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3398 Washington Road
Atlanta, GA 30344
USA

773.398.5288

Advanced residential construction and home improvement consulting and owner's advocacy in Atlanta, using the latest building performance diagnostic and modeling techniques and tools. Airtightness, insulation, HVAC, ventilation, moisture, and air quality and EMF consulting for homeowners and building professionals alike.

Videos/Podcasts/Articles

Home performance articles and stories from the field with internationally respected building forensics guru Corbett Lunsford at the Building Performance Workshop. Hear new episodes of the Building Performance Podcast, see new videos from the Home Performance YouTube channel, and learn all about how diagnostic testing (more than an 'Energy Audit') can make home improvement and new home construction a proven process!

Filtering by Category: Homeowner education

Automatic Ventilation Control with Broan-Nutone's Overture: Customizable, Modular Fresh Air System

Corbett Lunsford

Places are different, homes are different, families are different. There IS NO SINGLE SOLUTION for ventilation, and that's the way it's likely to stay- so the more modular, customizable components we have access to, the better.

In addition to having some of the most advanced ERVs in the world (stay tuned for more on that), Broan has now made customized, modular ventilation systems much more practical with this lineup of Overture controls: room sensor, wall control, and smart plug- all linked to the algorithms in an app.

The Overture system can control exhaust fans, supply fans, make up air dampers, and ERVs/HRVs- we hope they will continue to push forward into controlling air handlers, dehumidifiers, humidifiers, and more. Learn more about this system and start brainstorming what you might do with it at: https://Overture.Broan-Nutone.com

Learn more about our TinyLab: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsc2-5fAgMq51-6Gwm3m7HXjRhgt9X7RK

Watch the build of our Forever Home: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsc2-5fAgMq4YgAoFaG-F6xvGT1MKwt-u

See the first-ever TV series about the Science of Homes: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv

Filterless Air Cleaners Make No Sense: Airfree Lotus Air Purifier

Corbett Lunsford

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

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

Corbett Lunsford

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/

Mythbusting a Miracle Cooling Machine: Basically a Sped Up Sweat Box- Arctic Air Pure Chill Review

Corbett Lunsford

This 'Arctic Air' Pure Chill machine is trying to sell itself as an air conditioner, but it's actually a cleverly disguised evaporative humidifier, like you'd use in an old house in wintertime. Ridiculous. Here's a bit of testing and science fundamentals to help you avoid re-branding and other marketing tricks in your home. For the testing, I used the temperature/humidity datalogger HOBO MX1101.

Whole Home Depressurization: Worst Case 'Thanksgiving Day' Scenario for Pressure Imbalances

Corbett Lunsford

From 'Home Diagnosis' Season 2 ep7: It's important to test how much suction your home can create with the machines and duct systems built into it- is it sucking hard enough to create unhealthy contaminant or moisture problems for your family? Here's a quick look at the 'Thanksgiving Day scenario' we worry about in homes new and old. See this entire episode: https://homediagnosis.tv/episode-207-slow-burn

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

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

Corbett Lunsford

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.

Corbett Lunsford

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

The Restaurant Analogy: How to Level Up Home Improvement & Construction

Corbett Lunsford

From 'HOME DIAGNOSIS' Season 2 Ep13: Aside from simple lack of education (which we and a crowd of our colleagues are trying to fix on YouTube, PBS, and elsewhere), the problems with the building industry are these, as we see it: 1. Low expectations from customers 2. Limited consequences for pros doing it wrong We'll talk about #2 another time, but this video describes very simply how we fix the expectation piece of the problem: by copying restaurant culture. See the whole episode this came from: https://homediagnosis.tv/episode-213-proof-testing-the-house

Explore the Science of Homes with us- join our team! https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

Attached Garage: Disaster Waiting to Happen?

Corbett Lunsford

FROM 'HOME DIAGNOSIS' Season 2 Ep6: People generally don't think about the performance of their garage, even when it's directly connected to living space with a door or a duct (or nothing at all like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI2--RdSq-k).

But we keep all kinds of toxic stuff in garages, and they're always at the bottom of the living space, so houses, townhomes, and multifamily buildings may suck air partly, or entirely, from the garage in cold weather. Here's a quick explanation of the what/why/where of garage air leakage that could pose a threat to the health of your family. See this entire episode: https://homediagnosis.tv/episode-206-windbreakers-air-sealing-and-insulation

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

Spray Foam Inspection & Testing in Crawlspace and Side Attic

Corbett Lunsford

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

Home Improvement FAILS: Things to Avoid Wasting Money On

Corbett Lunsford

From 'Home Diagnosis' Seaon 2 Ep 6: lots of companies are selling you lots of things that will 'make your home better'. As we all know, marketing and science are not the same thing- so here are a few tricks to watch out for: new windows, water heater insulation wrap, heat strips, and attic fans. Watch the whole episode: https://homediagnosis.tv/episode-206-windbreakers-air-sealing-and-insulation

Join our Patreon team for as little as $5/month 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

Corbett Lunsford

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