Air Quality

                 

Solar Attic Fans and Smart Attic Fans


AIR PURIFIERS:   An air purifier or air cleaner is a device which removes contaminants from the air in a room.  These devices are beneficial to allergy sufferers and asthmatics, and at reducing or eliminating second-hand tobacco smoke, dust, pollen, pet dander, mold spores, and dust mite feces, that act as allergens, triggering allergies in sensitive people.  Smoke particles and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can pose a risk to health.  Active air purifiers use ionisation for cleaning the air.  Passive air purification units use air filters to remove pollutants, and are more efficient since all dust and particulate matter is permanently removed from the air and collected in the filters.    

                 

HOUSE VENTILATION SYSTEMS:  Energy-efficient and tight envelope homes--both new and existing--require mechanical ventilation to maintain indoor air quality.  All of the fans, vents, and ventilation equipment in a home work together as a "ventilation system" to exchange indoor and outdoor air without wasting energy.  There are four basic mechanical whole-house ventilation systems--exhaust, supply, balanced, and energy or heat recovery.

    

House Ventilation and Radon Mitigation

KITCHEN HOOD VENTS--ENERGY STAR Rated:  Ventilation fans that have earned the ENERGY STAR use 70% less energy than standard models, improve comfort, and remove odors and moisture with less noise. 
    
           

  Energy Star Rated Kitchen Range Hood Vents

CEILING FANS--ENERGY STAR Rated:  ENERGY STAR certified ceiling fans with lights are 40% more efficient than conventional fan/light units, saving you at least $60 in energy costs over the fan's lifetime.  
    

Energy Star Rated Ceiling Fans

NATURAL VENTILATION--Window Screens:   Windows provide the primary means to control air flow in most homes. People open windows to provide fresh air, ventilate odors and smoke, dissipate heat and moisture, and create air movement on hot days.  While exhaust fans and central air systems can mechanically ventilate a room, opening a room to the outdoors is perceived as more direct and natural.

            

Window Screens

BATHROOM VENTS--ENERGY STAR Rated:  Dry, well-ventilated bathrooms are important in preventing mold growth in bathrooms.  ENERGY STAR certified ventilation fans provide better efficiency and comfort with less noise, and feature high performance motors and improved blade design, providing better performance and longer life.   

Energy Star Rated Bathroom Fans

SEALANTS--Low VOC:  A VOC is a “Volatile Organic Compound.”  The way a chemist uses that phrase, the word “volatile” describes a liquid that evaporates at room temperature, and the word “organic” means it is a compound that contains carbon.  Thousands of different VOCs, some natural and some man-made, can be found in the air.  In caulks and sealants, VOCs are used as solvents, or thinners, that work with the resin–the part that binds together all the ingredients of the sealant and allows it to adhere to the building materials.  The phrase “Low VOC” is used to describe a product with a VOC content at or below 150 g/L. 



                 

Low VOC Sealant

PAINTS--Zero VOC, Solvent Free, or Low VOC:  Emitted from paint as potentially harmful gases, volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, are a hot topic when it comes to indoor air quality.  The number generally accepted for a low VOC paint is less than 50 grams per liter; a zero-VOC paint has fewer than 5 grams per liter.  


               

Zero VOC Paint, Solvent Free Paint, or Low VOC Paint

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