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3398 Washington Road
Atlanta, GA 30344
USA
773.398.5288
corbett@buildingperformanceworkshop.com
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.
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: Videos
SMART KIDS, AND PEOPLE WHO KNOW SMART KIDS: we need your help! Meet Kaleb Saleeby, who explains that the day to day work of HVAC is a superhero scientist story. Learn A TON MORE FOR FREE at: http://HVACRschool.com
Check out the first-ever TV series about the Science of Homes: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv
I had a bear of a time learning the tricks of this inarguably excellent LED tape lighting from Kichler, but only when using channels and diffusers in our highly customized forever home. For any of you who may try the same thing and want to cry, here's some advice.
See this system of LED tape, channels, and diffuser lenses at: http://Kichler.com
I've heard lots of myths and misinformation about water heating, and lots of 'silver bullet' products that don't actually do what they claim. Here's a refresher on a bunch of things that you might not have ever seen or considered before, and the testing to prove they work. Featuring Chronomite instantaneous tankless water heaters with a low flow activation down to 0.2 gpm, microprocessor control, and self-cleaning features, along with our system’s efficient PEX one-pipe plumbing, and even ventilation location selection.
Check out these handy machines at: http://Chronomite.com
Loads of people have had nightmares with cracked tile or rotting from leaks- but it doesn't have to be that way. There are techniques and tools out there to help you build a 100-year tile bathroom floor and shower. Check out our adventure with the Custom Building Products system in our family's forever home. We demonstrate installation details (and inspection tips) for RedGard membrane and Uncoupling Mat, Multi-Surface Bonding Primer, ProLite mortar and Wonderboard. All lighting you see in our house is from Kichler, by the way, if you love it too.
Become a member and support our work exploring the science of homes: http://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV
Learn more about this unique performance-tuned house at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv/atlanta-homestead
Hire Corbett to consult on your own home: https://buildingperformanceworkshop.com/video-consulting
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/
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:
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
I used to wonder what exactly the chemicals in bug spray were doing to my pets and my kids. Now I don't have to care anymore. Freed up some brain space for more important things. Here's how you can do it too. Learn more at: https://HealthyIndoors.com
See more about this incredible house at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv/atlanta-homestead
Become a member and support our work at: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV
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
Landus Bennett at Watson Springs is one of my heroes. Here's why. See more of Landus's work at: http://watsonsprings.com/
Thanks to subscriber Big O for challenging us on this question: Why are windows no longer good enough? Here's at least four reasons why, installed in our own performance-tuned home. Learn more about these and all the other awesome systems we used to build this house at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv/atlanta-homestead
Check out Healthy Indoors Magazine: http://HealthyIndoors.com
Thanks to our Patreon supporters for keeping our work going strong: http://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV
See the science behind our forever home's railings, through the installation by my parents and our interview with David Lord, Engineer and Project Manager for RailFX. See more about our forever home's design and progress at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv/atlanta-homestead
Become a member and help support our work exploring the Science of Homes: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV