Outdoor Pollution Reacting in Your Home (Water Toxins, Smog, Wildfire Smoke) HOME DIAGNOSIS Ep 310

Can we ever truly be safe living in a bubble? Physics, chemistry, and microbiology teach us that it's impossible to avoid dealing with industrial and traffic pollution, water contaminants, sewer system upgrades (whoa that part), your workplace, fast fashion, and wildfire smoke (plus third-hand smoke, which you might not even have heard of yet). And what happens when the outdoor world and our indoor world meet and react?

Join our team and keep this show independent: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

Featured researchers and experts: 

Miriam Diamond, Environmental Chemist at University of Toronto

Marianne Hatzopoulou, Air Quality Researcher at University of Toronto

Sarah Henderson, Indoor Air Researcher at British Columbia Centers for Disease Control

Elliott Gall, Air Quality Researcher at Portland State University

Delphine Farmer, Atmospheric Chemist at Colorado State University

Andrew Whelton, Water Safety Researcher at Purdue University

Mike Marquez, Water Filtration Technician

Jeffrey Siegel, Indoor Air Quality Researcher at University of Toronto

Lauren Garofalo, Atmospheric Chemist at Colorado State University

Michael Link, Analytical Chemist at NIST

Also featuring UrbanScanner (https://news.engineering.utoronto.ca/the-urbanscanner-project-mobile-monitoring-of-air-pollution-in-cities/), the Center for Plumbing Safety (https://engineering.purdue.edu/PlumbingSafety) and their research on Cured-In-Place Pipe technology (see the list of accidents happening across the US here: https://engineering.purdue.edu/CIPPSafety/resources/incidents), the art of chemistry visualization by our friend Kamil Czapiga (https://Cosmodernism.com) and lots of footage courtesy of Creative Commons and the US DOD. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.  

Dive deeper at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv/episode-310-outside-sneaking-in

Extreme Home Environments: Heat, Ice, Microclimates, & Space Stations- Ep 308 of HOME DIAGNOSIS

What is an extreme environment, and what can survive there? Well, our homes are technically extreme environments for most insects, and within our homes there are myriad extreme micro-environments where really strange microbial life flourishes. Let's look into the science of exteme heat and cold, what it does to our citizens and our societies, and spend some quality time in Hawaii and the vacuum of space.

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

Featured researchers and experts:
Ian Robertson- Disaster Resilience Researcher at University of Hawaii
David Sailor- Extreme Heat Researcher at Arizona State University
Sarah Henderson- Indoor Air Researcher at British Columbia Centers for Disease Control
Lori Peek- Social Scientist
Rob Dunn- Indoor Ecology Researcher
Jonathan Eisen- Microbiologist at University of California- Davis
Birgitte Anderson- Mycologist at University of Copenhagen
Karen Dannemiller- Environmental Engineer at Ohio State University

Also featuring lots of footage courtesy of Creative Commons and the US DOD. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Dive deeper at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv/episode-308-volcano-land

Smart Home Ventilation Nerd Out: BROAN AI Series ERV/HRV for HVAC Perfectionists

**CHAPTER TIMES BELOW** Recently Broan released its AI Series equalizing ventilators, and they are frankly the best thing going for quality at a reasonable cost. They're also complex enough that it bears making a 26 minute video explaining the configuration options, so don't take this piece of HVAC equipment lightly. It DOES make a big piece of the puzzle MUCH easier, by testing itself 2X/second. A new day for 'simpler' HVAC that's actually pretty complex.

See this line up at: https://www.broan-nutone.com/en-us/ai-series

Check out my awesome Residential Ventilation Design and Installation Course at: https://buildingperformanceworkshop.com/ventilation

Join our Patreon team and become part of a year-round conference on applied building science: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

1:36 Self-testing feature

2:36 Ports arrangement

3:25 Start up

4:30 Hard reset

5:23 Max airflows

5:52 Flashing house icon

6:35 CONFIG OPTIONS

6:36 Defrost mode

10:14 Installation layouts T1-T5

10:16 T1 Installation: Fully ducted

10:58 T2 Installation: Half ducted + return

12:03 T3 Installation: Half ducted + supply

13:01 T4 Installation: Simple return-return

14:05 T5 Installation: Simple return-supply

15:53 Dry Contact Control Mode

18:01 Override Options

20:09 Intermittent Mode

20:32 Info on Wattage Consumption

20:43 EXTRA CREDIT BITS

Testing Ventilation in a Hotel Room: Bath Exhaust and Fresh Air via Windows

If you've ever stayed in a hotel, you've probably been victim to some heinous building science mistakes. Here's one I stayed in that was actually amazingly OVERperforming, so we fixed it ;).

Moldy House in a Moldy World (Mycotoxins, Black Mold, Dry Rot, & Inspection)-Ep309 of HOME DIAGNOSIS

Fungi are incredible life forms that we barely understand- neither animal nor plant. Sometimes they want to live and grow alongside us, which can have massive health impacts. Explore the science of mycotoxins, dry rot, 'toxic' black mold, and how to inspect your home and tune your living space to be accepting of molds, but keep them where they belong.

Join our team and keep this show independent: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

Featured researchers and experts:
James Scott- Mycologist at http://www.sporometrics.com/
Rob Dunn- Indoor Ecology Researcher at https://robdunnlab.com/
Coby Schal- Entomologist at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Birgitte Anderson- Mycologist at University of Copenhagen
Jason Earle- Mold Inspector
Karen Dannemiller- Environmental Engineer at Ohio State University

Also featuring lots of footage courtesy of Creative Commons and the US DOD. The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Dive deeper at: https://HomeDiagnosis.tv/episode-309-mold

PRESSURE-SENSING Make Up Air for Homes? (AND WHY IT'S COMPLICATED)- Airscape MUA System

People have asked many times whether a whole-home make up air system can simply monitor the house pressure, and equalize it automatically when necessary. This would handle depressurization from bath fans, kitchen exhaust hoods, vented dryers, and fireplaces. While there IS a system available that aims to do this (https://airscapefans.com/collections/other-residential-ventilation/products/residential-makeup-air-unit), it cannot completely eliminate the pressure imbalances smaller than 2 Pascals because of the variance in wind (and stack effect). I have personally seen fireplaces backdraft with as little as 2 Pascals of home depressurization.

Take my amazing self-paced Ventilation Design & Install course: https://buildingperformanceworkshop.com/ventilation

2024 AHR Home Ventilation Showdown: New ERV/HRVs, Filter Science, Pretty HVAC Grilles, & Make Up Air

FOR MORE SCIENTIFIC INFO ON THE WORSTS: Beware of Air Purifiers, Miracle Products, & Quick Fixes- Ep 305 of HOME DIAGNOSIS https://youtu.be/lwb8d-h6_a8

Very excited at all the innovations displayed at AHR EXPO 2024 in Chicago. See devices and systems demonstrated here that cover all 5 of the Factors of home ventilation: circulation, capture/filtration, humidity control, dilution air, and pressure relief. Chapter navigation below.

Join our ongoing masterclass in applied building science at Patreon: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

1:07 UV lights, ionizers, and other home electronic air cleaners are snake oil until proven otherwise
1:19 HEPA filters, electrostatic charge, and different media types- Rensa
3:11 Even office supply manufacturer Fellowes knows air cleaners don't need to be more than a filter
4:05 Beautiful grilles and registers everywhere (here from Effectiv)
4:40 Combo recessed light and HVAC grille- Comfy-Light
5:16 Supply ventilation controls from Panasonic
6:07 Prof. Sean Chang is getting the hospitality industry smarter about IAQ
7:36 Exhaust robot arms- Movex 7:56 Biggest residential ERV available (~400 cfm) from Renewaire
8:54 Flow-limited ERV system from Aldes
11:10 How does a Constant Airflow Regulator work? with Frank from Effectiv
13:15 Corey Mullins, FL HVAC rockstar, on why nobody is dehumidifying in FLORIDA?!?
15:02 You can't dehumidify 600 cfm of makeup air, sorry
15:23 Current sensing switch types from Functional Devices
16:29 Modulating steam humidifier from Carel
17:41 Turkish customizable ERV that kicks ass so hard- BSK
19:32 Molded intake screens from BWC
20:26 Zehnder America's unique ERV flow regulation and exhaust filtration
22:38 Fire-safe stair pressurization system from US Draft Co.
22:35 ASHRAE bookstore is not rich in residential information, but we hope it will be someday

2024 AHR HVAC Show: Testing, Mini-Splits, and Why Manual J is Pissing Me Off

OK, running thru line alert- it's been demonstrated to me that we're calculating way too much heating needed for certain homes, and I'm digging into that. There's a lot more going on at this year's AHR Expo though- from new mini-split designs that actually filter and won't need as much maintenance, to geothermal system diagnostics, to the tiniest heat pump I've ever seen.

Join our ongoing masterclass in applied building science at Patreon: https://Patreon.com/HomeDiagnosisTV

0:12 Ceiling fan shoutout
0:18 New test instruments from TPI and Kanomax
3:49 Brent Ridley wins bet on electric backup heat being dumb
5:01 AI-enabled zone damper system 75F 7:30 DC powered 1/10 ton mini-split heat pump, Masterflux by Tecumseh
8:46 Bill Spohn agrees electric backup heat is silly even in Pennsylvania
9:35 New mini-split design with MERV 14 filters and less mold potential, Sharp Electronics
11:28 Heat pump water heaters still don't know how much cooling they make
11:58 Kevin Demaster on Mitsubishi outperforming Manual J (WTF) and geothermal
14:19 Geothermal heat pumps and web-based diagnostics at WaterFurnace
16:11 Duct board PSA 16:45 Custom printed flex ducts, Prihoda North America
17:02 Automated drain pan disinfection solution, iFlo
19:44 TrueLoads new HVAC design software, and John Whitehead is a hoot
22:15 Alex Meaney, MeanHVAC, on why Manual J might be bending the math on heat load calcs

NEW Science of Home IAQ: Conclusions from 10 Year, $40m Indoor Chemistry Research Project CIE

If you get a bit lost in this session, here’s our version of an overview that might help: ‘Quick’ Tour of NEW DISCOVERIES About Chemistry of Indoor Environments: https://youtu.be/J2iHOCI2hz4

The Chemistry of Indoor Environments magnum opus took 10 years (and data is still being mined) and we've been the video team for 5 of those. Here's the kickoff to 31 weeks of HOMEChem, CASA, MOCCIE, and much more about what the world has just learned about the science of homes.

Thanks to Bill Nazaroff and Charlie Weschler for being awesome researchers and people. Learn WAY more by subscribing and visit: https://homediagnosis.tv/homechem

Read papers and see the raw research at: https://indoorchem.org/

Home HVAC and Performance Analysis Demo: 2024 'New American Home' for Fancypants

This vid is a standalone version from the end of the hourlong full IBS tour vid: https://youtu.be/Yf_JuzDaS6Q

Took a bus 45 minutes to a wealthy gated community and told to wait in line 90 minutes to take a tour. To be honest though, I was already pretty annoyed at calling this 'The New American Home' like it's a gift to everyone and not just one CEO's family.

Politics aside, this is a look into how even multi-multi-million dollar homes get it wrong on the performance side sometimes- YES there are good things in here too, and no offense meant to the designers. Everybody's gotta have clients, and rich clients do have their benefits.

Home Builder Show Best & Worst: Science at 2024 IBS KBIS Design & Construction Week

*Longest video ever put on our channel, very proud and also a little concerned. But I stand behind every bit of this being ONE video- it'll make sense I promise.

This is my annual tour of the International Builder Show where I'm in a tiny minority of commentators who try to dig deeper than just saying 'wow cool' and in fact might piss some people off royally. Whether you get pissed or not, I hope you'll be interested in the deeper dive into the physics, chemistry, and microbiology we always try to bring to the table.

Testing using the Extech VPC-260 6-Channel Particle Counter, FLIR MR277, Aranet4 CO2 sensor, and Sensit P100 CO monitor.

0:26 Solus fire pits

1:44 Fireplace electric alternatives

2:02 Car wash shower head situation

2:09 Gradient ductless minisplit window unit

3:03 Whole house fan salespeople use the HARD SELL

3:49 Artificial topiary sculpture magic (would not put these indoors)

4:03 Rainstick recirculating shower

5:33 Aquafire ultrasonic humidifier fireplace gizmo

6:06 Weather barriers of all kinds

6:20 ForceField and ZIP WRB sheathing application thoughts (FYI cutting on a roof and creating sawdust is super dangerous for tread on any sheathing types)

7:54 Ceiling fan alternative

8:01 Radiant barrier coated foam insulation installation thoughts

8:29 Thermal Grip Exterior Insulation Fasteners

9:28 Mesh rain screens from Ben Obdyke and others

10:24 Kitchen exhaust hood design thoughts

11:57 Ceiling fan alternatives

12:05 Break and check CO2 in convention hall (and my airplane next day)

12:34 ERV labels and OEM re-labeling (this can be a very good thing)

13:36 Testing Broan bath fans and new AI Series ERV design with REVERSEABLE FLOW

16:09 Rockwool, Havelock sheep wool, and TimberHP wood wool insulations (FYI the carpenter ants DO burrow into my borate treated EPS insulation in the TinyLab)

17:53 Vent Out bath fan terminations and installation mistake potentials

18:47 Beware of air cleaners that rely on electronics

19:34 Towel warmers can have impacts on load calcs for HVAC

19:59 Lennox shout out

20:03 Meetup with our Patreon members

20:59 Essential oil diffusers are bad news even when they're free giveaways

21:07 Beautiful ductwork

21:16 Custom metal HVAC grilles from Architectural Grilles

21:27 Ice bath research shows salad bowl to the face works just as well

21:51 New HVAC technology can make each room in your home a different temp?!?

22:11 Aprilaire's new ERV, evaporative humidifier, and the reality of UV lamp sterilization

25:17 LiteCon aerated concrete panels

26:07 80% of innovations in the building industry personified in Pella's new installation clips

27:04 Fireproofing with Vulcan Vents

30:13 Retrotec's NEW lightweight battery powered blower door & $400 1-channel manometer

32:06 Panasonic ERVs

33:55 Sashco sealants (why are there SO many different kinds?)

37:24 Tiny Homes just keep on coming (here's what's missing though)

40:50 'The New American Home' performance analysis

59:38 AeroBarrier and the leakier blower door test phenomenon

1:01:38 HVAC performance data FAIL for not pushing high enough temps

HVAC Design Softwares with Kwik Model's Russ King: Building Performance Podcast #92

Today we talk with HVAC design legend Russ King (https://kwikmodel.com) about how to trim the fat out of heat load calculations in Manual J (and how you sometimes can't), along with fine points on duct design, grille selections, and a brand new movement in software to help homeowners perform their own load calculations (https://DIYloadcalcs.com).

For more podcast interviews: https://BuildingPerformancePodcast.com