Palm Beach County schools wage never-ending battle against mold

October 21, 2010

Thousands of indoor air quality complaints in past three years, but officials say safety programs working.

Before the start of school last year, moldy and water-stained ceiling tiles were found in two classrooms, and moldy drywall in a third room at Northmore Elementary in West Palm Beach.

The problems were fixed quickly, but the case was far from an isolated incident across the Palm Beach County School District, records show.

During the 2009-10 school year, administrators handled 977 maintenance work orders to address indoor-air quality problems ranging from “sewer odors” to high humidity to water leaks.

A Sun Sentinel/Orlando Sentinel investigation reviewed thousands of cases involving moldy classrooms, health-related complaints from teachers and students, and responses and actions by school officials. While the school district has received national recognition for a pro-active measures in addressing mold issues, some problems persist.

In Palm Beach County, reports from July 2007 to June 2010 point to a never-ending battle being waged against mold that infests classrooms, bathrooms, offices and and even school clinics. Among the findings:

Clifford O. Taylor/Kirklane Elementary in Palm Springs: A summer 2007 inspection validated years of complaints by parents and teachers about repeated flooding, roof failures and mold. The school, built in 1970, is improved now thanks to a $40.7 million modernization last year.

Olympic Heights High west of Boca Raton: Surface mold in nine classrooms was reported after school started in Aug. 2008.

Coral Sunset Elementary west of Boca Raton: In June 2009, a district carpenter was called in to remove 48-foot-long moldy cabinets from two walls in the school’s clinic.

Okeeheelee Middle in Greenacres: Surface mold in four classrooms was reported in Oct. 2009.

Independence Middle in Jupiter: In April, a staff member’s illness resulted in the discovery of “very dirty & moldy” parts of the air conditioning system for the physical education office.

Administrators insist schools are safe, and the volume of complaints is normal considering the region’s warm weather, the potential for building leaks, and the district’s inventory of 1,420 buildings and 27.2 million square-feet of facilities.

“I don’t think these issues will ever go away,” said Joseph Sanches, facilities management chief. “We live in a high-humidity area.”

A proactive approach to building maintenance — such as using environmentally friendly materials and cleaning chemicals, and proper cooling procedures — has reduced the potential for problems and the number of incidents, he said. It also helps that the district has built or replaced 141 schools since 1989.

The district wants to know if someone has a problem, and even solicits indoor air quality complaints.

“We welcome the calls,” Sanches said. “We respond to issues immediately. We would be at fault if people pointed these things out and we didn’t respond.”

Just three years ago, the district celebrated recognition for being among the best school systems in the nation at improving the air breathed by students and teachers.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency named the district one of five winners of a “National Model of Sustained Excellence” award for achievement in “maintaining healthy educational facilities.” That followed a similar honor from the agency in 2003.

In addition, 96 of the district’s 186 schools have received the ” Asthma-Friendly” designation from the American Lung Association in recent years.

Chris Skerlec, the district’s environmental control director, said the district has maintained these high standards even as the maintenance work orders keep coming: 3,536 in three years.

“We still end up with windows that leak and roofs that leak. We end up with cracks in buildings,” he said.

After the district had won acclaim for its approach, the School Board sought to keep it going by adopting its first Indoor Air Quality policy two years ago.

“It is the intent of the School Board that the District will consider the most current, proven technologies in the fields of health, safety and environmental sciences,” the policy states.

The district is largely on its own in setting its indoor air practices because there are no state laws governing how schools should monitor, detect and handle mold build-up and other indoor air quality issues in these buildings.
School districts are not required to tell anyone about the problem — not even the local health department — despite a growing body of knowledge that mold can be especially harmful to children.

Last year, Palm Beach County schools paid $164,728 to outside contractors specialized in indoor-air quality repairs and projects. The district spent another $13,550 to hire consultants to investigate certain complaints and to oversee contractors. Still more funds went to staff salaries for technicians in Skerlec’s office, and for district maintenance crews to handle work orders.

The Florida Department of Education has acknowledged that about half of the state’s public schools are burdened with environmental issues. But it would be expensive to fix them — an estimated $70 million just to start, according to a legislative report written in 2004, the last time the state took a serious look at the issue.

Not only would repairs be pricey, Florida could be setting itself up for lawsuits if it identifies those problems, wrote the Senate analyst who compiled the report.

A national study by the University of Central Florida found that extra funding for repairs and maintenance projects alone might not solve the problem.

School districts do not want it publicized that they have mold problems.

“There is often a greater desire to hide problems than have them resolved,” wrote the UCF researchers who, in 2006, found that schools in Florida, Texas, New York and three other states had chronic problems with mold, humidity and odors.

Palm Beach County’s history with mold and classrooms dates to highly publicized problems in the 1990s.

Staff members and parents complained for years about poor air quality at 19 schools that the now-defunct W. R. Frizzell Architects designed in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The air conditioners failed to remove enough moisture from the air, which led to mold and mildew. The district spent more than $50 million to replace all the systems, beginning in 1996.

Denise Robinette, a parent from Jupiter, has been a long-standing advocate to educate the public about poor indoor air quality through her HealthyLiving Foundation, a nonprofit organization.

In late 2002, she and her ex-husband sued the Palm Beach County School District, alleging that faulty maintenance of school ventilation systems made their sons sick. The case has since been settled out of court.

“Mold is a four letter word when it comes to schools,” she said. “If my kids didn’t get sick, I never would have believed the consequences of indoor air quality. These issues are real. Kids are getting illnesses they will have for the rest of their lives.”

In the past decade, more parents have spoken out about schools that seemed to make their youngsters sick.

Many times those districts did not make a concerted effort to fix problems until lawyers got involved, said South Florida attorney Scott Gelfand. He represented several Broward County students and school employees who sued that district in 2002.

The State Attorney’s Office in Broward investigated and brought its findings to a grand jury, which released a scathing report criticizing school officials not only for dragging their feet on getting rid of mold but also for having schools so poorly constructed and maintained that they constantly leaked.

Broward spent millions of dollars on repairs, but a number of statewide changes the grand jury recommended never happened.

Richard J. Shaughnessy, director of The University of Tulsa Indoor Air Program and one of America’s foremost air quality experts, said the situation might not change unless the public pushes the issue.

“It has to start,” Shaughnessy said, “with parents becoming involved and demanding that schools address these types of problems across the country.”

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com

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PROGRAM TO SETTLE CHINESE DRYWALL LAWSUIT WILL RESULT IN REPAIRS

October 20, 2010

Published: October 18th, 2010 • One Comment

A major importer and producer of Chinese drywall is attempting to settle with homeowners whose property contain defective and toxic drywall by establishing a pilot program where the company will pay to repair about 300 homes.

U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon approved an agreement to settle Chinese drywall lawsuits late last week. The agreement was reached by Germany-based Knauf Plasterboard Tianjin (KPT) and some domestic distributers, suppliers and insurers, with about 300 homeowners in Florida, Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi. The companies have agreed to pay for repairs to the homes, and it could lead to the settlement of about 3,000 Chinese drywall lawsuits against KPT.

The defendants have agreed to remove the drywall, electrical wiring, gas fixtures and appliances from the homes and pay for relocation of families for the duration of the repairs. The repairs are expected to cost between $40-80 per square foot; a price that does not include the cost of relocating the families for several months while repairs are made.

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has received thousands of complaints from across the United States from homeowners who say that toxic Chinese wallboard imported between 2004 and 2007 releases sulfuric odors that corrode wiring throughout the home, damage appliances and may cause various health problems. Many of the problems with the Chinese drywall have been confirmed by laboratory testing.

Millions of sheets of the toxic drywall were imported from China into the United States due to a domestic shortage caused by a housing boom and construction following a serious of hurricanes that struck the southeastern United States.

Homeowners throughout the United States have filed lawsuits over Chinese drywall, naming manufacturers, distributors and builders. In June 2009, all of the federal drywall litigation was consolidated and centralized in an MDL, or Multidistrict Litigation, in New Orleans under U.S. District Judge Eldon Fallon.

Earlier this year, Judge Fallon awarded $164,000 to a Louisiana family that filed a Chinese drywall lawsuit against Knauf. The ruling equated to about $81 per square foot. Since that ruling, Knauf has begun seeking to discuss a Chinese drywall settlement.

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com

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Ten Tips for Good Indoor Air Quality

October 18, 2010

By The Home Ventilating Institute (HVI)

To avoid common air quality problems within the home, follow ten simple steps:

1. Operate the exhaust fan when bathing and showering to limit moisture build up. Be sure to keep the shower curtain or bathtub sliding door open after bathing to increase air circulation. For tips on selecting the right exhaust fan, see HVI’s Bathroom Ventilation Guidelines and Product Directory.

2. Turn on range hood fans to expel contaminants released from food while cooking. Range hoods can also eliminate pollutants such as carbon monoxide which can be released during cooking. For help in selecting the right range hood fan, see HVI’s Product Directory.

3. Increase ventilation rates during family gatherings and parties. For tips on achieving the right ventilation rates, see HVI’s How Much Ventilation Do I Need? Also consider a whole-house comfort ventilator. HVI recommends that a whole-house comfort ventilator have a minimum capacity to provide approximately one complete air change every two minutes within the occupied area. This flow rate will be great enough to create a perceptible “breeze” through the house. The required flow rate can be calculated by multiplying the gross square footage of the entire house (including unoccupied areas like closets) by 3. Be sure to include the upstairs area of multilevel homes. This formula assumes an eight-foot ceiling and takes into account typical unoccupied areas.

4. Ensure that continuous ventilation is provided in addition to the intermittent ventilation systems. This can be achieved using a whole-house comfort ventilator, HRV or ERV, or other fan configurations. For tips on selecting the right ventilation systems, see HVI’s Fresh Ideas – The Guide to Home Ventilation & Indoor Air Quality and its Product Directory.

5. Plan routine maintenance for HVAC equipment to ensure all systems are working properly and performing as intended. Schedule a professional inspection, cleaning and “tune-up” by a qualified firm regularly.

6. Change HVAC filters as instructed. Check, clean, or replace furnace and air filters regularly as recommended. Consider installing a “high efficiency particulate” or HEPA filter for better performance.

7. Clean the home regularly to prevent dust, dirt, and pet-hair accumulation. Dust and dirt particles can become airborne, creating contaminants in the air. Regular cleaning can help to eliminate this potential hazard.

8. Use safe cleaning products to avoid emitting dangerous chemicals into the air. Many products can release toxic or irritating chemicals when used. Select cleaning products that are certified for low levels of chemical emissions. Increase ventilation during cleaning tasks.

9. Purchase low emitting finishes and materials. New or recently installed building materials and furnishings can emit dangerous toxins. Look for products that are certified for low chemical emissions. When outgassing is minimized ventilation systems don’t need to exchange the air as often.

10. Ensure that clothes dryers are exhausted directly to the outside and make sure that filters and hoods are cleaned regularly to maintain airflow.

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com

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The ABCs of IAQ and Ventilation

October 18, 2010

By The Home Ventilating Institute (HVI)

There are two primary reasons for ventilating houses: 1) to provide the necessary fresh air for the occupants to breathe and 2) to dilute indoor air pollutants and excess moisture. Complaints of stuffiness, unpleasant odors, and illness are common in houses that contain too little fresh air. Outdoor air pollution is bad enough, but we are now learning that indoor air pollution is almost always considerably worse—and this polluted air can make us sick.

To feel comfortable and healthy, people simply need clean, fresh air. Mechanical ventilation systems are specifically designed to exchange the air in a house—as well as circulate it.

A ventilation system should be as reliable and predictable as our own lungs. Houses without mechanical ventilation systems get their air quite by chance—the air moving into and out of them is totally uncontrolled. For example, air may infiltrate indoors only when the wind is blowing. We deserve to have control over the air we breathe, we deserve more than “ventilation-by-chance,” we deserve “ventilation-on-purpose.”

Without a doubt, each and every one of us could benefit from a mechanical ventilation system in our home. Ventilation is not a mysterious high-tech process; it is very simple once you understand the basics. Ventilation should be as important as air conditioning, electric lighting, closets, kitchen cabinets, and indoor plumbing which we take for granted as necessary components of our homes. The Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) recommends selecting equipment bearing the HVI-Certified Label which provides homeowners assurance that the products will perform as advertised.

Mechanical ventilation is generally regarded as being more important in today’s tighter houses than it was in the loosely built houses of the last century. Knowledge about how houses work has evolved considerably in the building-science community over the past few years. We now know that a house is more than the sum of its parts—it is a dynamic, ever-changing system.

When a house is viewed as a system, aspects of moisture control, infiltration, safe chimney operation, pollutant sources, duct leakage, pressure imbalances, and ventilation all become interconnected. Thus, we are concerned not only with ventilation per se, but also the various side issues that affect indoor air quality.

Indoor air pollution is responsible for symptoms ranging from sinus congestion to cancer, from depression to immune-system damage. It isn’t unusual for everyday symptoms such as headache, drowsiness, runny nose, lethargy and inability to concentrate to be related to poor indoor air quality.
Sources of pollutants

• Gaseous pollutants – Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are gases that are emitted, or outgassed, from a wide variety of modern materials; combustion gases from fireplaces or gas ranges; people and animals also release carbon dioxide (CO2) and other by-products of metabolism.
• Metals – Lead, mercury, or arsenic can chalk off from paint or treated lumber and be tracked indoors.
• Minerals – Minerals, such as calcium can also become air pollutants. Their particle size is so small that they can be inhaled deeply into the lungs.
• Radiation – Problems occur when radon seeps into houses and builds up to dangerous concentrations.
• Biological pollutants – Dust mites, mold, and mildew are irritating health hazards.
• Pesticides – When used indoors, pesticides can be serious indoor air pollutants.
• Smoking – The most effective way of reducing the danger associated with smoking is to ban smoking indoors.

While a human body is capable of tolerating a certain amount of contaminated air, evidence from a variety of sources tells us that we are being exposed to more pollution than our metabolism can adequately process—especially when we are indoors—and it is making us sick. But there is no reason for this trend to continue. After all, a variety of strategies can be used to build houses with minimal indoor air pollution. These low-pollution “healthy houses” have one thing in common: they all have mechanical ventilation systems.

The Home Ventilating Institute recommends the exclusive use of products which are HVI-Certified. The proven performance provided by HVI Certification is essential when selecting home ventilation products to control the air you breathe.

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com

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How Pollutants Get Into Houses

October 18, 2010

By The Home Ventilating Institute (HVI)

Indoor air quality is often characterized by pollutants in the air. Clearly, if the sources of pollutants are minimized, the air will be easier to keep fresh, clean and healthy. In order to determine the best indoor-pollution control strategy, it is helpful to place airborne indoor contaminants into three categories:

1.Those released from materials inside the house;

2.Those brought into the house by air pressure differences; and

3.Those released by people.

Pollutants released from materials in the house

Many cleaning products and household furnishings release contaminants directly into the indoor air. Formaldehyde is often given off by kitchen cabinets. Wallpaper is treated with fungicides. The odor associated with some flooring materials may consist of over a hundred different volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Disinfectant and pesticide aerosol sprays typically contain hazardous ingredients.

The good news is that there are many alternative products on the market that are much more benign that can be used to build, furnish, and maintain our houses.

For pollutants that are unavoidable, a mechanical ventilation system that removes and expels them outdoors is essential to minimize their negative effect.

Pollutants brought indoors by air pressure differences

Some air pollutants originate outdoors but get brought indoors by air pressure differences. For example, when you turn on a clothes dryer, it blows a certain amount of air out of the house. This creates a slight negative pressure in the house, and an equal volume of air gets sucked in (infiltrates) from the outdoors through small gaps and cracks in the house. When a house is depressurized, the infiltrating air can bring in radon, termiticides, and biological pollutants such as mold. Particles or gases from insulation can also be sucked indoors by air pressure differences.

Combustion gases often migrate into the living space from a furnace, water heater, or wood stove, even though they are supposed to be expelled through a chimney. If the air pressure indoors is less than that outdoors, the gases will have difficulty going up the chimney and can remain in the house.

Pollutants released by human and animal metabolism

Human beings and pets give off a wide variety of pollutants. Our exhaled breath contains dozens of chemical compounds. These are normal by-products of our metabolism, and they all contribute to indoor air pollution. The best way to counteract the pollutants given off by people is to dilute the pollutants with ventilation air.

The concentration of “people pollutants” in a house depends on the number of people inside a house, the size of the house, and the behavior patterns (frequent showers, activity levels, and so on). People also bring pollutants indoors attached to their bodies, such as cigarette smoke, VOCs, perfume, and exhaust gases. Once contaminated clothing and bodies are indoors, the pollutants will be released slowly, contributing to indoor pollution. People can also track pollutants indoors on their shoes (e.g. lawn chemicals, animal waste, road dust containing asbestos, lead, rubber, etc.), and deposit those pollutants in carpeting and other surfaces.

Exchanging the air in a house is important to dilute the concentration of pollutants found in the indoor air. If indoor-pollutant concentrations are too high, they can negatively affect the health of occupants. Indoor air quality is improved by reducing or eliminating the source of pollutants, filtering, and supplying oxygen-rich, fresh air through mechanical ventilation.

With proper attention to reducing the sources of pollutants, the indoor air quality will be improved. The Home Ventilating Institute recommends the exclusive use of products which are HVI-Certified. Consult with your builder or contractor for appropriate HVI-Certified product for your application.

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com

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How Air Moves and Why It’s Important to Your Home and Health

October 18, 2010

By The Home Ventilating Institute (HVI)

In order for air to move into or out of a house, there are two basic requirements. First, there must be a path through which the air travels, and second, there must be an air pressure difference to push the air molecules through the pathway. The relationship between air pressure and house tightness is integral to an understanding of how ventilation systems work.

Holes in houses
Even when all the windows are closed, there are still holes in houses—they just aren’t as noticeable. There are hidden gaps between the window or door frames and the 2x4s holding up the wall. There are even narrower gaps between the floor and the walls, and even smaller gaps around electrical outlets. There are also many hidden holes inside the structure that were cut through studs, floor joists, and rafters by plumbers, electricians, or heating/cooling contractors.

If it were possible to combine all of the small holes and gaps into one single hole, the result would be an opening of several square inches in a very tight house, or several square feet in a very loose house.

The holes are called random holes, because they weren’t created for the purpose of supplying the occupants with fresh air. If a hole is created on purpose, specifically to provide a pathway for air to travel through, it is called a deliberate hole. The installation of a controlled ventilation system requires one or more deliberate holes.

Pressures in houses
The pressures measured in houses are usually less than 50 Pascals (Pa). This may not seem like very much pressure, but it is enough to cause air to move through the random holes in a house and potentially cause some serious problems. For example, 3 Pa of negative pressure in the vicinity of a chimney is often enough to cause backdrafting (combustion gases flowing down a chimney instead of up).

Natural pressures caused by the wind and by temperature differences vary considerably day-to-day. Warm air exerts a small upward pressure as it rises up into cooler air.

Accidental pressures can be caused by leaky ducts, chimneys, or by mechanical equipment not specifically designed to ventilate a house, such as a clothes dryer. As with natural pressures, these positive and negative accidental pressures themselves are neither good nor bad, but sometimes they can cause pollution or moisture-related problems.

Pressure is also affected by mechanical equipment that is deliberately designed to exchange air in a building for the purpose of supplying fresh air or expelling stale air. This is what ventilation is really all about. This is called controlled ventilation—ventilation that is created “on purpose.”

Changing the tightness of a house
If you weatherize or tighten up a house to make it more energy-efficient, you will affect the amount of air being exchanged, as well as the pressures the house experiences. A window fan blowing into a tightened house will move less air, but you will also be able to measure an increase in pressure. Care must be taken so that the house is not under-ventilated, resulting in poor air quality. The answer is not loose houses—it is tight, energy-efficient, comfortable houses with mechanical ventilation systems.

Today, some energy-efficient builders are purposefully using special techniques to build houses that are almost hermetically sealed. Naturally occurring pressures don’t provide enough air to supply the needs of the occupants. A tight house must have a controlled mechanical ventilation system to supply it with fresh air and to remove stale air. Ventilation products certified by the Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) have been tested and proven to help homeowners maximize indoor air quality.

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com

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Less-Toxic Cleaners for Mold and Mildew

October 18, 2010

By Lynn Marie Bower

If mold or mildew becomes a problem in your bathroom, some less-toxic solutions are available for combating it other than the typical mildew-removal spray products sold in grocery stores. For example, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is one highly effective mold killer. (Note: This is the 3% dilution sold in pharmacies for use as an antiseptic.) To use this clear, odorless liquid, simply pour the hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle and thoroughly spritz the affected areas: the bathroom fixtures, tile, and/or grout. Wearing protective eye wear is probably a good idea whenever you do this. Because hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent, avoid spraying it on shower curtains made of colored fabric. By the way, you can use alternative laundry bleaches made with hydrogen peroxide, too.

Another mold-killing option is full-strength white vinegar. Just apply it to the moldy areas, either with a sponge or a sprayer. Then leave it there a few minutes and rinse it off. (Some sensitive persons might find the vinegar odor bothersome.)

Yet another natural alternative is a solution of unscented borax and water, which can be used to sponge the affected areas. Try 1 tablespoon in 2 cups warm water. If that doesn’t remedy the situation, experiment with other dilutions. Afterwards, be sure to rinse. Be aware that borax also has a mild bleaching effect.

Another natural fungicide is pure tea tree oil. Try using it in a ratio of 2 teaspoons to 2 cups water and apply to the affected areas. Tea tree oil for mold killing can be purchased at most health-food stores.

In addition, some individuals have used antiseptic solutions, such as a diluted benzalkonium-chloride/water solution to deal with their mold and mildew problems. A benzalkonium-chloride/water solution may be available in your drugstore, although you may have to special order it. Suggested use is to apply the solution directly to the mold or mildew problem area. Rinsing it off is probably a good idea. This solution is relatively expensive and tends to have a mild, somewhat medicinal odor. Yet, many sensitive persons have found that they tolerate this product very well.

If you don’t feel like making your own homemade cleaners, there are also ready-made mold and mildew treatments that can be found without harsh chemicals or scents.

Note: Very sensitive persons, or those with mold allergies, should never do mold and mildew cleanup work themselves. Remember, also, that many mold-killing cleaners require from 1/2 minute up to 10 minutes of surface contact time to work properly. So don’t rush.

• John P. Lapotaire, CIEC
• Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant
• Microshield Environmental Services, LLC
• www.Microshield-ES.com

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Why Ventilation is for People Not Houses

October 18, 2010

By The Home Ventilating Institute (HVI)

When you think about it, ventilation really is a people consideration. The purpose of ventilation is to provide a home’s occupants with clean, healthy, and comfortable air.

Ventilation is used to dilute pollutants and supply occupants with oxygen. Ventilation also dilutes high indoor humidity levels to prevent moisture-related problems such as mold growth and rot. Controlling excess moisture protects both the health of occupants and the health of the house.

While air infiltrating a house will dilute the concentration of indoor contaminants, natural infiltration is unreliable when compared to mechanical ventilation. In fact, it has been determined that houses with mechanical ventilation systems have better indoor air quality and use less energy than houses that rely on natural infiltration alone.

Sick-building syndrome
The words “sick-building syndrome” imply that a building is ill, when in fact the phrase refers to conditions which make the occupants ill—generally as a result of poor indoor air quality. Complaints may be reported after a building is remodeled. Pollutants released from construction products or cleaning solutions, microbial contamination of wet materials, and inadequate ventilation, are often cited as causes of sick-building syndrome.

Incidences of sick-building syndrome are on the rise. Fortunately, however, as more and more people grasp that poor indoor air quality might be the cause of their illnesses, they are cleaning up their indoor environment and improving their ventilation.

Sensitive occupants
Some people, due to pre-existing conditions (e.g., health, age) are more sensitive to contaminants in the air. Sensitive people require air that is much cleaner than normal in order to minimize negative impacts on their health. Their condition is often referred to as chemical sensitivity or multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS). Many of us are sensitive to “bad air” to a less debilitating degree – and all of us can derive a substantial benefit from breathing cleaner air.

Individuals with MCS generally exhibit a wide variety of symptoms. Eye and respiratory irritation are common, but headaches are also widely reported. Other symptoms can range from joint and muscle pain to seizures. Because the brain is very sensitive to some pollutants, MCS patients often report symptoms such as depression and anxiety that are related to poor indoor air quality.

Sensitive people’s bodies react to very low levels of a wide variety of pollutants. So, for sensitive occupants, it is imperative to clean up the indoor air through source control and separation, then use a mechanical ventilation system to keep the air clean.

Diluting high moisture levels
Although moisture itself isn’t a pollutant, with an accumulation over several days, it can contribute to a variety of pollution problems in a house. If there is excess moisture in a house in the form of high humidity, there can easily be a proliferation of biological pollutants. Mold, mildew, or dust mites will start to thrive as the humidity rises, and the occupants may start experiencing allergy or asthma symptoms. Inside the living space, moisture can be released from both people and their activities. Spot ventilation in the kitchen and bath, along with a whole-house ventilation system will help to expel excess moisture from a house.

People need fresh air
Those who are at greatest risk for sensitivity to contaminated indoor air are children, the elderly, and the sick. But we all need fresh air. We spend between 80–90% of our time indoors, so we must ensure that the air is comfortable and healthy. Properly installed ventilation products that have been certified by the Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) will ensure that you receive proper ventilation to maximize indoor air quality.

 

John P. Lapotaire, CIEC

#IAQS

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Simple Strategies for Reducing Indoor Air Pollution and Improving Indoor Air Quality

October 18, 2010

By The Home Ventilating Institute (HVI)

There are four basic strategies for improving air quality. First, it is important to always practice source control and separation; then a proper mechanical ventilation system should be used to reduce the pollutants. Finally, filtration can clean up remaining pollutants, that is, polish the air.

Strategy 1: Source control is simply eliminating the source of a pollutant. For instance, if you use cleaning products low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs), you won’t add those pollutants to the indoor air every time you clean the house.

Strategy 2: Practicing separation means creating a barrier between the occupied part of the house and the pollution source. If a pollutant can’t reach you, it can’t harm you. So, an airtight house can be a good way to separate pollutants such as those coming from insulation from the occupants.

Strategy 3: Ventilation is more than just air circulation between rooms—although that is a part of its purpose. With ventilation, there must be an exchange of air between the indoors and the outdoors. The best and most efficient way to exchange the air in a house is to rely on a mechanical ventilation system, which can be controlled, rather than relying on natural or accidental air pressure changes which may not occur as frequently as desired or in the areas of the house where the air changes are most needed, such as the bathroom or kitchen.

Strategy 4: Filtration is often combined with ventilation to maintain good indoor air quality. Filters capture airborne pollutants but they do not bring in fresh air, remove excess humidity, nor create oxygen; therefore, they should not be relied on as a substitute for a mechanical ventilation system

Two types of controlled ventilation systems

A high-volume local ventilation system is good for dealing with the occasional peak pollution levels or excess moisture in specific rooms. Local ventilation is desirable in bathrooms, kitchens, and other service rooms that regularly have high levels of moisture or pollution. Sometimes local ventilation is called spot ventilation because it ventilates one spot in a house.

General ventilation is referred to as whole-house ventilation because it is for every room in the house. Some people call general ventilation primary or basic ventilation because its purpose is to provide the air that occupants need on a continual basis. After all, human health is a primary consideration. A whole-house ventilation system is a relatively new term for a mechanical system that moves air through a house continuously at a relatively low flow rate. The purpose of a whole-house ventilation system is to provide a continuous air change for fresh air to maintain healthy conditions for the occupants and the building itself, not to cool the temperature of the living space. So the purpose of a whole-house ventilation system is very different from the purpose of a whole-house fan or whole-house comfort ventilator.

Consult with your builder or ventilation contractor to ensure that your house has proper mechanical ventilation. Ensure the quality of your indoor air by using ventilation products certified by the Home Ventilating Institute.

Adapted from: Understanding Ventilation: How to design, select, and install residential ventilation systems by John Bower © 2010 The Home Ventilating Institute

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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC

Tenants blame health problems on mold

October 18, 2010

Tenants blame health problems on mold

Janet Portman
Rent It Right
October 8, 2010

Q. My tenants have alerted me to a water leak in their apartment. It must have been there for some time, because there’s a lot of mold under the sink. They’ve measured the amount of mold in the airspace, using a kit they bought, and are telling me that the levels are high and may have made them sick. What should I do?

A. The first thing you should do is to advise your tenants to keep the cupboard doors shut under the sink, to contain the air.

Next, you need to find the source of the water leak. You may have a burst or leaking pipe or pipe fitting; moisture under the floor from poor drainage; or a leak in your gutter system, allowing rainwater to penetrate the walls. You may need to tear out the wall or do other work to get your answer. If the wall is soaked with mold, it will definitely have to be replaced.

You mention that your tenants have “measured” the mold levels using a commercial product. You should know that the trustworthiness of such products is uncertain.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, “measurements of mold in air are not reliable or representative.” While there may be a potential health risk when mold is visible or can be smelled, it’s not possible to gauge that risk using kits like these. Moreover, individuals respond to mold differently: What may irritate one person might have no effect on another.

An allergic reaction to mold — including sneezing; throat, nose, and mouth irritation; nasal congestion; and red or watery eyes — is the most common response among people who are sensitive.

Of course, these problems can be caused by other factors, such as pollen and other environmental triggers (natural and man-made). For this reason, it is very difficult to know for sure whether the cause of an allergic response is the presence of mold (or more precisely, the toxins that some molds produce) or something else entirely.

Your tenants haven’t given you enough information to enable you to know whether their “sickness” is the result of the mold under the sink. They would need to consult with a doctor at the very least. Even then, the doctor would probably not be able to say with certainty whether the mold under the sink accounts for their issues.

That’s not the end of the story, however. Just because it’s difficult to pin some health problems on mold doesn’t mean you should not take your tenants’ report seriously. For good tenant relations alone, listen to them and consider underwriting a night or two at a local motel while your workers deal with the leak and remove the moldy building materials.

This will not only demonstrate your good will, it’s also good business sense. Tenants who feel they have a good-faith problem that the landlord is ignoring are the ones who march off to find lawyers.

Although it’s doubtful that these tenants could ultimately pin their health complaints on the mold, they can certainly make you spend time and money dealing with their claims (and your insurance company).

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Posted by John P. Lapotaire, CIEC

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