March 2008 Archives
Remodeling battles greenhouse gas and climate change...reusing old structures saves significantly:
Researchers in England found that building a new home emitted four and-a-half times as much carbon dioxide as refurbishing an existing dwelling.They also found that the carbon dioxide emitted as a result of the construction of a new building - from quarrying, brick making and so on - accounted for nearly three times more of a building's lifetime emissions than had been supposed.
Previously the amount of energy involved in the construction of a home had been assumed to represent 10 per cent of the energy used over the lifetime of a building.
In fact, energy involved in construction added up to nearly 30 per cent of the emissions over the lifetime of the building, according to the report "New Tricks with Old Bricks; how reusing old buildings can cut carbon emissions." Telegraph, UK
So you can feel better about remodeling an old building than about building a new one. Another benefit of remodeling old structures is reduction in urban sprawl. When new wilderness or agricultural lands are transformed into suburban housing, we lose many additional benfits of nature's natural systems: plants (especially native plants) provide air filtration, water capture and replenishment of aquafers and water tables, wildlife habitat, cooling of the earth, and natural processing of waste -- from animal carbon dioxide to poop :-) Nature works hard for us and we can return the favor by reusing what we have already taken out of the natural system instead of adding to the concrete jungle.
Water is plentiful in most American homes ... but that doesn't mean it's cheap! Water infrastructure is being stressed with our growing population and habits such as long showers, landscaping and dishwashers. You can reduce your water needs where it's not even noticed -- and that's a GREAT way to learn about the savings you can have both at home and for your community water service.
Replace your toilet with a new low-flow model and cut your water use in half. The toilet is the single largest user of water in the home, accounting for up to 28 percent of water use. Replacing an old toilet with a new model will instantly save water and money -- up to $50 a year. For shopping advice, read "5 Tips for Choosing a Low-Flow Toilet."
Install water-saving fixtures on showers and faucets. If your bathroom was built or remodeled before 1994, your shower is using as much as triple today's standard.
Don't neglect routine maintenance. Check your toilet tank for leaks and repair dripping faucets. As green designer Lili Wright points out in "8 Steps To A Water-Wise Bathroom," if your faucet is dripping at a rate of one drop per second you will waste 2,700 gallons of water per year!
Replace your toilet with a new low-flow model and cut your water use in half. The toilet is the single largest user of water in the home, accounting for up to 28 percent of water use. Replacing an old toilet with a new model will instantly save water and money -- up to $50 a year. For shopping advice, read "5 Tips for Choosing a Low-Flow Toilet."
Install water-saving fixtures on showers and faucets. If your bathroom was built or remodeled before 1994, your shower is using as much as triple today's standard.
Don't neglect routine maintenance. Check your toilet tank for leaks and repair dripping faucets. As green designer Lili Wright points out in "8 Steps To A Water-Wise Bathroom," if your faucet is dripping at a rate of one drop per second you will waste 2,700 gallons of water per year!
The use of indoor ceiling fans can reduce prices on your energy costs up to 40% in the summer and 10% in the winter, using only as much as energy as a 100 watt light bulb.
During the summer ceiling fans create a "cooling effect" by lowering temperatures as much as 7 degrees. In the winter ceiling fans can recirculate heat and move heated air from the unused "top of the room" ceiling area to the living zone where people need that warmth.
Ceiling Fans can be used not only in the living and working rooms in a home or office but also in kitchens and bathrooms where dampness may be an issue. Circulation of air is important to dry areas so that mold isn't nurtured.
Outdoor ceiling fans can provide gazebo, patio and veranda comfort, and overhead lighting at the same time. These low-energy use fans can provide cooling summer breezes to reduce both the temperature of outdoor living space, but the feeling of heat as cool air aids body moisture evaporation, with its natural cooling effect.
Ceiling fans come in many sizes and designs including: casual, contemporary, eclectic, modern, transitional and simple Southern traditional.
Ceiling fan light kits and accessories also come with ENERGY STAR® ratings -- so be sure to look for this energy saving benefit! The ceiling fan market has matured with a wide variety of upgrades in design and efficiency -- including remote control units instead of pullcords! Ceiling fans can be coordinated with downrods, light kits, ceiling fan remotes, mounting hardware, and a variety of accessories.
Remote control ceiling fans can be helpful for people with limited mobility or for high ceilings such as stairwells. Many remote controls can be used with multiple ceiling fan installations, and they can be used to control the sound level during conversation, the speed and direction of the blades to manage the flow of air in the room or building.
Ceiling fans can be used in place of air conditioning -- and save significant amounts of electricity and greenhouse gas emissions, as a result. Stay cool -- and cool the earth!
Eight new reclaimed wood countertop options are now available from Craft-Art. The use of beautiful wood from the 1800s and 1900s, eco-friendly and functional, supports the goal to recycle the Earth’s resources as part of the sustainable building movement.
“We want to help build environmentally friendly homes. Wood is a renewable resource and we use a number of different wood species for our custom countertops. Our latest offering though is to reuse and preserve this beautiful resource by creating custom wood countertops from reclaimed wood sources,” comments Ken Williamson, founder and CEO of the Craft-Art Company, Inc.
The eight examples of reclaimed wood include Antique Heart Pine, Sinker Cypress, Antique White Oak, Pickle Vat Redwood, Barn Red Oak, Barn White Oak, American Chestnut, and Tobacco Barn Beech. Craft-Art is recycling wood from old mills, barns, river bottoms, and swamps for this new series of countertops.
Examples of Craft-Art’s exquisite reclaimed wood offerings are:
• Barn Red Oak - dates back to pre-1900 is a very high quality dense grain oak
• American Chestnut - an expensive wood species that is very rare
• The Tobacco Barn Beech – contains a nice color with beautiful red streaks in the heartwood
• Antique Heart Pine – features a “quarter-sawn” technique highlighting the tight-grain wood texture and creating a unique surface.
• Sinker Cypress – a beautiful wood species pulled from swamps and bayous of Louisiana
• Barn White Oak – a European oak with a coarse grain and brown to tan color
“As a natural material, wood evolves and becomes richer in depth and color over time,” adds Williamson. “We believe these countertops will excel in their enduring in beauty and durability. It is a pleasure to offer them to our customers.”
For more information on wood countertops, contact a local design professional. For more information on Craft-Art Wood Countertops, visit www.craft-art.com.
“We want to help build environmentally friendly homes. Wood is a renewable resource and we use a number of different wood species for our custom countertops. Our latest offering though is to reuse and preserve this beautiful resource by creating custom wood countertops from reclaimed wood sources,” comments Ken Williamson, founder and CEO of the Craft-Art Company, Inc.
The eight examples of reclaimed wood include Antique Heart Pine, Sinker Cypress, Antique White Oak, Pickle Vat Redwood, Barn Red Oak, Barn White Oak, American Chestnut, and Tobacco Barn Beech. Craft-Art is recycling wood from old mills, barns, river bottoms, and swamps for this new series of countertops.
Examples of Craft-Art’s exquisite reclaimed wood offerings are:
• Barn Red Oak - dates back to pre-1900 is a very high quality dense grain oak
• American Chestnut - an expensive wood species that is very rare
• The Tobacco Barn Beech – contains a nice color with beautiful red streaks in the heartwood
• Antique Heart Pine – features a “quarter-sawn” technique highlighting the tight-grain wood texture and creating a unique surface.
• Sinker Cypress – a beautiful wood species pulled from swamps and bayous of Louisiana
• Barn White Oak – a European oak with a coarse grain and brown to tan color
“As a natural material, wood evolves and becomes richer in depth and color over time,” adds Williamson. “We believe these countertops will excel in their enduring in beauty and durability. It is a pleasure to offer them to our customers.”
For more information on wood countertops, contact a local design professional. For more information on Craft-Art Wood Countertops, visit www.craft-art.com.
Save the Water Race, Tennessee
February 2008 – Reacting to the severe drought conditions plaguing the Southeast, Mayor Tony Reames of Orme, Tenn., launched a community awareness campaign with an immediate message – save water now before it runs out. The campaign titled, Save the Water Race, is a vast effort to inform homeowners about the significance of preserving water by repairing water leaks in toilets and faucets, and by installing water control fixtures throughout the home.
Gerber Plumbing Fixtures was one of seven major plumbing manufacturers who participated. The company demonstrated its ongoing corporate social responsibility by donating its high performance and water conserving Viper™ toilets to town residents.
“We are honored to aid in this major effort to help these citizens during this severe water crisis,” comments Ron Mudge, marketing and new categories manager of Gerber Plumbing Fixtures LLC.
"This project also demonstrates how high performance products like the Viper, conserve water by flushing the first time-every time”
The Gerber Viper high-performance toilets were installed with Bemis toilet seats, which are made of recycled materials. Delta Faucet Company also provided showerheads that use 36 percent less water than a normal showerhead.
For more information, including water facts from Orme and other water saving studies, visit www.endwaterleaks.com or call toll free 800-215-5961.
For additional product information on Gerber’s water conserving products, visit www.gerberonline.com or call 630.754.0278.
About Gerber:
Gerber Plumbing Fixtures LLC is a leading manufacturer of vitreous china plumbing fixtures, faucets, fittings and bathroom suites for the residential, commercial and hospitality construction markets. Gerber products are sold exclusively to the plumbing professional and are supported with Gerber’s exclusive “Best-in-Class” customer service. The company is committed to sustaining the environment through resource conservation and building best practices. Gerber is a member of the US Green Building Council and is a partner in the US EPA WaterSense Program.
February 2008 – Reacting to the severe drought conditions plaguing the Southeast, Mayor Tony Reames of Orme, Tenn., launched a community awareness campaign with an immediate message – save water now before it runs out. The campaign titled, Save the Water Race, is a vast effort to inform homeowners about the significance of preserving water by repairing water leaks in toilets and faucets, and by installing water control fixtures throughout the home.
Save the Water Race ignited on November 27, 2007 with hundreds of volunteers from national companies, along with local businesses and residents, teaming up to install water-efficient products for the quaint Tennessee town of approximately 150 residents.
Gerber Plumbing Fixtures was one of seven major plumbing manufacturers who participated. The company demonstrated its ongoing corporate social responsibility by donating its high performance and water conserving Viper™ toilets to town residents.
“We are honored to aid in this major effort to help these citizens during this severe water crisis,” comments Ron Mudge, marketing and new categories manager of Gerber Plumbing Fixtures LLC.
“The Save the Water Race campaign provides the perfect catalyst to educate homeowners on the real value of water conservation."
"This project also demonstrates how high performance products like the Viper, conserve water by flushing the first time-every time”
The Gerber Viper high-performance toilets were installed with Bemis toilet seats, which are made of recycled materials. Delta Faucet Company also provided showerheads that use 36 percent less water than a normal showerhead.
For more information, including water facts from Orme and other water saving studies, visit www.endwaterleaks.com or call toll free 800-215-5961.
For additional product information on Gerber’s water conserving products, visit www.gerberonline.com or call 630.754.0278.
About Gerber:
Gerber Plumbing Fixtures LLC is a leading manufacturer of vitreous china plumbing fixtures, faucets, fittings and bathroom suites for the residential, commercial and hospitality construction markets. Gerber products are sold exclusively to the plumbing professional and are supported with Gerber’s exclusive “Best-in-Class” customer service. The company is committed to sustaining the environment through resource conservation and building best practices. Gerber is a member of the US Green Building Council and is a partner in the US EPA WaterSense Program.
“The connection between health and dwelling is one of the most important that exists.”
There is a growing awareness that health is linked not only to the physical structure of a housing unit, but also to the neighborhood and community in which the house is located.
The fundamental needs of humans as they relate to housing include physiologic and psychologic needs, protection against disease, protection against injury, protection against fire and electrical shock, and protection against toxic and explosive gases.
Fundamental Physiologic Needs
Housing should provide for the following physiologic needs:
Seven fundamental psychologic needs for healthy housing include the following:
Eight ways to protect against contaminants include the following:
According to the International Code Council one- and two-family dwelling code, the purpose of building codes is to provide minimum standards for the protection of life, limb, property, environment, and for the safety and welfare of the consumer, general public, and the owners and occupants of residential buildings regulated by this code.
Protection Against Fire
An important component of safe housing is to control conditions that promote the initiation and spread of fire. At least 80% of all fire deaths occur in residences. Residential fires account for 23% of all fires and 76% of structure fires. In one- and two-family dwellings, fires start in the kitchen 25.5% of the time and originate in the bedroom 13.7% of the time.
Protection Against Toxic Gases
Protection against gas poisoning has been a problem since the use of fossil fuels was combined with relatively tight housing construction.
SOURCE: Basic Principles of Healthy Housing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Florence Nightingale
There is a growing awareness that health is linked not only to the physical structure of a housing unit, but also to the neighborhood and community in which the house is located.
The fundamental needs of humans as they relate to housing include physiologic and psychologic needs, protection against disease, protection against injury, protection against fire and electrical shock, and protection against toxic and explosive gases.
Fundamental Physiologic Needs
Housing should provide for the following physiologic needs:
- protection from the elements,
- a thermal environment that will avoid undue heat loss,
- a thermal environment that will permit adequate heat loss from the body,
- an atmosphere of reasonable chemical purity,
- adequate daylight illumination and avoidance of undue daylight glare,
- direct sunlight,
- adequate artificial illumination and avoidance of glare,
- protection from excessive noise, and
- adequate space for exercise and for children to play.
Seven fundamental psychologic needs for healthy housing include the following:
- adequate privacy for the individual,
- opportunities for normal family life,
- opportunities for normal community life,
- facilities that make possible the performance of household tasks without undue physical and mental fatigue,
- facilities for maintenance of cleanliness of the dwelling and of the person,
- possibilities for aesthetic satisfaction in the home and its surroundings, and
- concordance with prevailing social standards of the local community.
Eight ways to protect against contaminants include the following:
- provide a safe and sanitary water supply;
- protect the water supply system against pollution;
- provide toilet facilities that minimize the danger of transmitting disease;
- protect against sewage contamination of the interior surfaces of the dwelling;
- avoid unsanitary conditions near the dwelling;
- exclude vermin from the dwelling, which may play a part in transmitting disease;
- provide facilities for keeping milk and food fresh; and
- allow sufficient space in sleeping rooms to minimize the danger of contact infection.
According to the International Code Council one- and two-family dwelling code, the purpose of building codes is to provide minimum standards for the protection of life, limb, property, environment, and for the safety and welfare of the consumer, general public, and the owners and occupants of residential buildings regulated by this code.
Protection Against Fire
An important component of safe housing is to control conditions that promote the initiation and spread of fire. At least 80% of all fire deaths occur in residences. Residential fires account for 23% of all fires and 76% of structure fires. In one- and two-family dwellings, fires start in the kitchen 25.5% of the time and originate in the bedroom 13.7% of the time.
Protection Against Toxic Gases
Protection against gas poisoning has been a problem since the use of fossil fuels was combined with relatively tight housing construction.
SOURCE: Basic Principles of Healthy Housing by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Moisture condensation occurs in both winter and summer. The following factors increase
the probability of condensation:
The control of moisture in a home is of paramount importance. It is no surprise that moisture control begins with the design and integrity of the roof. As in nearly all construction materials, tradeoffs must be made in terms of cost, thermal efficiency, and longevity. However, all roofs have two things in common: the need to shed moisture and protect the interior from the environment.
Insulation
A house must be able to breathe; therefore, air must not be trapped inside, but must be allowed to exit the home with its moisture. Moisture buildup in the home will lead to both mold and bacteria growth.
Siding
Good siding should be attractive, durable, insect- and vermin-resistant, waterproof, and capable of holding a weather-resistant coating. Fire-resistant siding and roofing are important in many areas where wildfires are common and are required by many local building codes. Wall surfacing can include choices as diverse as fiber cement, bricks, stucco, vinyl, asbestos (beware of contamination), and metal.
RESOURCE: Center for Disease Control provides an online book with many building guidelines to prevent health problems.
- Homes that are ineffectively insulated and are not sealed against air infiltration in cold climates can result in major moisture problems.
- Cool interior surfaces such as pipes, windows, tile floors, and metal appliances; air conditioner coils with poor outside drainage; masonry or concrete surfaces; toilet tanks; and, in the winter, outside walls and ceilings can result in moisture buildup from condensation. If the temperature of an interior surface is low enough to reach the dew point, moisture in the air will condense on it and enhance the growth of mold.
- Dehumidifiers used in regions where outside humidity levels are normally 80% or higher have a moisture-collecting tank that should be cleaned and disinfected regularly to prevent the growth of mold and bacteria. It is best if dehumidifiers have a drain line continuously discharging directly to the outside or into a properly plumbed trap. This is also true in climates where air conditioning units are used on a full-time or seasonal basis. Their cooling pans provide an excellent environment for the growth of allergenic or pathogenic organisms.
- Moisture removed from clothing by clothes driers ends up in the dryer vent if it is clogged by lint or improperly configured. Moisture buildup in this vent can result in mold growth and, if leakage occurs, damage to the structure of the home. The vent over the cooking area of the kitchen also should be checked routinely for moisture or grease buildup.
The control of moisture in a home is of paramount importance. It is no surprise that moisture control begins with the design and integrity of the roof. As in nearly all construction materials, tradeoffs must be made in terms of cost, thermal efficiency, and longevity. However, all roofs have two things in common: the need to shed moisture and protect the interior from the environment.
Insulation
A house must be able to breathe; therefore, air must not be trapped inside, but must be allowed to exit the home with its moisture. Moisture buildup in the home will lead to both mold and bacteria growth.
Siding
Good siding should be attractive, durable, insect- and vermin-resistant, waterproof, and capable of holding a weather-resistant coating. Fire-resistant siding and roofing are important in many areas where wildfires are common and are required by many local building codes. Wall surfacing can include choices as diverse as fiber cement, bricks, stucco, vinyl, asbestos (beware of contamination), and metal.
RESOURCE: Center for Disease Control provides an online book with many building guidelines to prevent health problems.
Treatment of Human Waste
Safe, sanitary, nuisance-free disposal of wastewater is a public health priority in all population groups, small and large, rural or urban. Wastewater should be disposed of in a manner that ensures that
Approximately 21% of American homes are served by on-site sewage disposal systems. Of these, 95% are septic tank field systems. Septic tank systems are used as a means of on-site wastewater treatment in many homes, both in rural and urban areas, in the United States. If maintained and operated within acceptable parameters, they are capable of properly treating wastewater for a limited number of years and will need both routine maintenance and eventually major repairs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes an online book called "Healthy Housing Reference Manual" and a chapter covers on-site wastewater treatment options.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: On-Site Wastewater Treatment
Safe, sanitary, nuisance-free disposal of wastewater is a public health priority in all population groups, small and large, rural or urban. Wastewater should be disposed of in a manner that ensures that
- community or private drinking water supplies are not threatened;
- direct human exposure is not possible;
- waste is inaccessible to vectors, insects, rodents, or other possible carriers;
- all environmental laws and regulations are complied with; and
- odor or aesthetic nuisances are not created.
- Centralized treatment—Publicly owned treatment works (POTWs) that use primary (physical) treatment and secondary (biologic) treatment on a large scale to treat flows of up to millions of gallons or liters per day,
- Treatment on-site—Septic tanks and absorption fields or variations thereof, and
- Stabilization ponds (lagoons)—Centralized treatment for populations of 10,000 or less when soil conditions are marginal and land space is ample.
Approximately 21% of American homes are served by on-site sewage disposal systems. Of these, 95% are septic tank field systems. Septic tank systems are used as a means of on-site wastewater treatment in many homes, both in rural and urban areas, in the United States. If maintained and operated within acceptable parameters, they are capable of properly treating wastewater for a limited number of years and will need both routine maintenance and eventually major repairs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes an online book called "Healthy Housing Reference Manual" and a chapter covers on-site wastewater treatment options.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: On-Site Wastewater Treatment
Molds are part of the natural environment. Outdoors, molds play a part
in nature by breaking down dead organic matter such as fallen leaves
and dead trees, but indoors, mold growth should be avoided. Molds
reproduce by means of tiny spores; the spores are invisible to the
naked eye and float through outdoor and indoor air.
There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.
Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins).
Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold.
Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back. By fixing water leaks, you not only control mold -- but can reduce your water usage and water bill -- as well as future mold removal costs.
Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home by EPA's Office of Air and Radiation Indoor Environments Division.
There are many types of mold, and none of them will grow without water or moisture.
Molds are usually not a problem indoors, unless mold spores land on a wet or damp spot and begin growing. Molds produce allergens (substances that can cause allergic reactions), irritants, and in some cases, potentially toxic substances (mycotoxins).
Allergic responses include hay fever-type symptoms, such as sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, and skin rash (dermatitis). Allergic reactions to mold are common. They can be immediate or delayed. Molds can also cause asthma attacks in people with asthma who are allergic to mold.
Indoor mold growth can and should be prevented or controlled by controlling moisture indoors. If there is mold growth in your home, you must clean up the mold and fix the water problem. If you clean up the mold, but don't fix the water problem, then, most likely, the mold problem will come back. By fixing water leaks, you not only control mold -- but can reduce your water usage and water bill -- as well as future mold removal costs.
Guide to Mold, Moisture and Your Home by EPA's Office of Air and Radiation Indoor Environments Division.
The building industry is increasingly focused on making its buildings greener, which includes using healthier, less polluting and more resource-efficient practices.
Quality of the air and environment inside buildings is based on pollutant concentrations and conditions that can affect the health, comfort and performance of occupants -- including temperature, relative humidity, light, sound and other factors. Good IEQ is an essential component of any building, especially a green building.
Creating a better indoor environment can help building owners, managers, occupants, architects and builders to minimize or eliminate the negative health effects, liability, bad publicity, and costly renovations and repairs often associated with IEQ problems.
Improving IEQ involves designing, constructing, commissioning, operating, and maintaining buildings in ways that reduce pollution sources and remove indoor pollutants while ensuring that fresh air is continually supplied and properly circulated.
EPA’s Indoor Environments program promotes the use of integrated, whole building approaches to protect occupant health while saving energy and money. The program focuses on major building types including offices and institutional buildings, schools, homes, as well as major cross-cutting indoor air quality issues like mold and moisture. EPA offers resources from informational pamphlets to interactive CD-ROMs on how everyone from builders to homeowners can improve their indoor environment.
Call EPA's Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) Information Clearinghouse at 1-800-438-4318. Or visit EPA's list of free publications at epa.gov/iaq/pubs
Flat or panel air filters with a MERV of 1 to 4 are commonly used in residential furnaces and air conditioners. Such filters are used to protect the HVAC equipment from the buildup of
unwanted materials on the surfaces such as fan motors and heating or
cooling coils, and not for direct indoor air quality reasons.
Pleated or extended surface filters Medium efficiency filters with a MERV of 5 to 13 are reasonably efficient at removing small to large airborne particles.
Filters with a MERV between 7 and 13 are likely to be nearly as effective as true HEPA filters at controlling most airborne indoor particles. Medium efficiency air filters are generally less expensive than HEPA filters, and allow quieter HVAC fan operation and higher airflow rates than HEPA filters since they have less airflow resistance.
Higher efficiency filters with a MERV of 14 to 16, sometimes misidentified as HEPA filters, are similar in appearance to true HEPA filters, which have MERV values of 17 to 20. True HEPA filters are normally not installed in residential HVAC systems; installation of a HEPA filter in an existing HVAC system would probably require professional modification of the system.
RESOURCE: EPA Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home
Pleated or extended surface filters Medium efficiency filters with a MERV of 5 to 13 are reasonably efficient at removing small to large airborne particles.
Filters with a MERV between 7 and 13 are likely to be nearly as effective as true HEPA filters at controlling most airborne indoor particles. Medium efficiency air filters are generally less expensive than HEPA filters, and allow quieter HVAC fan operation and higher airflow rates than HEPA filters since they have less airflow resistance.
Higher efficiency filters with a MERV of 14 to 16, sometimes misidentified as HEPA filters, are similar in appearance to true HEPA filters, which have MERV values of 17 to 20. True HEPA filters are normally not installed in residential HVAC systems; installation of a HEPA filter in an existing HVAC system would probably require professional modification of the system.
RESOURCE: EPA Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home
Some air cleaners use ultraviolet (UV) light technology intended to
destroy pollutants in indoor air. These air cleaners are called
ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) cleaners and photocatalytic
oxidation (PCO) cleaners. Ozone generators that are sold as air
cleaners intentionally produce ozone gas, a lung irritant, to destroy
pollutants.
- UVGI cleaners use ultraviolet
radiation from UV lamps that may destroy biological pollutants such as
viruses, bacteria, allergens, and molds that are airborne or growing on
HVAC surfaces (e.g., found on cooling coils, drain pans, or ductwork).
If used, they should be applied with, but not as a replacement for,
filtration systems.
- PCO cleaners use a UV lamp along
with a substance, called a catalyst, that reacts with the light. They
are intended to destroy gaseous pollutants by converting them into
harmless products, but are not designed to remove particulate
pollutants.
- Ozone generators use UV light
or an electrical discharge to intentionally produce ozone. Ozone is a
lung irritant that can cause adverse health effects. At concentrations
that do not exceed public health standards, ozone has little effect in
removing most indoor air contaminants. Thus, ozone generators are not
always safe and effective in controlling indoor air pollutants.
Consumers should instead use methods proven to be both safe and effective to reduce pollutant concentrations, which include eliminating or controlling pollutant sources and increasing outdoor air ventilation.
Visit www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/ozonegen.html for more information on ozone generators sold as air cleaners.
Indoor air pollution is among the top five environmental health risks.
Usually the best way to address this risk is to control or eliminate the sources of pollutants, and to ventilate a home with clean outdoor air. The ventilation method may, however, be limited by weather conditions or undesirable levels of contaminants contained in outdoor air. If these measures are insufficient, an air cleaning device may be useful.
Some air cleaning devices are designed to be installed in the ductwork of a building’s central heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to clean the air in the whole house.
Portable room air cleaners can be used to clean the air in a single room or specific areas, but they are not intended for whole-house filtration.
Pollutants that can affect air quality in a home fall into the following categories:
- Particulate matter includes dust, smoke, pollen, animal dander, tobacco smoke, particles generated from combustion appliances such as cooking stoves, and particles associated with tiny organisms such as dust mites, molds, bacteria, and viruses.
- Gaseous pollutants come from combustion processes. Sources include gas cooking stoves, vehicle exhaust, and tobacco smoke. They also come from building materials, furnishings, and the use of products such as adhesives, paints, varnishes, cleaning products, and pesticides.
RESOURCE: EPA's Guide to Air Cleaners in the Home This document describes performance characteristics associated with several types of air cleaners sold to consumers for home use. It does not discuss the effectiveness of air cleaners installed in the HVAC systems of large buildings, such as apartments, offices, schools, or public buildings.
