As you would expect, Maryland home builders are making more of an effort to improve the energy efficiency of new homes. This effort includes reducing the air leakage from homes and has resulted in a lack of fresh air circulation into the home and a build-up of stale, polluted air trapped inside the home. Besides the impact on the air quality in the home, this can affect your comfort system (aka your heating and air conditioning system) as well.

Years ago, the EPA’s Office of Research and Development found levels of about a dozen common organic pollutants to be 2 to 10 times higher inside homes than outside, regardless of whether the homes were located in rural or highly industrial areas. Studies indicated that products containing organic chemicals contributed to very high pollutant levels in the home and elevated concentrations remained in the air long after the products were used.

Volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOC’s include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. VOC’s are emitted by a wide array of products numbering in the thousands. Examples include: paints and paint strippers, cleaning supplies, pesticides, building materials and furnishings, copiers and printers, correction fluids and carbonless copy paper, glues and adhesives, permanent markers and photographic solutions. All of these products can release organic compounds while you are using them, and, to some degree, when they are stored.

These VOC’s have become a bigger problem over the years in the heating and air conditioning industry. One of the worst examples was from drywall that was imported from China that contained such high levels of VOC’s the indoor coils were corroding to the point of failure within a year in some cases. This problem was so widespread that manufacturers have been forced to alter the composition of their equipment in order to better withstand the effects of VOC’s.

Don’t panic, this isn’t common to every home or always as severe as this example. However, the impact of VOC’s has recently become more understood in terms of your air quality and even the performance of your comfort system. During your spring cleaning, it may be time to find a place outside your home to store those old paint cans, lacquers and pesticides instead of in the corner of the basement. If you think that your home may need more fresh air, there are solutions to manage the introduction of outside air into your home efficiently. For more information on indoor air quality, give us a call.

]]> http://www.gaithersburgair.com/2011/01/indoor-air-quality/feed/ 0 http://www.gaithersburgair.com/2011/01/be-prepared-for-this-winter/ http://www.gaithersburgair.com/2011/01/be-prepared-for-this-winter/#comments Tue, 04 Jan 2011 15:38:59 +0000 RBiava http://www.gaithersburgair.com/?p=1599 Now that the air conditioners off and the heat is switched on. There are a few things you can do to make sure you’re ready for heating season.  First, let’s be sure to test your heating system before you actually need it.

There’s no reason to wait to the last minute to find out your heat isn’t coming on – Switch your thermostat over to heat and let it run for a few minutes.  Stand next to your indoor heating system and listen to it start up and make sure there aren’t any strange noises.

If you have manual dampers to redirect airflow based on the season, now would be a good time to adjust those.  Remember – we want to send more of the heated air to the bottom floors of your home during the winter and restrict the airflow to the top floors.  This way the downstairs will be comfortable and the heat will naturally rise to the upstairs.  If the damper settings aren’t already labeled, label the winter and summer settings with a marker so you know where to set them next season.

As the colder weather arrives, don’t over adjust your thermostat.  Many people set the temperature too low during the day when no one is at home thinking they are saving energy.  When they return home in the evening, the system must run much longer to reach the desired temperature and much of the energy savings are lost…not to mention being uncomfortable for several hours.  A few degrees variance will do the trick.  And let’s clear up a common misconception while we’re on the topic:  Moving the set temperature on the thermostat way high (or low) does not result in more heat (or cooling).  The system will only run longer and over-shoot the desired temperature.

In the winter, open the shades and blinds during the day to allow sunlight to help heat your home.  Regularly change or clean your air filters.  Dirty filters reduce airflow causing the system to work harder and use more energy.  If you’re one that forgets to pick up replacement filters or need an odd size, let us know.  We provide replacement air filters by the case so you always have a replacement available and can provide custom sizes.

Seal up those leaky doors, windows and exterior penetrations – All those places where cold, outside air can be drawn into your home.  Warm air naturally rises and that air must be replaced – known as The Stack Effect.   Reduce the amount of air infiltration into your home and you’ll be more comfortable and save on energy usage this winter.

And those of you that have humidifiers, service the humidifier at the beginning of the heating season.  Replace the water panel and open any dampers on the bypass lines.  Usually the humidifier needs a good cleaning every season.  Check to see that the water supply is on and verify that there are no leaks.  Be sure to check the drain, too.  Pour water down the drain and make sure that it isn’t clogged.

For those of you that are members of our Peak Performance Maintenance Program, we will take care of all of the maintenance issues for you.  But it’s still a good idea to test the system before you actually need it.

We had our first blast of truly cold air this week where the temperatures in Montgomery County dropped into the 20’s.  This was a clear sign that winter is on the way and heat is once again in demand.  My guess is you were one of the many running to the thermostat to turn on the heat or maybe even cranking the temperature setting up to get comfortable.

Its common to have to adjust the temperature setting on the thermostat frequently when you have a basic non-programmable thermostat.  As the temperatures rise and fall and cold outside air infiltrates your home, you definitely feel the difference.  The dry winter air feels much colder than air with a higher humidity content.  As a result, 70 degree air that is extremely dry will feel cooler than if your home had proper humidity levels at 70 degrees.  The cold, dry air that leaks into your home during the winter will have you constantly adjusting your temperature setting.

Programmable thermostats like the Bryant Evolution Control® actually monitor the outdoor temperature and humidity levels to ensure the most comfortable conditions in your home.  In conjunction with a whole-house humidifier, the Bryant Evolution Control will add humidity to the air in your home as needed to maintain the proper humidity levels in addition to the proper temperature settings.

The Bryant Evolution® Control also allows you the benefit of programming your temperature settings to your individual preferences.  The programmable thermostat can be programmed to four separate time periods each day and provides the option to set every day of the week differently.  This allows you the opportunity to let the home cool down a few degrees when no one is home saving you on unnecessary operating costs.  There’s no need to maintain the same temperature setting all day while you’re at work so why not reduce your energy costs when your home is empty.  And the Evolution Control will bring the temperature in your home back to your preferred set temperature before you arrive back home.

The combination of this “smart” control, humidification and ability to program your settings will maximize your comfort and actually allow you to save in operating costs.  Programmable thermostats are a win-win situation.  If you have questions about the Bryant Evolution® Control, programmable thermostats or humidifiers, contact us and we’ll have a Comfort Consultant answer all of your questions.

You may have never thought about it, but you can use trees and shrubs to improve the efficiency of your comfort system.   How can you do this?  Maximize the warming effects of the sun in winter, maximize your use of shade in the summer and deflect winter winds away from your home.

Solar heat is absorbed through your home’s windows and roof.  Shading your home with trees from summer sun can reduce air temperatures as much as 9 degrees helping to reduce your cooling costs.  Shrubs and groundcover plants reduce heat radiation from the ground cooling the air before it reaches the walls and windows of your home.  Vines are also a good source of shade on walls.

Providing shade for your air conditioner/heat pump can actually increase your system’s efficiency by as much as 10%!  That is money in your pocket when the summer electrical rates take effect during the cooling season.  Be careful not to plant bushes and shrubs so close to the unit that airflow is restricted – Leave a buffer of about one foot of clearance around the unit to allow for proper airflow.  Remember, that is one foot of clearance as the plant continues to grow so plan ahead and leave enough space for the plant’s growth.

Proper landscaping can provide excellent wind protection as well which helps to reduce your heating costs in the winter.  Winds can drastically lower the outdoor temperature forcing your heating system to work longer and harder.  Shrubs, bushes and vines create a dead air space that actually insulates your home during both summer and winter protecting your home from the more extreme elements.

The types and location of trees, shrubs and bushes will all depend on your home’s structure and surroundings.  Generally, north- and south-facing windows will provide good sunlight during the winter allowing for solar heating with minimal heat gain during the summer.  East- and west-facing windows should be shaded to minimize the heat gain from the summer sun.  A reputable landscaper like Goshen Enterprises can help you determine how exactly you should landscape around your home.  You can contact them at 301-869-8544 or go to their web site at www.goshenenterprises.com.  You can also visit  http://www.eere.energy.gov/consumer and click on YOUR HOME then LANSCAPING for more information.

A basic comfort system will overcompensate for temperature variances in your home by pushing conditioned air throughout your entire home, even those areas that don’t need it.  The result – uneven temperatures and increased energy bills. That’s where the zoning system comes in.

A zoning system consists of a control, automatic motorized dampers and temperature sensors working in conjunction with your comfort system.  The dampers are placed inside the supply ducts to control the airflow to specific areas of your home.  The temperature sensors are located in the separate zones of your home.  It’s similar to having a separate thermostat in each area communicating with your comfort system allowing each zone to be heated and cooled independently.

When any of the zones are calling for heat/cooling (based on your desired set point at your thermostat), the thermostat brings on your comfort system.  The zone control determines which zones are in need of conditioning based on the temperature sensors in each zone.  The dampers are automatically closed in the supply lines to those zones which do not need conditioning and opened in those that do need heating/cooling.

The zoning system allows for you to only heat/cool those areas which need it! This allows you to enjoy more comfortable, even temperatures throughout your home.  Because your system is only delivering conditioned air to the necessary areas, energy consumption is decreased.  Your system operates much more efficiently saving you money on your energy bills.

Unfortunately, zoning systems can’t be installed in every home.  The duct design in your home must be fabricated in a manner which allows for the appropriate zones.  The supply lines must be accessible in order to install the zone dampers, as well. A Comfort Consultant can easily inspect your system to determine whether the zoning system would be right for your home.

Your heating system will actually add to these problems because the process of heating the air removes moisture. A whole house humidifier can be installed on your heating system to add moisture to the conditioned air and deliver it through the duct system to your entire home helping to resolve these issues. A home with a higher level of humidity will actually feel warmer allowing you to be more comfortable at lower temperatures. I’m sure you’re familiar with this concept from the weather we experience in Maryland in the summer – It always feels much hotter than it actually is when humidity levels are higher.

Over the years, we have been to many homes in Rockville, Germantown, Gaithersburg and other Montgomery County cities where our customers have humidifiers but they feel as though their home’s air is still too dry. We have found that there are two major opponents diminishing the effectiveness of humidifiers – The first being your own heating system. In order to increase the comfort level in your home, we need to increase the percentage of moisture in the air. However, humidifiers only work when your heating system is actually running so you’re only adding moisture to your home’s air when the furnace or heat pump is on. Most systems only run a fraction of the time and even less if they’re oversized – which many older units are.

The other obstacle is air infiltration. Your home needs to exchange fresh, outside air constantly to be healthy. However, we have found that most homes allow far too much air into the home. An average healthy home would require about 5-7 complete air exchanges each day. We have measured homes with more than twice that amount! This means that the air inside your home is being humidified (not to mention conditioned) and then escaping to the outside. The humidity that you have added is being lost to the outside and you’re humidifier is unable to keep up with the drier outside air that is replacing the air being lost to the outside.

The result: The air in your home struggles to reach the comfortable target humidity levels that you want.

Solutions: We now require an infiltrometer test be performed on any home before installing a humidifier. This allows us to determine the home’s infiltration rate and the amount of moisture needed to reach comfortable humidity levels. With this information, we can determine whether the humidifier will perform as it should. We can also point out areas where simple improvements can be made to decrease the amount of infiltration to the home.

We have also found that certain equipment can help to improve a humidifier’s performance such as variable speed furnaces/heat pumps. These units operate on lower settings the majority of the time resulting in longer run cycles. This allows more time for your system to add humidity to the conditioned air. These systems also allow you to run the fan on lower speeds. The lower speed would allow you to run your fan continuously with the humidifier – providing additional humidification without requiring the system to operate in heating mode.