you like games? Do you like making people angry? Welcome to Hypermiling, the most unpopular driving technique ever invented. You will get amazingly improved miles per gallon, but you might get punched too. You never know. That's what makes the game so fun.

Duct Leakage Test: Pass or Fail?

When you build a duct system, if you want it to work correctly you run a tightness test. See how Corbett did on his home’s first of 5 duct systems for different purposes. Using a Retrotec Duc Tester 300 with DM-32 manometer, available at: https://trutechtools.com

Watch the whole episode, and the whole season: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv