How to Design, Install, and Test a Perfect Kitchen Exhaust and Make Up Air System

Using Fantech's hood liner system (https://www.fantech.net/our-solutions/kitchen/exhaust-air-system/) and active make up air system (https://www.fantech.net/our-solutions/kitchen/makeup-air-systems/) with custom grilles from Stellar Air Vents (https://stellarairdecorativeventcovers.com/), we made our home a test lab for tuning indoor chemistry with state of the art ventilation. Thanks to LBNL’s Brett Singer for helping me get in high gear on this topic.

Get a quick and easy crash course in how your kitchen exhaust should work: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y08HOnzafM8

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

Become a member and support our work sharing this info: http://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

Training Week in Advanced Home Performance Testing and DET Verifier Certification

I'm so excited to start training in our new state of the art house! Here are the details on how I'm running live trainings- hope you'll join us. Get in touch if you have any questions, either by commenting below or contacting me directly via this website.

Day 1: Ventilation Design and Installation Techniques (4 hours)

Day 2: Advanced HVAC Diagnostics (4 hours)

Day 3: 1-Day Blower Door and Duct Testing Certification - DET Verifier (8 hours)

Day 4: Advanced Envelope Diagnostics (4 hours)

Save your seat for the upcoming trainings at: http://BuildingPerformanceWorkshop.com/training

Advanced Blower Door Testing Tips for Historic Home Renovation

Demo is starting soon on this 1920's home in Atlanta, and as an introduction we test the most important aspect- air leakage. This turned out to be the leakiest house I've ever tested (the test DOES include all attic spaces, since we're wanting to compare the same test before and after, and these attics will be a lot less confused when they're officially inside the house).

Check out the work of Matt Hoots at Sawhorse Design-Build:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1JqnAmtx8YqF-pzp1Pmdfg
https://sawhorse.net/

Check out the work of Chris and Jodi at LG Squared Architects:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2sJ6CQzqJ3DdeP7acjPRrg
https://www.lgsquaredinc.com/

Uncomfortable Homes Explained: How Air Sealing, Insulation, HVAC and Thermal Mass Actually Works

From the upcoming Season Two of 'Home Diagnosis': through a 5-day recording of temperature, humidity, and dewpoint with a datalogger, see the actual performance curves of five built environments on our property. Watch the evolution of primitive to advanced built environments, from an open-air workshop to a lived-in high performance home- the effect of air sealing and insulation alone is pretty incredible when you see it like this.

Become a member and help support this show: http://patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

See more about Home Diagnosis TV series: http://HomeDiagnosis.tv

Installing our Water Filter, Softener, Reverse Osmosis, Blu Beverage Station and Phyn Leak Detection

With before and after testing, you can see the impressive amount of details that go into this water performance system from our friends at Elite Water Systems (http://www.elitewateroftexas.com/). See the nitty gritty on testing the hardness and chlorine content of tap water, installing the Pentair Pro Elite Analyzer and programming process, the 5-filter Reverse Osmosis (RO) system, brine tanks and the salt options to consider, the Grohe Blu sparkling/chilled water station, and Phyn leak detection.

Hands-On Training in Building Science at our Atlanta School

Welcome to the training center of our dreams! In this multi-use space at our newly-constructed high performance home in Atlanta’s College Park neighborhood, we’re hosting professional and DIY crowds who want to get hands on with the science of homes: design, installation, and testing.

Come learn about diagnostics, ventilation, air tightness, HVAC, ductwork, blower door testing, infrared thermal photography, moisture investigation, and much more in this state-of-the-art contaminant controlled room. Our balanced Energy Recovery Ventilation system, HEPA filtration loop, and dedicated dehumidifier all work with stellar airtightness and insulation to create a clean, quiet classroom only 5 minutes from the busiest airport in the world.

Check out our upcoming courses: https://BuildingPerformanceWorkshop.com/training

First Blower Door and Duct Testing Certification Trainings

Our first 8 newly certified DET Verifiers came through our brand new training center at our home in Atlanta! It was a thrill, honestly, since I haven’t given any in-person trainings in over a year (like most trainers). Everyone passed their certification exams, which doesn’t always happen- they have to earn 80% on both written and hands-on exams with the equipment, and do a bunch of geometry calculations that we all forgot since high school.

They all totally rocked the use of the blower door and duct tightness tester, and are ready to rock the houses in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Alabama (no joke, that’s where all these folks work). Super happy also that we didn’t have a bunch of last minute registrations, which used to be the bane of my existence. Sold out weeks ahead of time- very grateful!

A few class stats:

Furthest Traveled: Nashville, TN (thanks DocAir for sending 3 of your crew!)

Funniest Pandemic Hobby: breeding fish

Funniest Place to Keep a Calculator: chest pocket of bib overalls

Number of 100% scores on exam: 2 (25%)

How to PROVE You Build a Healthier Home

Modern homes are not just vulnerable to moisture damage, rot, and microbes- now we also have to worry about the health of the air, and contaminants including viruses. Homeowners are seeking homes with proven safety and breathability- but what does that mean, and how do you deliver it? In this fiery one-hour course, learn key methods for measuring, fixing, and communicating the health of the homes you work on every day.

To learn a LOT MORE, visit our main site: https://BuildingPerformanceWorkshop.com

See the systems developed by Santa Fe and Ultra-Aire: https://www.santa-fe-products.com/

Watch the first-ever television series about the Science of Homes: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv

Testing UL Listed Carbon Monoxide Alarms vs. Defender Low Level Upgrade

You probably completely overestimate what your carbon monoxide alarm is protecting your family from- in this quick 'bump test' demonstration, we prove that your family's immediate death might be prevented, but long term health effects from low level CO poisoning are also a huge issue that literally no one but you can prevent.

Check out the CO alarms we recommend: https://www.trutechtools.com/Defender_c_1955.html

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

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

Ultimate HVAC Install and Testing: High Performance Heat Pump and Ductless Mini-Split

Boy, were we lucky to have these two people help us get our heating and cooling engines running: Kaleb Saleeby from Kalos Services (https://www.kalosflorida.com/) and the HVAC School Podcast, and Brent Ridley from H&M Services in Atlanta (https://handmservicesinc.com/) and the Tool Pros Podcast. These Applied Scientists in HVAC take our Mitsubishi Electric heat pumps (one ductless mini-split, one ducted air handler) from unboxing to perfect performance, using the latest tools and techniques. And thanks to everyone else who helped us with guidance along the way!

Kaleb on the HVAC School Podcast: https://www.hvacrschool.com/author/ksaleeby/

Brent on the Tool Pros Podcast: https://toolpros.libsyn.com/

Mitsubishi HVAC Systems: https://www.mitsubishicomfort.com/

Testo Tools: https://www.trutechtools.com/testo

Mueller-Streamline Super-Insulated Duragard Linesets: https://muellerstreamline.com/products/line-sets/

Hercules Equipment Pads: https://herculesequipmentpads.com/

Custom Grilles and Registers: https://stellarairdecorativeventcovers.com/

How to Hotrod a Radon Mitigation System

We've been looking forward to showing off this system for a long time- the pipes for it were installed during foundation work at the start of construction, and now 2 years later it's finished, with the Fantech Rn4 EC fan (infinitely variable), multiple drainage systems, and a roof cap. Get the details on all the tweaks we had to use to make sure this system runs perfectly, which it's doing right now.

Radon fan at: https://shop.fantech.net/en-US/radon--mitigation--fans/c46856

Wave Plus radon monitor at: https://www.trutechtools.com/AirThings-Wave-Plus-Indoor-Air-Quality-Radon

Pango Wrap at: https://www.stegoindustries.com/products/pango-wrap

WRB Sheathing vs. House Wrap: Landus Bennett’s Building Science Field Lab

Hear from the inventors of two WRB sheathing systems about why taped WRB panels are taking over for housewraps, and how to abuse your building materials to see how tough they are. Shot at the Watson Springs research lab with building scientists Landus Bennett. More at: http://WatsonSprings.com

Thanks to our Patreon supporters for helping us continue exploring the science of homes! Become a member at: http://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV