Hosts and home performance experts, Grace and Corbett Lunsford, test and diagnose a recently rehabbed, big, beautiful house in Chicago, IL that now has unexpected comfort and moisture issues, leaving the homeowner not knowing whom to trust. The owner’s mother in-law room is never comfortable and moisture beads off the new kitchen windows. Corbett and Grace’s testing reveals a surprising answer and puts the concepts of “improved” HVAC on its head.
A New Jersey homeowner with a sensitive sniffer swears she can smell the air from the attic or the basement in every part of the house, but her family can’t back her up. Can Corbett and Grace use science to prove she’s not crazy?
Grace and Corbett drive the #TinyLab a split-level ranch that hasn't been updated in decades. Ken is a retiree who's living alone now, and the house is just too big. His daughter thinks they could easily upgrade the performance to earn more when they sell- but they want hard facts, not just a hunch.
Grace and Corbett park the #TinyLab next to the oldest building in New York City, the Wyckoff House Museum. They test the two DIY tiny homes side by side, and explore what homeowners expected from home performance in 1650 compared to present day.
In an All-American suburb, Grace and Corbett test a typical house from the 80's, which has some very common (and some very uncommon) issues with performance.
Grace and Corbett analyze the performance of the most complex house they've ever tested. It has eight aquariums, two sunspaces, an indoor pool, two crawlspaces, two basements, two garages, and an industrial heating and cooling system. And it all performs according to design (because of the magic ingredient- his name is Matt).
Every home starts out as an idea. Join the Lunsfords as they conceptualize and plan to build a dream home for their family using cutting edge computer software and their profound knowledge base that emphasizes process before product.
One way the Lunsfords aim to change your relationship with your home is by giving you new language you may use to describe what you want from your home. Whether you are building, buying, or improving a home, you can ask for performance.
Explore the subtle science behind how water, in all its forms, interacts with every home in both healthy and unhealthy ways, and learn how new and current homeowners can mitigate such challenges with conscientious, educated preparation.
A certain level of distrust exists in the home building business between the homeowners and general contractors, a distrust that swings both ways. Take a step back and look at the culture of the home improvement and construction industry.
When designing a new home, the placement and type of windows you choose will have significant impact on the amount of natural light that enters your home, and the overall state of your home's ambient comfort level. Choose wisely.
The quality of a home's enclosure plays a major role in a home's overall performance. Factor in proper air sealant measures and insulation, and Grace and Corbett will tell you that as the builder of a new home, you are on the right path.
Fire and chemicals are wild, elemental variables that require careful consideration within our home environments. The myriad systems, appliances, and products we use add to our home's indoor chemistry in ways we need to pay attention to.
Heat can circulate within our homes in three ways: conductively, convectively, and radiationally. Using this rationale, Grace and Corbett reveal the ways we all can fine-tune our home heating systems to provide the cozy comfort we seek.
Moisture affects virtually every aspect of our home's environment, particularly the air quality. Grace and Corbett explore the complexities of regulating the moisture in our homes to help prevent unwanted variables from gaining a foothold.
A vast number of molecules inhabit our homes that affect the makeup of our home's chemistry. Indoor chemistry is fundamentally different than outdoor chemistry, and the actions we perform within our homes all have measurable side effects.
Controlled ventilation is of paramount importance in regulating our home's chemical and microbiological makeup. Grace and Corbett enlighten us as to the unique ways we can identify, prevent, and cure the HOMEchem headaches that can exist.
Light affects our homes in a variety of ways, including its tendency to cause spontaneous photochemical reactions to take place. Therefore, the Lunsfords believe that factoring light into the calculus of building a home is a top priority.
To maintain control of your home, the Lunsfords firmly believe in the value of testing the unique interactions between heat bleed, air flow and pressure, moisture, and air quality in your home to maximize your family's health and comfort.
Exploring disaster science with fire of all kinds -- house fires, a smoke detector debacle, wildfire and "controlled" burns and a fiasco involving flame retardants mixed into too many products.
Side effects of air leakages.
The science of pest control, rodents and rare home-dwelling insects
Tornadoes, tsunamis, floods and hurricanes.
Air cleaners, essential oil diffusers and air fresheners; toxic materials.
Simulated earthquakes, the phenomena of liquefaction and landslides; firing a hail cannon.
Exploring the what, how and why of environmental sensitivity or "sick building syndrome" and how to avoid it.
Extreme environments.
The science of mold.
Dealing with outdoor pollution inside.
Preparing for and recovering from disasters; advice on insurance claims and lawsuits.
