Indoor air pollution

[john70t]

There is a saying that "every action has an equal and opposite reaction".

There is a big push towards LEED certified homes, and that is not a bad thing necessarily, but it has it's challenges.
(which are usually never considered even by the highest of authorities....)
https://www.usgbc.org/leed

Old houses "breathed".
They were often made of lathe and lime plaster which was a slow permeable barrier.
They expelled heat and moisture accumulated during the day through interior pressure. Then new outside air is naturally cycled in.
Nature abhors a vacuum.

The common theory is to seal everything interior up in a structure. And then be done.

Many problems still exist at the "Dew Point":
The place where warm hot air meets cold and turns into condensation. Leading to drips and puddles.
And moisture attracts further problems.
Especially when freezing is involved.

Most interior "dust" is composed of shed human skin cells and pet hair.
The "off-gassing" of new construction materials cannot be underestimated. (search:Chinese drywall recall)
Carpets are also a main suspect.


For your consideration: https://files.catbox.moe/6pg6ha.mp4

[john70t]

Hardwood and/or tile floors with area rugs would be the natural response.

But modern vacuums with weekly ease-of-use is a problem.
Vacuums chew up rug edges.

So people go with full carpet.

[flatbutt]

When I renovated my house 10 years ago the contractor wanted to wrap the house in Tyvek. I declined...adamantly.

Even in a tightly wrapped house I would think that the attic must still be vented.

[Bill Douglas]

Tyvek is great stuff. Breaths enough to let moisture out, but creates enough of an air pocket to provide insulation.

[look 171]

Radon gas. Officials never push for testing and they want to seal up your homes all for the treehuggers. I have to deal with stupid Green inspection. If we reno any part of the house, old or newer homes, it must pass Green inspection. No air leaks, doesn't matter if the window in the next room or hallway has holes in a rotten out window where one can slip a finger through it.

[masraum]

Yeah, our house is "tight" like this one.

[id10t]

Having a teenage son who decides to clean the generators carb at the dining room table, with all windows closed, etc.

Having a wife who scatters that carpet fresh crap so thick that I can literally taste it when I breath in for the first time coming in thru the door after being gone for 8 hours.

And yeah, all the other usual VOCs from fresh construction stuff, etc.

[billybek]

Heat Recovery Ventilators and Energy Recovery Ventilators are requirement in tight construction homes.
HRVs simply exchange heat from exhaust to ventilation (incoming) air.
ERVs exchange heat and pass moisture from exhaust air to incoming air in the winter and help dry the incoming air during the cooling season.
A must in any tight construction home.
https://www.venmar.ca/21-detail-advice-hrv-and-erv-why-choose-a-hrv-heat-recovery-ventilator-.html

[red-beard]

Billy is right. Tight houses require air to air heat exchangers on a vent system to bring fresh air in.

Tyvek let's moisture out but not in.

And to get a super tight house usually means spray foam insulation everywhere.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by id10t

Having a teenage son who decides to clean the generators carb at the dining room table, with all windows closed, etc.

Having a wife who scatters that carpet fresh crap so thick that I can literally taste it when I breath in for the first time coming in thru the door after being gone for 8 hours.

And yeah, all the other usual VOCs from fresh construction stuff, etc.

That stuff works by attracting dirt, but your vacuum never removes all of it. IOW...it's crap.

[Tobra]

Carpet is sort of nasty, if you think about it. I rented an old house in SF, CA. Filled a few bags with the vacuum cleaner, 2.5 to be more accurate. Mom had this machine, sprayed a soapy mix and sucked it right back up in a second tank. Lather, rinse, repeat until water in tank #2 is only mild to moderately muddy. Carpet went from brown to burnt orange, shag, naturally. Regrouted the tile in the kitchen and the upstairs bathroom. Saved me the money for cleaning deposit that I did not have. Place was fantastic after a little cleaning , reglazing the windows on that sketchy little balcony. Now that I think about it z that old guy got his money's worth on that deal.

[masraum]

Can we get the 2 wankers in posts #13 and #14 killed off?

[Dixie]

My house is 100 years old. There's Jalousie windows in the kitchen, no insulation under the floors, and probably R-5 in the attic.

I don't worry about indoor air pollution. I worry about termites and hurricanes.

[Dixie]

Originally Posted by masraum

Can we get the 2 wankers in posts #13 and #14 killed off?

Ummm... You have post 13.

[Paul T]

Originally Posted by billybek

Heat Recovery Ventilators and Energy Recovery Ventilators are requirement in tight construction homes.
HRVs simply exchange heat from exhaust to ventilation (incoming) air.
ERVs exchange heat and pass moisture from exhaust air to incoming air in the winter and help dry the incoming air during the cooling season.
A must in any tight construction home.
https://www.venmar.ca/21-detail-advice-hrv-and-erv-why-choose-a-hrv-heat-recovery-ventilator-.html

Yes, these are a must for modern tightly constructed homes. We are wrapped, spray foam insulation, etc., and house is very airtight - we have 2 ERV’s (RenewAire) and no issues.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Dixie

Ummm... You have post 13.

And you're 14. LOL

2 before 12, 2 after 12, whatever...

[Bill Douglas]

I have the windows open for most of the day so the house moisture levels match the outside levels. Which are good. And that's windows open in winter too. Our winters and summers are pretty moderate here so no big deal for me.

In winter I have a wood burner on or heat pump going. So dust mites and black mould don't stand a chance with the dryness.

Last night there was a thing on TV about the Germans swing the doors open in the middle of winter to get brand new air in their place and to lower the moisture levels. And Germany can be pretty cold in winter.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by masraum

And you're 14. LOL

2 before 12, 2 after 12, whatever...

Wankers! Da bof of yas.

[gacook]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

I have the windows open for most of the day so the house moisture levels match the outside levels. Which are good. And that's windows open in winter too. Our winters and summers are pretty moderate here so no big deal for me.

In winter I have a wood burner on or heat pump going. So dust mites and black mould don't stand a chance with the dryness.

Last night there was a thing on TV about the Germans swing the doors open in the middle of winter to get brand new air in their place and to lower the moisture levels. And Germany can be pretty cold in winter.

I absolutely LOVE this time of year and fall here in Arizona (not hell Arizona--Phoenix; I'm in the mountains). Basically all of March-May, my windows and french doors are wide open. Now (late May/June), we use the AC in the day and then turn it off and open windows/doors at night. Fall (~mid-Sep-late Nov) is the same with no AC and no heater.

I feel it really keeps the house just nice and fresh with lots of air blowing through.

[Deschodt]

I have one of those interior air quality monitors... it's eye opening (organic compounds)

Any sort of cooking without ventilation/open window is atrocious on indoor air quality, and it takes a looong time to come down.. My kids call this device the fart detector, cause yes, it also detects that ;-) Sure changed our habits (on cooking!) ... We see the numbers shoot up, we open a window till it drops...

Got a radon detector also to check downstairs but no concerns there, been loaning it to the entire neighborhood..