ASHRAE and Indoor Air Quality

Transcription

1 ASHRAE and Indoor Air Quality Weatherize Ohio Conference October 27 29, 2015 The State of Ohio is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider of ADA Services

2 Introduction ASHRAE: Why is it needed? What hazards effect Indoor Air Quality? Upcoming changes Choosing the best system for your client What have been your experiences with ASHRAE?

3 What is ASHRAE? A measure adopted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) which consists of controlling the air flow in a home or residence and improving Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) by way of installation of mechanical ventilation equipment. Goal: To address each home s air changes and air quality to ensure safe breathing air and overall improved air quality. And to provide each client with the education needed to make sound decisions moving forward.

4 Why do we need ventilation?

5 How many times have you seen this?

6 Or these?

7 Reasons for Ventilation Indoor Air Quality - Provide fresh air - Reduce or remove carbon monoxide, radon, cigarette smoke, pet dander, etc. Moisture - Few things are as destructive to homes than the presence of moisture - Ventilation is critical to the maintenance of healthy moisture levels in all homes Inadequate existing Ventilation - Addressing non-existent, non-operational, improperly installed, damaged or underperforming exhaust equipment

8 Reasons for Ventilation Inadequate existing Ventilation can offer little help to resolve moisture issues, or even make them worse.

9 Indoor Air Quality Defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as: The air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. Understanding and controlling common pollutants indoors can help reduce your risk of indoor health concerns. Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years later.

10 Primary Causes of Indoor Air Problems Indoor Pollution Sources Fuel burning combustion appliances Tobacco products Building materials and furnishings (asbestoscontaining insulation, flooring, upholstery, carpet, furniture of pressed wood)

11 Primary Causes of Indoor Air Problems Other Pollution Sources Household cleaning products, candles, air fresheners Central heating and cooling systems, humidifiers Excess moisture Radon, pesticides, outdoor air pollution

12 Unseen Pollutants Not all pollutants are visible or obvious. Mold spores Ragweed spores Dust mites

13 Ghosting, soot and yellow walls. Unseen Pollutants

14 Pollutant Sources

15 Pollutant Sources

16 A gas that has no color, odor, or taste Comes from the natural radioactive breakdown of uranium in the ground Two main sources: radon in the air in your home radon in drinking water Radon

17 Effects of Pollutants Immediate Irritation of eyes, nose, throat, headaches, dizziness, fatigue Short-term treatable Aggravate or worsen diseases such as asthma Long-term Increased risk over repeated exposure Respiratory diseases, heart disease,, cancer

18 Disability-adjusted life year (DALY) The disability-adjusted life year (DALY) is a measure of overall disease burden, expressed as the number of years lost due to illhealth, disability or early death. Basically this is the time frame spent with health issues as a direct result of the culmination of a lifetime of exposure to contaminants.

19 Improving Indoor Air Quality Source Control Eliminate source of pollution Reduce emissions Open windows or use window fans Improve Ventilation Use exhaust fans (kitchen, bathroom) Treat IAQ before adding ventilation Table-top and whole-house models Air Cleaners Not designed to remove gaseous pollutants

20 Improving Indoor Air Quality Additional IAQ notes: The most effective way to improve indoor air quality is to eliminate individual sources of pollution. Ventilation cannot remove the source of pollutants; only lessen the presence of pollutants. Be sure to treat the source of IAQ pollutants before adding ventilation. It is important to take as many steps as possible during short-term activities that can generate high levels of pollutants. For example: painting, paint stripping, unvented heaters, etc.

21 Weatherization and ASHRAE Weatherization itself generally does not introduce indoor air problems, and when done properly, greatly improves it. Client education is very important.

22 Air Movement

23 Air Movement Air sealing Once a home is air sealed, the home will become more energy efficient by keeping the conditioned air inside, but any pollutants found inside will also be kept inside. This is why ASHRAE and ASHRAE education is so important.

24 Just as household pollutants can build in an air-sealed house, so can Radon. Air Movement A properly sealed vapor barrier is vital. Spray adhesives provide a practical solution. DP77 Industrial Spray Adhesive 3M Super 77 Multipurpose Adhesive

25 Scope change What's New for ASHRAE The scope of the 2016 Standard will be significantly broadened to "... dwelling units in residential occupancies in which the occupants are nontransient." There is no height limitation of three stories or less. The 2016 version will include all residential dwellings from single-family detached to high-rise. It will not include lodging facilities because these are for transient folks. In apartment buildings, the hallways and common areas will fall within the scope of ASHRAE 62.1 (point one).

26 What's New for ASHRAE Normalization of unbalanced and balanced whole-building ventilation Until now, the Standard has treated unbalanced and balanced ventilation equally. If your Residential Energy Dynamics (RED) tool results with a minimum whole-building ventilation requirement of 40 CFM, you could install a 40 CFM unbalanced or balanced system. The equivalence with which the Standard has handled unbalanced and balanced ventilation has been a longstanding issue with the Standard. As a result of Addendum s to the 2013 Standard, unbalanced ventilation requirements will increase while balanced will remain the same. This is because unbalanced ventilation reduces natural infiltration (making the actual infiltration credit smaller), whereas balanced does not.

27 What's New for ASHRAE Reorganization and change of terms Rather than having a separate multifamily section, multifamily will be incorporated throughout the Standard. The term "whole-building ventilation" will become "dwelling-unit ventilation". This new term works better with the scope change and the increased importance of multifamily buildings.

28 What's New for ASHRAE De minimis whole-building ventilation for existing dwellings If an existing building is determined to need whole-building ventilation of 15 CFM or less, none is required to be installed. Although this addendum does not include the term de minimis, it has been given this name by the installer community. DOE has allowed you to use this new feature since September 17, 2014 when it issued WPN Memorandum 007.

29 What's New for ASHRAE Floor area Floor area, has been clarified by Addendum "a" to the standard. Floor area is now defined as: "all above and below grade finished areas as defined in ANSI Standard Z "

30 Other ASHRAE Requirements ASHRAE timers must be set to the final calculation post work Attached garages must be adequately sealed from living space Clothes dryers must be vented to exterior All duct joints outside conditioned space must be sealed Branch duct systems must have backdraft dampers Whole-home fan flow must be verified Continuous vs. intermittent fan specifications

31 Exhaust only o Spot ventilation fans o Balanced multiple intake single fan, single exhaust system Supply only o Into return side of HVAC system o Direct through the wall fan Balanced o Fan driven air in/ air out o Heat recovery (HRV) o Energy recovery (ERV) Choosing a System

32 Things to Remember Not every home must have an exhaust only system. In some cases, an exhaust fan may actually need to be downgraded. (Ex: Excessively high CFM fan in small air tight home.) In some cases, the existing fan with an upgraded timer control is all that is needed. Use the best option for each home and treat it as the individual that it is. *Be mindful of the seasonal tendencies of a region, and client habits/ wishes before choosing a positive pressure system.

33 Common Monitoring Issues Jobs not having an initial and final ASHRAE calculation Timers not set properly Lack of air sealing to avoid ASHRAE Humidistat installed instead of a timer ASHRAE systems installed in the basement and the duct not tied to the main body of the living space Kitchen fans not being tested Inaccurate data entered into the ASHRAE calculation ASHRAE systems not listed on NEAT/MHEA audits

34 Sources Environmental Protection Agency Department of Energy Residential Energy Dynamics WAPTAC Illinois Sustainable Technology Center Energy Trust of Oregon

35 Questions Eric Sandys, Energy Analyst (614) Jim Hall, Training Coordinator (740) ext. 234