1 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Indoor Air Quality WEATHERIZATION ENERGY AUDITOR SINGLE FAMILY WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012

2 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov By attending this session, participants will be able to: Recognize about the factors affecting IAQ. Describe the role moisture plays in IAQ. Discuss moisture movement. Formulate pollutant remediation techniques. Examine the impact of occupant behavior on IAQ. Describe the evolution of ventilation standards. Describe the requirements of ASHRAE Learning Objectives INDOOR AIR QUALITY

3 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Moisture and Mold Stored Toxic Materials Carbon Monoxide (CO) Radon Sewer Gas Other IAQ and Moisture INDOOR AIR QUALITY Photo courtesy of The PA WTC

4 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Occupant Driven IAQ Sources Common household pollution sources o Pet dander o Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s)  Improperly stored solvent, paints, cleaners o General unhygienic conditions o Rodent or Insect Infestations Making things worse o Tight house with a lack of ventilation o Uninformed occupants Photo courtesy of The US Department of Energy INDOOR AIR QUALITY

5 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Sources of Water Vapor SourceQuarts per Day Construction materials first year40 Standing water in basement30 Damp basement or crawlspace25 Greenhouse connected to house25 Humidifier - large20 Drying 1 cord of firewood16 Clothes dryer vented to inside13 Respiration/perspiration – 4 people4.7 Clothes washing2.1 Unvented gas range1.3 Cooking without lids1.0 Houseplants – average number0.5 Dish washing0.5 Floor mopping0.4 Showering/bathing0.3 INDOOR AIR QUALITY Related to occupant behavior Related to the building

6 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Moisture Movement Diffusion Through SurfaceConvection Through Holes Air molecules are blocked. Water vapor molecules are passed. Air flow Both water vapor and air molecules pass through. INDOOR AIR QUALITY

7 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Permeance of Building Materials Material placed on the warm side of a building surface to retard diffusion of water vapor is called a vapor barrier. Material intended to retard convection is called an air barrier. Material which accomplishes both is termed an air/vapor barrier. A material qualifies as a vapor barrier if its permeance is 1.0 perm or less. INDOOR AIR QUALITY

8 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov IAQ and Relative Humidity Relative Humidity and Indoor Air Quality Relationships Decrease in bar width indicates decrease in effect Bacteria Viruses Fungi Dust Mites Respiratory Infections Allergic Rhinitis and Asthma Clinical Interactions Ozone Protection Percent Relative Humidity0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90% INDOOR AIR QUALITY

9 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov What Determines IAQ? INDOOR AIR QUALITY Photos courtesy of The US Department of Energy

10 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Client Interview Use the interview process to learn more about how the client uses their home as it relates to health and safety: How many people live in the home? Are there cold rooms? Hot rooms? Do they use the fireplace or unvented space heaters? Does anyone in the home have asthma or other illnesses? Are headaches a chronic problem in the heating season? Do they use their kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans? Do they dry clothes or wood in the house? Are there any unpleasant odors or burning sensations? INDOOR AIR QUALITY

11 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Properly size central AC units. Talk people out of using unvented heaters. Don’t overcool the house in summer. Don’t hang wet clothes in the house. Don’t dry wood indoors. Use kitchen and bath exhaust fans. Enhance room circulation with fans to avoid cold spots. Client Education INDOOR AIR QUALITY

12 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Testing and abatement is not an allowable expense. (WPN 11-6 H&S Guidance) Mold clean-up is not an allowable expense Correcting moisture problems that may cause mold is allowable o Controlling surface temperatures with good insulation and air sealing practices o Venting dryers o Installing mechanical ventilation o Fixing minor drainage issues What WAP Can and Cannot Do INDOOR AIR QUALITY

13 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Pollutant Action Tree Source Eliminate Encapsulate Dilute Driving Force Eliminate Weaken Path Eliminate Block INDOOR AIR QUALITY Photo courtesy of The US Department of Energy

14 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Outside Air and IAQ How much outside air do we need for good IAQ? How do we get it? Mechanical FansBuoyancy Stack effect - warm air rising Exhaust Fan WIND DIRECTION Wind INDOOR AIR QUALITY

15 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov How has natural ventilation been calculated? N-factor variables: Geographic location Building height Building exposure The n-factor for the house illustrated at right would be different if it was one story taller, or less shielded. The map shown below is the LBL Climate Zone Map used to determine the geographic variable. INDOOR AIR QUALITY

16 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Why Isn’t the MVG Our Best Tool? Photos courtesy of The US Department of Energy The matched board ceiling above has many feet of linear cracks that expand and contract depending on relative humidity (RH). The missing flue plug creates a stable-sized round hole with little air flow drag. A single-point blower door test will see these holes as identical! INDOOR AIR QUALITY

17 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Neutral pressure plane Random Size & Distribution? INDOOR AIR QUALITY

18 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Based on single-story 1,500ft 2 house Chart courtesy of Paul Francisco An Important Corollary! INDOOR AIR QUALITY

19 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov ASHRAE What is the DOE Requirement Now? A Wisconsin pilot study conducted in 2004 found that 78% of weatherized units required additional mechanical ventilation under 62.2, up from 47% using the previous ASHRAE standard, Average installed cost, including controls: $525 ( prices). INDOOR AIR QUALITY

20 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov ASHRAE Photos courtesy of The US Department of Energy INDOOR AIR QUALITY

21 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Floor Area (ft 2 ) BEDROOMS >7 < – – – – > Table 4.1a: Minimum Ventilation Air Requirements, CFM, New Buildings 1 1 ASHRAE , p 4 ASHRAE Table 45 INDOOR AIR QUALITY

22 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov  Assumes two occupants in master bedroom and one each in the other bedrooms. Over this density, increase ventilation by 7.5 cfm/person.  Whole building, intermittently operating ventilation may be used under some conditions for compliance.  Ventilation air must come directly from the outdoors.  Credit is allowed for envelope air leakage in some cases, based on ASHRAE 62.2 and 136. CFM fan = 0.01A floor + 7.5(Number bedroom + 1) + (alternative compliance supplement) - (Infiltration credit) A = conditioned floor area; “the part of the building that is capable of being thermally conditioned for the comfort of occupants.” (ASHRAE 62.2, p.3) 2 Slide content from ASHRAE ASHRAE Formula New or Existing Buildings 2 : INDOOR AIR QUALITY

23 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Beyond Fan CFM Requirements ASHRAE includes: Spot ventilation requirements as mentioned. Attached garages must be adequately sealed from living space to prevent migration of contaminants. Clothes dryers must be vented to exterior. All duct joints outside conditioned space must be sealed. Sone rating requirements must be met. Branch duct systems must have backdraft dampers. Whole-home fan flow must be verified. Continuous vs. intermittent fan specifications. Photo courtesy of The US Department of Energy INDOOR AIR QUALITY

24 | WEATHERIZATION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM STANDARDIZED CURRICULUM – December 2012eere.energy.gov Summary IAQ depends on the pollutant source strength and the air change rate. Elimination at the source is preferable to confinement, which is preferable to dilution. Many pollutants are present in the average home: The air change rate is a function of inside to outside pressure difference, hole size, and hole location. A higher air change rate equals better IAQ, and usually higher space conditioning costs. ASHRAE guidelines are a required standard for new and existing buildings. Occupant behavior can have a major impact on IAQ. INDOOR AIR QUALITY