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Indoor Air Quality

Improving The Air Quality In Your Home

Too Much Humidity: Controlling Mould and Dust Mite Growth

Mould and dust mite allergens can be the cause of many breathing symptoms, especially for the allergic/asthmatic. High humidity causes mould and dust mites to multiply and thus is a priority focus for correction throughout the many places in the home these can grow.

Mould is often detectable to the naked eye (e.g., black spots on wood window frames, bathroom tiles, carpeting and walls). Other potential mould growth areas are in ventilation equipment such as air conditioning coils, humidifiers, air exchanges coils and dehumidifiers.

Basements are notorious for mould and dust mite problems. Being below ground level increases the possibility of water infiltration. This can be due to structural problems whereby the protective membrane between the earth and the foundation wall fails to prevent water from seeping through. Old homes that have had their windows upgraded were not designed to be airtight and can trap humidity, leading to mould growth in the areas of the home mentioned above. How do you fix high humidity? Proper ventilation all year round is crucial for controlling the problem.

Proper Ventilation and Pressurization: Controlling Humidity

Fall/Winter: In the winter, it is best to keep the humidity level between 35-40%. Over 40% encourages dust mite and mould growth. Minneapolis homes in which newer, more hermetically sealed windows have been installed may require the installation of an air exchanger or heat recovery ventilator for fall and winter to ensure that the humid air created by bathing, cooking and washing does not build up in the home. Exhaust fans are required in bathrooms where bathing and showering can trap humidity. Make sure to have adequate cubic feet per minute of exhaust for the size bathroom being serviced.

Summer: The use of a standard air exchanger or heat recover ventilator will not be effective enough in lowering summer humidity because the air outside is too humid at this time of year. The only possible function of an air exchanger during the warmer season would be to continue to ventilate the home with the windows and doors kept closed for long period of time.

In summer, a portable, wall-mounted or central air conditioning or a heat pump are necessary to lower humidity in indoor air. These control the humidity level by condensing the air. It is possible to dehumidify a home during the summer months using an active heat recovery ventilator that is designed to condense the air. These are more costly units than your standard air exchanger or heat recovery ventilator and are for people who do not like cooling their home but would like to dehumidify or temper the air during the summer months.

Not Enough Humidity: Enhancing the Body as an Air Filter

When people complain of irritated throats, itchy or chapped skin or blocked noses, they may be living in a home with an insufficient amount of humidity. These symptoms are not synonymous with low humidity, however. Other factors such as poor air filtration, toxic gases, mould or dust mite allergens can also lead to these symptoms.

To verify if low humidity is a problem in your Minneapolis home, it is recommended that you buy a humidity gauge. If humidity is less than 30-35%, it tends to dry out body fluids in the upper and lower airways, moisture that is needed to filter air particles we breathe. You will need to purchase either a humidifier that attaches to a central ventilation system or strategically place portable units.

The type of portable humidifier that treats the water by boiling it is recommended. If a central unit is preferred, either a flow-through, padless drum type, or a steam humidifier will be better than the old drum and pad type units where water sits in a pan and soaks on the sponge, sometimes for days.

As mentioned earlier, however, humidifiers can be a breeding ground for mould. Where there is moisture, mould will begin to form in a short time. When standing water is not removed within 72 hours, mould growth will occur rapidly and minor problems can quickly become major. Make sure to be well informed on the maintenance required to keep your humidifier in good repair and to clean it thoroughly during and at the end of the low humidity season, especially during a Minnesota winter.

Decontaminating Ventilation Equipment

Most Minnesota home owners never think to clean their ventilation equipment. That is because not many people, including professionals in the business of ventilation, are aware that cleaning equipment and products exist to safely and effectively perform this task. There are many products available that claim to completely disinfect a ventilation system. Sadly, many of these products are made of toxic solutions that can be harmful to the upper and lower airways. Moreover, the difficulty of applying the product thoroughly renders them unreliable.

Decontaminating your ventilation system or portable ventilation equipment is like going to the dentist to have your teeth cleaned. Both are meant to protect against build-up of harmful substances. While cleaning your teeth lessens the likelihood of gum disease, decontaminating equipment lowers the risk of breathing contaminated air, particularly with moulds.

Treating your ventilation equipment (air conditioning and heating systems, portable and wall A/C units, dehumidifiers, humidifiers and heat recovery ventilators) against mould and bacteria growth before it reaches levels of toxicity that can adversely affect your health is crucial to maintaining good air quality. This work can be done in minutes, safely, using non-toxic products.

Other Indoor Air Pollutants to Watch Out For

1) Off-Gassing of Toxic Fumes: Try to reduce use of toxic cleaners - go "green" (nontoxic).
2) Household Clutter: Reducing household clutter makes it easier to clean your home and help reduce dust mite buildup
3) Pets: Deciding on whether or not to keep a pet is always a difficult subject. Tough decisions from time to time must be made when compromised health of a loved on becomes an issue. If you have pets, keep them away from bedrooms. Keep them clean and vacuum frequently with either a HEPA filtered system or central vacuum that exhausts to the exterior of the home.
4) Smoking: Smoking of tobacco products in the home should be avoided at all times. Second-hand or environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) can lead to asthma in young children. For up to a half-hour after smoking, the smoker's exhalations continue to pollute the spaces s/he occupies.

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