healthy homes, healthy people healthy living for both you and your home
TRANSCRIPT
Healthy Homes, Healthy People
Healthy Living for both you and your home
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Your House
• Think of your home as a living organism
• It is a system, interdependent on itself
• Much like your body, if one system is in distress it affects your whole body
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Exterior of Home• Do an exterior check
– May clue you into potential problems inside
• Gutters in place? Broken? Missing?• Holes and grading
near foundation?• Cracks in foundation?• Is a swale needed?
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Exterior of House• Trim vegetation from touching
home• Check for pest entry (critters,
termites)• Clean window wells, use covers• Landscaping blocking flow of
water?• Attached garage?
– Chemical fumes – Don’t let car idle ~ 7,000ppm startup
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Question?• Who thinks they have a clean
home?• What does clean mean?• What about
– Allergies– Asthma– Hypersensitivities?
40-50 million people affected by allergies
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Have you thought of…• Pollen • Mold spores• Bacteria• Pet dander• Insect parts,
poop• Skin cells• Fabric fibers
• Carpets, dryer lint
• Soot• Tire particles• Off gassing
• Gas fumes (garage)• Fragrances (VOCs)• Dryer sheets• Candles• Enviro Tobacco
Smoke• Rodents &
droppings• Feather parts• Food crumbs• Dust mites• Litter boxes• Plants
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Keep in Mind…• Check
– For CO detectors and fire detectors– For exterior vented exhaust fans– Furnace filters– Air exchangers– Floor vents, duct work– Vent pipes (sewer, sump, furnace)– For pests
• Analyze housekeeping• ETS
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Where we are comfortable…
• Air temperature– 65 F (active) to 80 F (bathing)
• Air relative humidity: – 30-60% (cold climates)
• Air motion: 20–40 feet per min• Surrounding surface temperatures
– Within 10-15 F of room temperature
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How much air? – Delivered how?
How moves air through buildings?
Mechanical FansBuoyancyStack effect - warm air rising
Exhaust Fan
WIND DIRECTION
Wind
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Neutral pressure plane
Stack Effect
Wind Effect
Positive and Negative Pressures
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ASHRAE 62.2-2010
www.ashrae.org
A Wisconsin pilot study conducted in 2004 found that 78% of weatherized units required additional mechanical ventilation under 62.2Average installed cost, including controls: $525 (2004-2005 prices)
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Floor Area (ft2)
BEDROOMS
0 - 1 2 - 3 4 - 5 6 - 7 >7
< 1500 30 45 60 75 90
1501 – 3000 45 60 75 90 105
3001 – 4500 60 75 90 105 120
4501 – 6000 75 90 105 120 135
6001 – 7500 90 105 120 135 150
> 7500 105 120 135 150 165
Table 4.1a: Minimum Ventilation Air Requirements, CFM, New Buildings1
1 ASHRAE 62.2-2010, p 4
ASHRAE 62.2-2010 Table
45
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Base Formula Calculation
Base formula, step by step
Multiply the number of bedrooms + 1 or the number of people by 7.5 CFM per person
Calculate 1 CFM per 100 square feet of floor area:
Add them together
4 people * 7.5 CFM/person = 30 CFM
1500 ft2/100 ft2 per required CFM = 15 CFM
30 CFM + 15 CFM = 45 CFM continuous
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Air Exchangers
Photo courtesy of The US Department of EnergyGraphic courtesy of Popular Mechanics
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Mechanical Ventilation
• Bath
• Kitchen
• Dryer
• Vented to exterior???
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Complaint of odors• Check for fragrance emitters• Candles (ghosting)• Overuse of dryer sheets• Chemicals inside• Off-gassing materials• Wet insulation• Musty• Gas – sewer• Smokers?
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Remodeling…odd finds
• Unused sewer line
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Carpet
• Fiber jungles– Mites, mold, bacteria, carpet beetles
• Dirty - Vacuums are “mental feel good” machines
• Each step can emit 1,000s of irritants
• Carpet cleaning may worsen issue– Wet too long, assists mold growth
• What about below carpet?• Never put carpet on cement
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Push for Hard Floors
• Can be vacuumed, swept• Mopped• Easier to see need to clean• Rugs can be cleaned, changed• Limits allergens• More cost effective long term
– Recently got carpet removed from new LL Govt Center
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Pets
• Dander is more the issue • Fur • Track in outdoor contaminants• Dirt• Fleas• Keep out of the bedroom, especially
kids• Water leaks, moisture
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Bathrooms• RUN fan 30 min after each
bath/shower• Caulk/re-caulk shower/tub• Use splash guards• Fix toilet leaks (valves, wax ring)• Control toilet tank condensation• Fix leaks under sink
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Kitchens
• Leaky faucet• Leaky P trap, connections• Use range hood during cooking
– Clean quarterly • Check refrigerator drain pan• NEVER have carpeting in kitchen• Clean up crumbs – pest issues• Do dishes everyday
2 Tbl Salt
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Laundry• Vent to exterior
– Don’t vent to interior attic, eves, garage, basement….
– Minimize length - No long runs in cold spaces
– Hard duct – not according tubing• Don’t hang-dry clothing inside• Check and fix water hose leaks• Don’t use fabric sheets, heavy
fragrances• Clean exterior vent quarterly, lint trap
every use
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Living rooms/ Bedrooms
• “Couch potato asthma”• Dust mites• Crumbs = pest issues• Feather pillows/blankets• Vacuum floors and furniture often• Keep pet free if possible
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Living rooms/ Bedrooms
• Wash sheets weekly, blankets monthly
• Remove stuffed animals or wash often
• Keep doors open if possible• Use allergen covers on
mattress/pillows
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Storage Areas
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Attics
• Ensure adequate ventilation• Insulate well
– Horror frost, ice damns• Ensure attic hatch is well insulated• Ensure duct runs are sealed and
insulated• Check periodically for issues
• My problem… ;(
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Crawlspaces• Dirt floor? Cement? Poly installed?• Mechanical operations housed?• Clean or debris?• Dry? • Plumbing leaks?• Pest intrusion?• Spider webs?
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Basements• Dirt? Cement?• Allow for airflow – store on shelving,
away from walls• Do not store in cardboard boxes• Dehumidify if needed – keep under
50%• Seal sump pump, check regularly• Condensation, effervescence on
walls?• Seal cracks, openings, joints
Exp
ansi
on jo
int
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Lived in basements
• Keep mattresses, clothing off floors• Keep everything away from exterior
walls• NO CARPETING
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Flooding…a whole new topic
• Contaminated or clean flooding?• Remove out ALL porous materials• Dry within 48 hours• Disinfect if needed, remove sensitive
people from home
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Lead Paint• Pre 1978 homes• Treat pealing/chipping paint as
hazard• Lower income families more
susceptible• Damage to
– Central nervous system, brain– Kidneys– Stomach– Blood cells
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Thi
nk o
f hou
se a
s a
syst
em…
Top to Bottom
* Inside and O
ut
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Doing an assessment….
• Courteous• Empathetic• Non-judgmental• Respect - this is their castle• Ensure they are there for
assessment
