While using the Ecological Protection Agency (Environmental protection agency) indoor air quality is frequently more polluted in comparison with outdoor air: AC Indoor air quality of air is particularly essential for individuals struggling with allergic reactions or bronchial asthma. Keeping duct work neat and installing proper filtration and Ultra violet air cleaners can help to eliminate indoor pollutants. Most significantly, purchase high-quality filters for the Heating and cooling system. Cheap, inefficient filters allow bacteria and particulates to pass through to your indoor atmosphere, exacerbating respiratory system conditions.
High-efficiency filters are relatively affordable AC Indoor air quality and are money well spent on the healthiness of your loved ones. Since people spend typically ninety percent inside the person’s inside, indoor polluting inside the atmosphere is rapid as being a growing health concern. Causes of pollution include combustion and heating, cigarettes, pet dander, household cleaners, radon and pesticides, glue and glues, paint and flooring choices, building materials, plus much more.
To protect your quality of existence: HouseTechPlus has expanded our expertise to incorporate comprehensive indoor quality of air services. Unlike many contractors, we don’t start to sell you each kind of filter and machine available on the market. Rather, beginning having a simple ac make sure that involves going for a sample in mid-air in your house or business and delivering it by permitting a neutral lab for evaluation.
Home Air Check includes Advanced air analysis:
A detailed report about indoor air pollutants in addition to potential causes. Detailed strategy: Valuable due to this to boost your home’s indoor quality of air and safeguard your quality of existence.
The advanced air analysis might be a non-destructive test that doesn’t require drilling or wall damage. Its measurements are:
After receiving your advanced air analysis IAQ HouseTechPlus presents a strategy that details selections for improving indoor quality of air. If you wish to pursue further testing for the following charge, we’ll require another air sample. Using the advantages of your house Air Check, we provide the following affordable IAQ services:
Controlling moisture can make your home more energy-efficient, less costly to heat and cool, more comfortable, and prevent mold growth.
Properly controlling moisture in your home will improve the effectiveness of your air sealing and insulation efforts, and these efforts in turn will help control moisture. The best strategies for controlling moisture in your home depend on your climate and how your home is constructed. Proper ventilation should also be part of your efforts to control moisture.
Before you decide on a moisture control strategy, it helps to understand that moisture or water vapor moves in and out of a home in a variety of ways including:
Of these, air movement accounts for more than 98% of all water vapor movement in building cavities. Air naturally moves from high-pressure areas to lower pressure areas by the easiest path available — generally through any available hole or crack in the building envelope. Moisture transfer by air currents happens quickly, and carefully and permanently air sealing any unintended paths for air movement in and out of the house is a very effective way to control moisture.
The other two driving forces — diffusion through materials and heat transfer — are much slower processes. Most common building materials slow moisture diffusion to a large degree, although they never stop it completely. Insulation also helps reduce heat transfer or flow.
The laws of physics govern how moist air reacts in various temperature conditions. The temperature and moisture concentration at which water vapor begins to condense is called the “dew point.” Relative humidity (RH) refers to the amount of moisture contained in a quantity of air compared to the maximum amount of moisture the air could hold at the same temperature. The ability of air to hold water vapor increases as it warms and decreases as it cools. Once air has reached its dew point, the moisture that the air can no longer hold condenses on the first cold surface it encounters. If this surface is within an exterior wall cavity, the result is wet insulation and framing.
In addition to air movement, you also can control temperature and moisture content. Insulation reduces heat transfer or flow, so it also moderates the effect of temperature across the building envelope cavity. In most U.S. climates, properly installed vapor diffusion retarders can be used to reduce the amount of moisture transfer. Except in deliberately ventilated spaces such as attics, insulation and vapor diffusion retarders work together to reduce the opportunity for condensation in a house’s ceilings, walls, and floors.
Moisture can cause problems in attics, various types of foundations, and walls, and the solutions to those problems vary by climate. See Building America’s Climate-Specific Publications for construction details specific to your climate.
The potential for moisture problems exists anywhere building components are below grade, whether you have a basement, crawlspace, or slab-on-grade foundation. To create an energy-efficient and comfortable living space in your basement, you will need to insulate as well as properly control moisture.
Most basement water leakage results from water flowing through holes, cracks, and other discontinuities into the home’s basement walls or water wicking into the cracks and pores of porous building materials, such as masonry blocks, concrete, or wood. These tiny cracks and pores can absorb water in any direction — even upward.
The best approaches for preventing these problems will depend on your local climate, type of insulation, and style of construction. If you need to correct moisture problems in your existing home, consult a qualified builder, basement designer, and/or insulation contractor in your area for specific basement moisture control measures tailored to your climate, type of insulation, and construction style.
If you’re building a new home, pay particular attention to how water will be managed around the foundation. The following guidelines will apply in most circumstances:
If you your new or existing home has a crawlspace, you can also Install a 6-mil polyethylene vapor diffusion barrier across the crawlspace floor to prevent soil moisture from migrating into the crawlspace. Overlap all seams by 12 inches and tape them, and seal the polyethylene 6 inches up the crawlspace walls. As an option, pour two inches (51 mm) of concrete over the vapor barrier to protect the polyethylene from damage.
It is a myth that installing vapor barriers is the most important step for controlling moisture in walls. Vapor barriers only retard moisture due to diffusion, while most moisture enters walls either through fluid capillary action or as water vapor through air leaks.
Most climates require these moisture control steps:
Place a termite shield, sill gaskets, or another vapor-impermeable membrane on the top of the foundation wall to prevent moisture from wicking into the framed wall from the concrete foundation wall by capillary action.
Rain — especially wind-driven rain — can also cause moisture problems in walls. Rain leaks through exterior walls are usually a result of improper installation of:
To protect against rain penetration, you should also create a drainage plane within the wall system of your home.
A home energy assessment, also known as a home energy audit, can help you understand the whole picture of your home’s energy use, comfort, and safety. An assessment can help you determine how much energy your home uses, where your home is inefficient, and which problem areas and fixes you should prioritize to save energy and improve the comfort of your home. A home energy assessment should be your first step before making energy-saving home improvements, as well as before adding a renewable energy system to your home.
A professional home energy assessment will provide a thorough analysis of your home’s energy use. In addition to a room-by-room examination of the home, a home energy professional may use equipment such as blower doors, infrared cameras, gas leak and carbon monoxide detectors, moisture meters, and non-toxic smoke pens. Learn more about professional home energy assessments >>
While a professional energy assessment provides the most complete picture of your home’s energy use, a diligent self-assessment can help you pinpoint problem areas and prioritize your energy efficiency upgrades. Learn more about DIY home energy assessments >>
Professional Home Energy Assessment
While a professional home energy assessment is the best way to determine where your home is losing energy and where you can save, you can conduct your own simple but diligent walk-through and spot many problems in any type of house. This “do-it-yourself” home energy assessment will not be as thorough as a professional home energy assessment, but it can help you pinpoint some of the easier areas to address. When walking through your home, keep a checklist of areas you have inspected and problems you found. This list will help you prioritize your energy efficiency upgrades. Do not assume that just because your home is recently constructed–or even new–that there are no opportunities to save energy. Energy-saving technology has evolved rapidly over the past few years, outpacing training commonly available to many builders, including some of the most reputable.
Conduct a home energy audit yourself and prioritize your energy efficiency upgrades.
First, make a list of obvious air leaks (drafts). The potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a home may range from 10% to 20% per year, and the home is generally much more comfortable afterward.
Check for indoor air leaks, such as gaps along the baseboard or edge of the flooring and at junctures of the walls and ceiling. Also check for leaks on the outside of your home, especially in areas where two different building materials meet. Other places to check for leaks include windows, doors, lighting and plumbing fixtures, switches, and electrical outlets. Also check for open fireplace dampers. See detecting air leaks for detailed instructions on finding air leaks yourself.
You should plug and caulk holes or penetrations for faucets, pipes, electric outlets, and wiring. Look for cracks and holes in the mortar, foundation, and siding, and look for leaks around windows and doors. Seal them with the appropriate material. Learn more about selecting and applying caulk and weatherstripping.
When sealing any home, you must always be aware of the danger of indoor air pollution and combustion appliance “backdrafts.” Backdrafting is when the various combustion appliances and exhaust fans in the home compete for fresh air. An exhaust fan may pull the combustion gases back into the living space, increasing indoor levels of carbon monoxide. This can obviously create a very dangerous and unhealthy situation in the home.
In homes where a fuel is burned (i.e., natural gas, fuel oil, propane, or wood) for heating, be certain the appliance has an adequate air supply. Generally, one square inch of vent opening is required for each 1,000 Btu of appliance input heat. Burn marks or soot around the appliance burner or at the vent collar, or visible smoke anywhere in the utility room while the appliance is operating, indicate poor draft. When in doubt, contact your local utility company, energy professional, or ventilation contractor. Learn more about proper ventilation.
Heat loss through the floor, ceiling, and walls in your home could be very large if the insulation levels are less than the recommended minimum. When your house was built, the builder likely installed the amount of insulation recommended at that time. Given today’s energy prices (and future prices that will probably be higher), the level of insulation might be inadequate, especially if you have an older home.
If the attic hatch is located above a conditioned space, check to see if it is at least as heavily insulated as the attic, is weather stripped, and closes tightly. In the attic, determine whether openings for items such as pipes, ductwork, and chimneys are sealed. Seal any gaps with an expanding foam caulk or some other permanent sealant. When sealing gaps around chimneys or other heat producing devices, be sure to use a non-combustible sealant.
While you are inspecting the attic, check to see if there is a vapor barrier under the attic insulation. The vapor barrier might be tarpaper, Kraft paper attached to fiberglass batts, or a plastic sheet. If there does not appear to be a vapor barrier, you might consider painting the interior ceilings with vapor barrier paint. This reduces the amount of water vapor that can pass through the ceiling. Large amounts of moisture can reduce the effectiveness of insulation and promote structural damage.
Make sure that the exterior attic vents are not blocked by insulation. Baffle vents may be installed to allow air flow into your attic space. You also should seal any openings or penetrations (such as electrical boxes) in the ceiling with flexible caulk (from the living room side or attic side) and cover the entire attic floor with at least the current recommended amount of insulation.
Checking a wall’s insulation level is more difficult. Select an exterior wall and turn off the circuit breaker or unscrew the fuse for any outlets in the wall. Be sure to test the outlets to make certain that they are not “hot.” Check the outlet by plugging in a functioning lamp or portable radio. Once you are sure your outlets are not getting any electricity, remove the cover plate from one of the outlets and gently probe into the wall with a thin, long stick or screwdriver. A plastic crochet hook is particularly suited, as it will retrieve small bits of any insulation material for easy identification. If you encounter a slight resistance, you have some insulation there. You could also make a small hole in a closet, behind a couch, or in some other unobtrusive place to see what, if anything, the wall cavity is filled with. Ideally, the wall cavity should be totally filled with some form of insulation material. Unfortunately, this method cannot tell you if the entire wall is insulated, or if the insulation has settled. Only a thermographic inspection can do this.
If your basement or crawlspace is unconditioned and open to the exterior, determine whether there is insulation under the living area flooring. Insulation is recommended in some situations where the basement is conditioned. In most areas of the country, an R-value of 25 is the recommended minimum level of insulation for basements and crawlspaces. If the sub-space is enclosed and contains heating or cooling appliances, air ducts or plumbing, you should insulate the sub-space perimeter rather than the living space floor. The insulation at the top of the foundation wall and first floor perimeter should have an R-value of 19 or greater. If the basement is intentionally conditioned, the foundation walls should also be insulated to at least R-19. Your water heater, hot water pipes, and furnace ducts (especially if located in unconditioned space, such as an open crawl space) should all be insulated. For more information, see our insulation section.
Inspect heating and cooling equipment annually, or as recommended by the manufacturer. If you have a forced-air furnace, check your filters and replace them as needed. Generally, you should change them about once every month or two, especially during periods of high usage or if your home has poor indoor air quality. Have a professional check and clean your equipment once a year.
If the unit is more than 15 years old, you should consider replacing your system with one of the newer, energy-efficient units. A new unit would greatly reduce your energy consumption, especially if the existing equipment is in poor condition. Check your ductwork for dirt streaks, especially near seams. These indicate air leaks, and they should be sealed with a duct mastic. Insulate any ducts or pipes that travel through unheated spaces. An insulation R-Value of 6 is the recommended minimum for ductwork.
Energy for lighting accounts for about 10% of your electric bill. Examine the light bulbs in your house and consider replacing inefficient bulbs with a more efficient choice, such as ENERGY STAR light-emitting diodes (LEDs) bulbs or energy saving incandescents. When shopping for bulbs, consider the brightness of the bulbs you want and look for lumens and the Lighting Facts label. Your electric utility may offer rebates or other incentives for purchasing energy-efficient lamps. Also look for ways to use connected home devices or lighting controls such as sensors, dimmers, or timers to reduce lighting use.
The appliances and electronics you choose and how you use them affect your energy use and costs. Examine the appliances and electronics in your home and estimate their energy use. Consider strategies for reducing the energy use of your appliances and electronics.
You might consider the following:
After you know where your home is losing energy, make a plan by asking yourself a few questions:
Once you have finished your do-it-yourself assessment, consider calling in a pro to complete a more thorough assessment. Many utilities offer professional energy assessments at no or reduced cost to their customers. Your self-assessment can help the auditor better analyze your home, including issues such as comfort and indoor air quality, and potential areas for saving energy and money. Learn more about professional home energy assessments.
