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3. Fixing the Great Indoors IAQ Problems and Solutions
Dallas ASHRAE Chapter
9 November 2016
Henry Slack, DL

4. KEY: Air is Important. Life and Breath issue.
OBJECTIVE: Give you resources to help yourself, your loved ones
SITUATION: Taken for granted, ignored, even as we do bad stuff
BENEFIT: better air, less illness.
NEXT STEP; Look at your home, office, church, school and THINK

5. Help from EPA EPA Indoor Air Resources http://www.epa.gov/iaq
OR slack.henry at epa.gov

6. Does this office have a problem?
Tenants report
Odors
Feel sick
“Not right”
Can testing prove there’s a problem?

7. Since the 50’s Carpets, wallboard
Particleboard, finishes, glues, foam insulation
Computers, printers, copiers (toner)
Cleaning, personal care, pesticide chemicals
Open windows rare

8. What’s In Our Air?

9. What Is It? TOXIC RADON Radioactive gas
2nd leading cause of lung cancer
21,000 deaths yearly
Prevent: $500-$2500
TEST YOUR HOME!
Fix only w/ certified

10. What Is It? Secondhand Smoke, Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS)
Adults - lung cancer
Children – asthma, bronchitis,
pneumonia, ear infections
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

11. What Is It? Carbon Monoxide
“Head” symptoms: dizzy, nausea, headache, tired, confused, flu-like
From unvented heaters, tailpipes, broken combustion equipment
No charcoal or generators indoors!

12. What Are They? Volatile Organic Chemicals (VOCs)
Headaches, rash, respiratory symptoms
From “wet” building products, pressed wood (formaldehyde), pesticides

13. What Are They? Biological contaminants Allergy, irritation, etc.
Cat dander
Pollen
Roach or rat droppings
Dust mite droppings
Mold
Allergy, irritation, etc.

14. Health Effects from Biologicals
Infections
Contagious (colds, flu, TB, measles)
Enviro-source (Legionella, Histoplasmosis, aspergillosis)
Hypersensitivity Diseases
Allergy, asthma, Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis (HP)
Toxicoses (mycotoxins, endotoxins)

15. EPA on Molds Popular guidance NO REGULATIONS
Health Effects in Appendix B
Laura Kolb

16. Big Ideas about Molds Mold = MOISTURE. Get rid of both!
Sample only for legal reasons, to find hidden mold, or if results changes M.D.’s treatment
No Federal mold standards
No EPA regulations for cleanups
Biocides not recommended routinely

17. Sampling = Snapshot
Air sampling provides information only for the time of sampling
Experience in interpretation of results is essential

18. Guidelines for Remediating Mold Growth Caused by Clean Water
Table 2, Page 14: EPA divides into
Small ( < 10 square feet)
Medium ( square feet)
Large (>100 square feet)
Cleanup, protective equipment, and containment vary with size

19. EPA’s Cleanup Methods - REMOVAL
Wet Vacuum
Do not use if materials are dry
Damp Wipe non-porous surfaces
Water, detergent
HEPA Vacuum
High Efficiency Particiculate Air
Filter installation crucial
Discard
Water damaged, not salvageable
Seal bags before removal

20. How Do You Know You Have Finished?
Water problem completely fixed
Mold removal completed - no visible mold, odors, or damaged materials
Revisit: no sign of mold, water
Occupants: no symptoms
Ultimately, a judgment call

21. What We Didn’t Cover Lead-based paint Asbestos Sewer Gases Pesticides
Clean-up of both asbestos and lead paint is regulated by different offices in EPA. They are more traditional “command and control” programs, unlike IAQ TFS. For more information, I think you already know who to contact.

22. Outside Air affects IAQ

23. What Else? Physical factors noise lighting vibration temperature
Mental factors – trust, psychosocial

24. Finding IAQ Problems Talk to occupants (esp. maintenance)
Visual Assessment – look for sources
IAQ “walk through”
Then fix problems!
Testing may be ineffective
Often does not identify sources, health concern

25. Visual Inspection
Often not complicated

30. On the roof

36. Eliminate bypass!

44. Visual Inspection Tools
Thermometer, RH meter
Ruler, flashlight, screwdriver, knife
Moisture meter
Smoke, feather or micromanometer

45. What can we do for indoor air?
CONTROL pollution sources
If inside, cover it or replace it
If outside, don’t bring it in!
VENTILATE to remove/dilute pollutants
CLEAN the air, whether recirculated or “fresh”

46. Source Control I – Keep It Out!
Use low-emitting materials: paints, adhesives, carpets, wood products
Use Green Cleaners – fewer VOCs/odors
No Smoking!
Seal ductwork, garage connections, etc.
Trap dirt at doors (walk-off mats)
Integrated Pest Management – less $, chem

47. Source Control II – If in, control !
Cover stinky stuff – cap chemicals, wrap smelly stuff
Use HEPA vacuum cleaners, floor buffers to capture particles
Capture or exhaust dust or fumes from any other activities (hobbies, cooking)

48. Controlling Mold Moisture Control KEY to Mold Control
Use of antimicrobials (like bleach) not recommended routinely
You see mold, it’s there-- do you need to sample? (“It’s called fishing, not catching”)
Solve the moisture, then remove moldy material. Discard moldy porous items.

49. Ventilation
Check HVAC operation, especially outside air – may not be working
Are exhausts working? Add exhaust?
Exhaust dirtiest air? Dilute with outside air?

50. Find outside air intakes
Are they working?
Is there damage? Change?
Is a possible source nearby?

51. Clean or filter the air Filters – Min. Efficiency Rating Value (MERV)
MERV range 1 (lousy) to 20 (HEPA)
Higher MERV takes bigger fan
Homes, EPA recommends MERV 6+
Office, EPA recommends MERV 8+
Too high costs more money AND energy
“Air purifiers” never a full solution

52. Exposure Control Move people away from the problem
For a day, or nightly, or more
Temporary (vacation) or permanent
Workers -Different office, building
Homeowners – change bedroom? Sell?
Renters - can move

53. Ozone not “air cleaner”
Ozone = lung irritant, regulated outdoors
O3 reacts quickly with C=C bond to make aldehydes and ketones, doubling TVOCs
Other chem reactions take weeks+

54. For all solutions, communicate!
Let occupants know you acted
Be sure they understand what you’re doing to fix the identified problem
Always follow through. Build trust

55. Stories
Chicken Restaurant – 20K CFM exhaust, 10K supply, flame rollout!
Odor in lobby by coffee shop
Darkened carpet at doorway (unintentional filter)

56. Help from EPA EPA Indoor Air Resources http://www.epa.gov/iaq
slack.henry at epa.gov