Hotel Bathroom Wrecked (by Design)

How Not to Design Ventilation with a Bath Exhaust Fan

At the end of our South Central Tour for Home Diagnosis Season 3, we stayed in a nice new hotel that I just couldn't help but show you. We've stayed in dozens exactly like this, but it's just too many times to refrain from making fun of these bozos anymore.

See how you design and install bath fans like a grown up here: https://youtu.be/YAi9rJ31wqU

See 'Home Diagnosis' episodes at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv

6 Case Studies for Crafting Modular Ventilation Systems: Radon, Filtration, ERV, Make Up Air, & Dehumidifiers

Not only do we usually misunderstand the causes of problems in our homes, we often miss the mark in our attempts to fix them. #Ventilation is not a piece of cake, but it’s certainly not brain surgery.

Learn the hows and whys behind six specific, unique situations where air quality was an issue for families. Thanks to @aprilaireco for teaming up with us on this!

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

Consult or Train with Corbett at: http://BuildingPerformanceWorkshop.com

Check out Aprilaire modular ventilation components at: http://Aprilaire.com

Builder Show Best and Worst: IBS 2022 Healthy Home Highlights

LOTS going on in the air quality space during this show (and not just the sky high CO2 or the combustion gases)- from new sophisticated controls for ventilation, components and plans to protect against disasters like wildfire, earthquake, and tornadoes, to more evolved HVAC systems and the overall direction of builders for the mainstream.

Learn more about the science of homes at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv

Train or consult with us at: https://BuildingPerformanceWorkshop.com

AHR EXPO 2022: Tour and Testing the Ventilation at the Biggest HVAC Tradeshow in the US

Lots to see at this HVAC trade conference, here are my favorite pertinent bits to what we're seeing evolve within heating, cooling, ventilation, and testing.

HVAC IAQ Mythbusting with Dr. Jeffrey Siegel: Building Performance Podcast #90

Today we talk with Dr. Jeffrey Siegel about research on residential HVAC, filters, UV lights, electronic air cleaners, mini-splits, humidifiers, and ventilation abroad. For anyone who's interested in HVAC even a little bit. You'll thank yourself if you stay tuned to the end! For more podcasts: http://BuildingPerformancePodcast.com

For those of you who prefer audio only:

Wild Kingdom Around Us 24/7: Microbiology of Homes with Rob Dunn

In one of my all-time favorite (and longest) interviews, we talk with Rob Dunn, a researcher and expert on ecology within homes and author of the amazing book 'Never Home Alone' (http://robdunnlab.com/). The conversation ranges from black mold in drywall to biofilm in plumbing to the extreme environments within our 'normal' American homes- and where we're headed.

You can help support the making of this podcast for as little as $5 a month at: http://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

Lessons Learned Building High Performance Forever Homes: Factory-Built Modular Home & Self-Build DIY

For the national home performance conference, we presented side-by-side with our longtime friend and collaborator Bill Spohn (https://spohnhome.com/) about our simultaneous building of family forever homes. Pretty different approaches, and yes, this is a long presentation- hope the super nerds out there will enjoy hearing the breakdown.

Find Bill through his company, TruTech Tools: https://TruTechTools.com

Incredible Craftsmen in Wood, Metal, and Building Science at Watson Springs

Welcome to the workshops of our friends Richard Shrader (http://RShrader.com) and Dr. Landus Bennett (whom you've seen several times before on our channel), the brains and hands behind http://WatsonSprings.com. Relax and tag along on an impromptu hack video tour of some of the most amazing stuff I've seen in my career.

Tiny House Building Science Basics

1. Tell us about the TinyLab:

Our #TinyLab is a 210 sq. ft. house on wheels we designed and built ourselves to be the best performing home most people have ever seen. It’s supremely airtight, quiet, and comfortable, while also being equipped with the best heating, cooling, and ventilation systems in the world. We’re showing Americans how home performance works with our non-profit Proof Is Possible Tour. There’s this mythology around houses that ‘they all have problems, that’s just how they are’; it’s just not true.

2. How did the TinyLab start?

Well, the dynamics of home performance are based in physics, which is tough to explain- our colleagues have been trying for decades. But these dynamics can have real consequences for your family- they can cause sickness or even death. We thought, ‘how can we show consumers home performance?’ The #TinyLab is what all homes could evolve to be, whether they’re big or small. It’s a critical time for this, since building codes in all 50 states are requiring performance testing.

3. What are the major findings between the relationship of health and homes?

Two major health problems anyone can find out themselves for starters: dampness and carbon monoxide (CO). The symptoms of CO poisoning are ‘flu-like’, but ask yourself how many times you’ve been to the doctor with ‘flu-like’ symptoms and ever been tested for CO poisoning (never, say most people). And though we know dampness causes mold, mildew, dust mites, etc, do we think about what causes dampness? It’s usually air leakage- air leakage is the single biggest problem in most homes.

4. How do you protect yourself from carbon monoxide poisoning?

The only way to be sure is to test. Whole-home performance testing can prove if your gas stove, water heater, furnace, or fireplace are exhausting properly and creating very little CO. We have a Defender ‘low-level’ monitor in the TinyLab. Your normal CO detector won’t always protect you. If it’s what’s called ‘UL-listed’ then it specifically will NOT protect children, pregnant women, ill or elderly people from low-level carbon monoxide poisoning. And it says so right in the manual. Crazy.

5. What are 5 tips you have for any homeowner/ renter reading this?

One: Your home is a system of interacting parts, so anyone who says one product can fix it is lying or naïve. Two: Proof is Possible- act on diagnostic proof before you undertake surgery on your home and before you pay your contractors for measured improvements. Three: airtightness is good- don’t let anyone tell you we should build crappy houses that can ‘breathe’ through the cracks. Four: ventilation is critical- take stale air out, bring fresh air in. Five: Our YouTube channel is called ‘Home Performance’- you can learn tips 6 through 1000 there.

6. What specific diagnostics are recommended for homes?

Great question! Blower door testing is most important- our TinyLab’s test proves that as first-time homebuilders, we achieved the most airtight standard in the world (that’s what makes it so quiet in here). Infrared thermal photos prove our insulation works. Pressure testing proves our home is not sucking air back in through exhaust fans or chimneys. Airflow testing proves our HVAC system’s working as designed. Air quality tests prove our family isn’t being poisoned. Proof is possible. Ask for it.

To learn more about your home’s performance, download the free ‘GeniusBooklet’ at:

https://buildingperformanceworkshop.com/geniusbooklet-how-your-home-works

To see the #TinyLab as it travels across the U.S. on the Proof Is Possible Tour, see the schedule at:

http://ProofIsPossible.com

Indoor Chemistry Across Continents and Decades

In this around the world episode, we explore indoor chemistry in homes on 3 continents, and how to control it. Featuring the amazing Dr. Charles Weschler, a researcher and professor at Rutgers University in the U.S. and Tsinghua University in Beijing, as well as Technical University of Denmark.

Learn more about chemicals to avoid at: http://SixClasses.org

See the first-ever TV series about building science at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv

The Science of Homes in Hawaii

Hawaii might seem like a perfect place to live at first glance, and a terrible place to set up a home performance consulting company. But Blake Reid has found lots of opportunity built into the vacation destination's natural geography and climate that make home building and maintenance a real challenge.

Check out Blake's excellent blog at: https://terrawatthome.com/blog

Watch this entire series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsc2-5fAgMq4I_Bjpvmb1Z39Y0uEMGEC9

Join the Building Performance Association: http://building-performance.org

Check out the Building Performance Journal: http://homeenergy.org

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

Science of Home Quarantine Pt 1: COVID-19 Pandemic Medical/Chemical Impacts Indoors

Please consider supporting our work in the frontier of making the science of homes mainstream at: http://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

If we were guinea pigs for indoor chemistry and home performance dynamics before this Coronavirus pandemic, how much more so now that we're all spending almost 100% of our time inside our homes? In this first part of a three-part series with Healthy Indoors Magazine, hear a discussion of the home performance dynamic impacts this quarantine period is having on us all.

Featuring Dr. Michelle Sanborn, MD, Joe Medosch of Hayward Score (http://HaywardScore.com), Dr. Delphine Farmer PhD of HOMEChem, and Bob Krell of Healthy Indoors.

Resource 1: Ventilation can be as effective as mitigating as vaccination coverage of 50% to 60%! https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-38825-y.pdf

Resource 2: Is low indoor humidity a driver for healthcare-associated infections? https://www.isiaq.org/docs/Papers/Paper340.pdf

Resource 3: How Long Will Coronavirus Live on Surfaces or in the Air Around You? https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/health/coronavirus-surfaces-aerosols.html?referringSource=articleShare

Resource 4: Aerosol and Surface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 as Compared with SARS-CoV-1 https://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMc2004973?articleTools=true

Resource 5: Why Soap Works https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/13/health/soap-coronavirus-handwashing-germs.html

In Part Two of our three-part panel discussion, hear a sometimes very in-the-weeds exploration of the community impacts within our buildings. Featuring public health specialist Dr. David Krause, PhD (https://www.healthcarecontractingconsulting.com), indoor environmental expert Scott Armour (https://armourappliedscience.com/), HVAC investigator and hygienist Tim Hebert (https://www.apsihc.com/), and Bob Krell of Healthy Indoors.

The final session in this panel discussion series from March 19, 2020 dives pretty deeply into technical niches of cleaning and disinfecting commercial, industrial, and healthcare facilities. Featuring IAQ and retrocommissioning expert Kristofer Anderson, PE , outbreak and chemical expert Cole Stanton (http://ICPgroup.com), and building investigator Bob Krell.

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

Subscribe to Healthy Indoors Magazine at: http://HealthyIndoors.com

Assess your home's health at: http://HaywardScore.com