HOME DIAGNOSIS

#201 Form Vs. Function: Aesthetics vs. Performance
The Lunsford’s reflect on their origin story and what has motivated them to take this next big step into designing and building their own home, with tuned performance as the driving factor. Selection of materials is explored here, as well as the ways geometry and space organization affect performance.

#202 Big Picture: Performance vs. Energy Efficiency
Indoor Air Quality requires understanding ventilation and air tightness targets, and with low income weatherization and government programs pushing for EE, the origin of the ‘energy audit’ is exposed as good at heart but inconsistent with building codes, and possibly harmful for the home’s occupants.

#203 Destruction: Water is Everywhere
Moisture is a central instigator of chemistry and with a focus on drainage, leaks, flooding, mold, restoration, humidity, using humidity to flush homes and finding ways to control it. The Lunsfords first introduce the concept of home chemistry and microbiology in this episode, speaking with experts to understand its life-giving potential and destructive chemical power.

#204 The Truth About Home Building: Real Life of a Contractor
The construction industry hasn’t embraced building for performance, due to the nature of feast and famine, and hurry-up-and-wait. The Lunsfords share lessons learned being the designers, builders, and labor crew all on one project, and guide viewers into a healthier relationship with contractors.

#205 This Little Light of Mine: Holes in the House (Windows, Skylights and Doors)
Everyone wants their homes to bring in the beauty of the outdoors, but which products are best and which installation techniques can hurt your performance and potentially create headaches? The Lunsfords debunk the myth of windows and doors causing all drafts, teaching stack effect and demonstrating the blower door test of their own fully enclosed home build.

#206 Windbreakers: Airtightness and the Enclosure
There’s a fear abundant in the general public that houses “need to breathe” and they shouldn’t be built too tight, but what does that mean? Housewraps, all-in-one WRB sheathing, tapes, foams all can help seal a house tight, but then it must be ventilated right. Every home is a system, and the skin of a home is as critical as the skin of your body.

#207 Slow Burn: Combustion
A reflection of the episode of water, the Lunsfords look at the next major chemistry instigator, fire, and how it affects Home Chemistry. The Lunsfords explore the importance of proper kitchen exhaust sizing and usage, the dreaded ‘Thanksgiving Day’ scenario, and the dangers of combustion gases and low level carbon monoxide poisoning, which is not detected by mainstream CO monitors.

#208 Keeping the Cold at Bay: Heating Methods at Home
Mythbusting and truth-telling around forced air ducted and ductless systems, boilers, radiant heat, and the basics of thermodynamics. Watch the installation of the Lunsfords’ high performance HVAC system, and see the beginnings of the airflow and pressure testing they’ll employ until the build is done.

#209 Opening the Icebox: Cooling and Drying
Focusing on the weird world of psychrometrics, and keeping temperature and humidity in balance. Take a look into the history of air conditioning, and attempts to diversify and consolidate home climate control tools, and a deeper dive into ductwork and airflow as the Lunsfords prepare to dig into Home Chemistry.

#210 The Headaches of Homechem: Why We Should Care
Today, each of us will add a few ingredients and catalysts to our home’s chemistry experiment. The simple activities of cooking, cleaning, and even being inside our homes causes what researchers now know is an astronomically elevated level of pollution, compared to the outdoors. Arm yourself with the knowledge of what to defend your family against.

#211 Healing Your Homechem: Solutions ffor Indoor Chemistry
Grace and Corbett dive deep into how to control HomeChem with strategies including filtration, humidity control, outdoor ventilation systems, and modern make up air for controlling home pressure imbalances.

#212 Universe’s Battery: Homes in the Sun
The sun’s rays cause chemical reactions in our yards, on the faces of our homes, and even indoors. Learn more about calculating and optimizing the cooling load for any home, and investigate passive solar science, low e films, and ozone in the home, along with a permaculture plan for their property in general.

#213 Proof: Testing the House
The Lunsfords set out to build a high performance home for their family, but did they achieve perfect tuning? Watch them test each facet of their home’s control over heat bleed, airflows/pressures, moisture, and contaminants. Take the final tour of interior furnishings, lighting, and finishes and see what a high performance house looks like, above and below the hood.