Homes and buildings in general are constructed and retrofitted with energy conservation in mind. Often we hear that architects, builders and construction codes are requiring tighter building enclosures. However, despite that ASHRAE has recommended mechanical ventilation for homes since 2003, many of this these buildings lack adequate ventilation.
On one hand, people love that “new home smell”. In fact, some home magazines give instructions to homeowners trying to sell their home on how to achieve just that; allegedly, to lure potential buyers.
On the other hand, physicians are seeing and increasing incidence of allergy asthma, but are not sure whether the environment, diet, lineage or the amounts of time we spend indoors or outdoors are to blame. Several studies have demonstrated that new or renovated homes with obvious odor perception problems contain a soup of organic vapors, but compared with the regulatory permissible exposure limits for occupational settings are several orders of magnitude lower.
The reality is that many people become sensitized and ill in their own new or newly renovated homes. Common sources of organic vapors include plywood, oriented strand board (OSB), lumber, foam insulation, Cabinetry, paints, varnishes, caulking, solvents, adhesives, carpets, hardwood and laminate flooring, cleaning compounds, mold impacted materials, personal care products, cooking, bioefluents from occupants and pets and many more. Depending on the source, these VOC’s may dissipate rapidly but some construction materials may off-gas for a year or more. Dealing with VOC problems may range from simple solutions such as relocating paints and cleaning compounds to a ventilated area to retrofitting a dedicated fresh air and exhaust system with dehumidification and building pressurization capabilities. In many cases, simply complying with the ASHRAE Standard 62.2 for ventilation rates may not be sufficient for diluting VOC’s to inconsequential concentrations.
If you have a VOC problem or are contemplating about building a new home, consulting with a professional who specializes on in complex ventilation problems involving VOC emissions is recommended. In this day and age, ventilation is a must have for maintaining healthy buildings and in light of escalating energy prices, it makes sense to build tight but let’s not forget that before energy conservation comes your health and therefore, you need an adequate supply of clean air .
Pure Air Control Services offers a range of options for testing for VOC’s. Please call us today at 1-800-422-7873 ext 802 for a free phone consultation.
About Pure Air Control Services:
Alan Wozniak founded Pure Air Control Services, Inc. in 1984 as a small mechanical contracting firm and today sets the industry standard for indoor environmental quality diagnosis and remediation. Pure Air has serviced more than 600 million square feet of indoor environments in over 10,000 facilities.
Pure Air Control Services nationally performed environmental services include:
Building Sciences Evaluation; Building Health Check; an
AIHA accredited Environmental Microbiology Laboratory; Environmental Project Management; and HVAC/Mold Remediation Services, HVAC Restoration Services, among other indoor environmental services.
For more information on Pure Air Service Services, Inc., please call (800) 422-7873 x802, or visit www.pureaircontrols.com.
