Attic Ventilation

Few things are more misunderstood about the home than attic ventilation. In essence, all ventilation is about circulating air to keep it fresh and to reduce moisture levels. The American Institute of Architects estimates that 90 percent of homes in the U.S. have unacceptably high levels of moisture. Understanding whether your home could benefit from some form of attic ventilation might just be, if not a life-saver, a roof-saver. Here are some of the myths and the facts you need to know about attic ventilation.

1. More Attic Ventilation is Good: Just like properly sizing your furnace and air conditioning unit, you want precisely the right amount of attic ventilation for your home. Insufficient ventilation can lead to moisture problems during the winter and decreased energy efficiency during the summer, but too much ventilation can be just as bad, if not worse. Roof vents create an additional roof penetration—essentially another place of vulnerability where leaks can occur. Some vents are necessary, but you don’t want to needlessly increase the number of roof penetrations. More than leaks, these seams can cause blowouts during a hurricane or allow sparks from a wildfire to enter your home and set it ablaze.

2. Roof Vents are for Warmer Climates: Too many people believe the importance of roof ventilation is to increase energy efficiency during the summer. Good roof ventilation can do this, but shingling color, sun exposure, and insulation are exponentially more important to overall energy efficiency than ventilation. Sure, installing roof vents for older homes can reduce your cooling load during the summer, but there are probably more low-risk, cost-effective ways to increase your home’s energy efficiency.

Meanwhile, preventing moisture damage is a much greater benefit and applies to colder climates more than warmer ones. In fact, the colder the climate, the more likely it is that your home will benefit from attic ventilation. In order to install an unvented roofing system in colder climates, you’ll need highly rated, rigid insulation to prevent condensation on your roof sheathing. In warmer climates, you don’t need to worry about condensation—think about how often dew forms on your grass. In these climates, hot attic spaces are eliminated by installing a thermal barrier along the roof line, instead of the attic floor.

3. Roof Vents Remove Warm Air during the Winter: Too many people believe that because heat rises, ventilating an attic space during the winter means you’re releasing warm air and creating a drag on your heating efficiency. If this is true, you’ve got bigger problems to worry about than letting warm air escape from your home. Poor insulation is usually the culprit, although if you enter the attic on sunny, winter day, your attic space can be warmed by the sun more than your furnace.

Unless your roofing system has insulation on the roofing deck and is designed without ventilation, your furnace should not be heating your attic. Worse yet, inadequate insulation is almost surely allowing moisture-laden air into your attic. When this warm, moist air hits your roof, it’s likely to form condensation that will lead to further deterioration of your insulation and/or wood rot. If you think this might be a concern, wait till the sun goes down and measure the temperature in your attic. It should be pretty close to the outdoor temperature.

The ideal roof / attic ventilation would consists of combination of vents located in upper section of the attic (ridge vents, turbine, box shaped or dome static vents, electric motor powered vents), vents installed along the bottom parts of the roof overhang, called intake, or soffit vents, hip vents, and / or gable vents.  Roofs with no, or very small overhang might be able to utilize “vented drip edge” .

Do not combine attic gable vents with roof soffit and ridge / upper roof vent systems – it will disturb attic ventilation process.

Industry standard for proper attic ventilation recommends (for no vapor retarder type of attic insulation – no paper, plastic or aluminum layer between the attic floor and insulation layer) 1 sq. foot of ventilation for every 150 sq. feet of attic space divided 50 / 50 between the inlets and outlets.

For vapor retarder equipped attic insulation (for example fiberglass blankets/bats with paper facing),  you should have 1 sq. foot for every 300 sq. feet of attic space – assuming that everything else is perfect…

CAUTION: There are some that think the absolutely opposite, and seal all of the attic ventilation ports, sometimes insulate roof decking, assuming that such action will lower the utility bill.  They call this a “hot” roof.  Unfortunately, by doing that, they are creating the ideal mold growing environment (moist and warmer than exterior).  I have personally seen attics with spray foam on the roof sheathing, no venting and water dripping from the spray foam insulation and mold growing on all exposed lumber.

You can partially determine how good is your attic ventilation by examining roof surface during the winter (from the ground of course!).  After some snow accumulates on pitched roof surface, monitor it over the next few days, and if roof remains snow covered, there’s a good chance, that your attic ventilation and attic floor insulation is adequate, and whatever heat is being transferred through the attic floor (house ceiling), and all other penetrations between the house and attic area has enough escape routes.

Heat Loss in your Home

Do you have ice growing from your roof?  This is the best time here in Maine to evaluate your heat loss.  Go outside and look at your roof.  Are there icicles?

         

This build up is called ice damming.  An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms along the lower edge of a roof and blocks melting water (snow) from running off the roof. Over time, the dam of ice builds up as more and more water freezes and the runoff water pools behind the dam–eventually working its way under the shingles right into the roof structure–and even down into the house. Ice dams are caused by heat loss from the house.  Ice dams remain a constant problem and cause millions of dollars worth of damage in northern climates. Here’s how you can prevent an ice dam on your roof.

Understand that ice dams are caused by heat loss from inside your house. Heat rises into the attic, warms the attic and the underside of the roof and helps melt snow when the warm sun is shining. To prevent ice dam formation in homes, you need to prevent this heat loss

Ensure your attic insulation is up to modern standards. Modern building codes require attic insulation to be at least R 38 or even higher. This is approximately 12 inches of fiberglass bat insulation.

Allow cold outside air to flow through your attic. A properly ventilated attic has open soffits (under the eaves) where outside air can come in and upper vents (either individual roof vents or a ridge vent) that allow the cold air to move up underneath the roofline and out the top. This air movement keeps the roof cold and prevents an ice dam from forming.

Install baffles between the roof joists to stop any insulation from migrating over the top of the soffits, blocking the air and preventing proper air movement

However there is a more likely culprit of heat loss in your home……Attic Bypasses

These attic bypass leaks can reduce the effectiveness of your attic insulation by 30 to 40 percent.

Insulate and seal all openings (called attic bypasses) from the house into the attic. This includes chimney chases, plumbing stacks, heating ducts, attic access hatches, pot lights and ceiling fixtures. Any and all of these openings into the attic will allow warm air into the attic raising the temperature to help melt snow on the roof.

Prevent a large buildup of snow on your roof. A roof rake will allow you to pull any snow buildup off of your roof while you stand safely on the ground.

It is extremely important to get your attic bypasses sealed it you want your insulation to really work well, and to protect your home from moisture damage.  The bypasses presented in this blog are just some of the common ones.  There are many more individualized situations.

Home Inspections in Maine

 Whether your a seller or buyer of a home an inspection can help you ensure there are no deal breakers and no costly issues to be remedied.  Finding the right inspector is the next step.  Home inspectors in Maine do not need to be licensed.  There are many organizations that offer certification in Home Inspections these are mostly membership certifications that only require you to pay a monthly dues.  If your home inspector is taking a sample for radon air or water they must be certified by the State of Maine or it is illegal to take the sample.

Check to see if your radon professional is certified:

http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/environmental-health/rad/radon/documents/testers.pdf

TP Environmental Consulting offers sellers and buyers tailored inspections to meet their individual needs.  We offer Full Residential and Commercial Inspections.  We are very competitive and our inspections are done by engineers. All our inspectors are also Certified by the State of Maine in Building, Ventilation and Energy Code.  We include a full electrical inspection by a Master Electrician and Radon Air and Water Testing by a State of Maine Certified Measurement Specialist.  Our roof to road inspections evaluate structural and environmental issues. We include pest, mold, lead and asbestos.

Environmental Evaluation  $295.00 Includes Radon air and water testing, a visual inspection of the attic and basement for water damage, mold, lead, asbestos and pest

FULL Electrical Inspection $200.00 by a master electrician

Standard Inspection  $450.00 Includes Structural, Plumbing, Basic Electrical, Heating Systems, Environmental (pest, mold, lead, asbestos), Radon air and water testing.

Here are some of the issues and cost associated with them:

Radon Air reduction systems run $1100 – $2500 depending on the house

Radon Water reduction systems run $4000 – $6000 depending on the level of radon in the water

Electrical can be as simple as proper installation of GFI’s and Smoke/Carbon Monoxide alarms or as costly as a system upgrade

Wet Basements are not unusually in Maine understanding how to maintain and improve the health of your basement is the key

Attic venting and improper attic entries are the two major sources of mold I see in attic areas.  Opening up a attic entry and seeing black staining is never a good thing for a seller to find during a buyer’s inspection.

Call TP Environmental today to help you make the right decision with the home you are buying or selling!

www.gotbadair.com

terry@gotbadair.com

207-991-0171

Is there Soot in your Home?

Soot on your walls indicates a problem somewhere in your house, and you often don’t notice soot until it’s become a huge problem. Most often, you move a picture on the wall and notice the telltale signs of soot. Upon closer inspection, you’ll probably find stains on carpets, drapes and other home furnishings as well. Ductwork can pickup soot particles and quickly spread soot throughout your home, evidenced by soot stains around registers and embedded into your air intake or filter. Before addressing cleanup, let’s address the cause.

FIREPLACE or WOOD STOVE

First, if you notice soot stains around your fireplace or hearth stove, you may have found clues to the culprit. However, a byproduct of burning any fuel is carbon. If your fireplace or stove is a vented model, the problem is the venting system, not the appliance; the venting components, connector pipe, chimney liner or the chimney design itself are to blame. Either look for excessively dirty venting, a blockage such as a bird’s nest, or improper maintenance of the appliance. A fireplace or stove that has not been properly maintained may produce more smoke, fumes and particulates than the venting system was designed to withstand. Have the appliance cleaned and serviced, have the chimney cleaned and inspected.

FURNACES & WATER HEATERS

Again, gas and oil furnaces are designed to vent fumes and soot out of the house. A properly installed and maintained furnace that’s connected to a well designed chimney and venting system should show no signs of soot. If you see soot near your furnace, have the appliance cleaned and tuned for optimum performance, then have the chimney and venting system inspected. If the venting system is oversized, undersized, contains offsets or has been blocked by leaves or birds nests, make corrections immediately. If you upgraded the furnace but attention was not given to the venting system then your furnace may not be able to perform at its optimum, and may actually be dangerous. Additionally, consider the needs of a water heater, especially if the water heater shares a flue with your furnace. The water heater may perform well in the winter when rising flue gases from the furnace assist draft, but not these fumes may linger during warm months when the chimney lacks sufficient draft to evacuate fumes. Be aware that soot caused by burning fuels (oil, gas, wood, coal) indicates another great potential health and safety risk of exposure to carbon monoxide. Soot is carbon, and where there are carbon stains then carbon monoxide has also been present. Carbon monoxide exposure can cause flu-like symptoms. Exposure to abrupt high concentrations, or long term low concentrations, can lead to permanent health damage and even result in death. If dirty walls are not enough motivation for you to immediately address your soot problem then the health and safety concerns of carbon monoxide should spur you into prompt action. Every home should have carbon monoxide detectors and smoke detectors installed relatively close to each fuel burning appliance, and on every floor of the home. TP Environmental can also point out design flaws in the venting system – such as a flue that’s too small, too short or with improper offsets – that may prevent adequate venting. If the appliance is in good repair, the chimney is clean, unblocked and designed properly then the chimney should perform its job of carrying away fumes and smoke. If not, your house design may be at fault, not allowing sufficient combustion air to enter the house. Research negative draft issues and how house designs may encourage other appliances to pull combustion air INTO your chimney.

CANDLES

Yes, candles can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your home before you even realize this is where your soot stains originated. The worst culprits are imported candles using petroleum byproducts and/or lead wicks. Combine these ingredients with the chemicals added to manufacture scented candles and you may have a real soot maker on your hands! Most candle manufacturers recommend keeping wicks trimmed to 1/4″ as this promotes a more even burning that results in less soot. Also keep candles away from drafts that visibly affect the flame. Never blow out a candle as this produces smoke and soot; extinguish the flame with a candle snuffer or by suffocating the fire by putting the top on a jar candle. Soy and beeswax candles are generally preferred to parafin wax (a petroleum based byproduct). Soy and beeswax are renewable resources that burn cleaner and with less chemical additives. While they generally are more expensive to purchase, they burn longer and more cleanly than paraffin wax. Non-cored wicks made of natural plant fibers are also safer and cleaner burning. Candles are a source of open burning fire in your home and should only be used with extreme caution any way. Don’t burn them for hours on end; extinguish the the flame after one hour, and allow the candle to cool completely before relighting. Don’t burn candles unattended, and make sure the wax is properly contained as the candle burns down.

CLEANUP

Once you find and remedy the cause of your soot stains, it’s time to begin the cleanup job. A variety of consumer-grade cleaners are available that claim to clean up soot stains. They’re certainly worth a try, but commercial cleaning products and a professional cleaning team may be in order, followed by repainting and replacement of carpeting and furnishings in extreme cases. While soot damage is sometimes covered by your homeowner’s insurance policy, the company will generally investigate the cause of the soot. Insurance policies often cover a “sudden occurrence” event – such soot caused by a kitchen stove flareup – but won’t necessarily cover damage that’s occurred over a long period like that caused by candles. Chemical analysis of soot can determine whether it’s caused by an improperly vented fireplace or by candle wax, so expect large cleanup claims to be investigated thoroughly.

Checklist

Make sure the venting system is properly designed for the appliance it services

Have all fuel burning appliances cleaned, tuned and maintained annually for optimum performance and efficiency

Have all chimneys and venting systems inspected annually and cleaned when needed to eliminate excessive buildup

Use candles with extreme caution

Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in your home

Carbon Dioxide in your Office

Carbon dioxide is a villain in the climate change narrative, but coal plants and factories aren’t the only places that produce it. Humans generate CO2 too, just from breathing. And in certain circumstances, that human-generated CO2 might be enough to impair decision making and overall performance at work. Oddly enough, the problem may be especially prevalent in some energy-efficient buildings.

In a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives, researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and SUNY Upstate Medical University exposed 22 people to various levels of CO2 (600, 1,000, and 2,500 ppm) in an “office-like chamber” for two-and-a-half-hour sessions over the course of a day.

The researchers tested subjects’ decision-making ability with something called the Strategic Management Simulation–a system where participants are given real-world simulation scenarios and asked to respond using a drop-down menu of decisions. Factors measured include flexibility in approach, number of actions taken, opportunistic actions, openness to information, and focus on multiple task demands.

Much to the researchers’ surprise, decision-making abilities started declining significantly at exposure to 1,000 ppm–prior to this, the researchers thought detrimental effects wouldn’t start happening until exposure to at least 10,000 ppm. The exposure that the participants received is fairly common; it has been found in elementary school classrooms in California and Texas (21% of Texas classrooms have a peak CO2 concentration of over 3,000 ppm). Office spaces don’t face the same exposure–one study mentioned in the report of 100 U.S. offices found that only 5% had peak indoor CO2 concentrations of over 1,000 ppm.

But here’s where it gets weird: Energy-efficient buildings may be more at risk of having elevated concentrations of CO2. That’s because poor ventilation is one of the primary causes of elevated CO2 indoors, and lowering ventilation rates can cut down on energy use. As you might imagine, that could cause CO2 levels to rise and decision-making abilities to be affected–even, say the researchers, if air cleaning systems are put in place to combat other pollutants.

The researchers explain in the paper: “It seems unlikely that recommended minimum ventilation rates in future standards would be low enough to cause CO2 levels above 2,500 ppm, a level at which decrements in decision-making performance in our findings were large, but standards with rates that result in 1,500 ppm of indoor CO2 are conceivable.”

In other words, future energy-efficiency standards need to take into account indoor CO2 levels just as much as they consider cutting down on energy use–and as a result, outdoor CO2 emissions.

Wet Basements or Crawlspace

An unfinished basement or crawl space can be quietly undermining the integrity of the home and life within it. The crawl space—like many unfinished basements—tends to be quite humid. The excessive moisture in a basement or crawl space poses a number of threats to the home. It provides an environment for mold to thrive—mold that can eventually make its way up into the rest of the home. The moisture can also attract wood-boring insects that destroy the wood sub-structure. The presence of insects may also draw rodents and other pests into the crawl space. Solving the basement or crawl space moisture issue is the first priority in a finishing project.

BEFORE

AFTER

Moisture Mitigation: Vapor Barriers and Encapsulation
The elimination of moisture and reduction of humidity in the crawl space is crucial to a healthy home. This step will help control mold growth, wood rot and insect infestation, which can also alleviate any rodent issues. Reducing moisture can put an end to any mustiness or unsavory smells emanating from the area. It will also prevent the hardwood floors above from warping.

Moisture and humidity in the basement or crawl space is partially the result of water evaporating from the soil. To combat moisture in the basement or crawl space, a vapor barrier or encapsulation system can be installed.

An encapsulation system usually sees a moisture/vapor barrier or “liner” installed up the walls of the basement or crawl space and over the exposed earth floor. Proper installation methods of an encapsulation system will vary from climate to climate and are dependent on the specific products used, but it often includes overlapping the liners of the wall and the floor, taping all the seams and fixing the barrier to the foundation walls with anchors. The nature of the vapor barrier itself will vary by installer—some use products from outside manufacturers and some have their own patented and branded system. Vapor barriers differ in composition, thickness, strength or durability and color. Thickness can range anywhere between three to 20 millimeters; both puncture strength and tensile strength are rated—these are measured in pound-force (lbf). The type of barrier used should be taken into consideration by the homeowner and can be determined by the desired end result.

One of the most important features of the vapor barrier is the water vapor permeance—or “perm”—rating of the product. This measures the transmission of water vapor through the product. The lower the number, the better the product’s resistance to vapor transmission.  Homeowners should ask TP Environmental which products would be used in a crawl space finishing project.

Just installing a vapor barrier most likely won’t be enough, however. TP Environmental may recommend installing a drainage system along the perimeter of the crawl space walls and a sump pump to keep the ground beneath the liner dry. Leveling the dirt floor will be an option or a necessity, depending on whether or not the homeowner wants to pour a concrete floor, a more expensive crawl space finishing solution. A level crawl space is more conducive to storage usage and will decrease the chances of tearing a hole through the liner.

Some crawls spaces need a lot of work. Fiberglass insulation may need to be removed and replaced. Broken or leaking pipes, drier vents and other elements found in the crawl space may also be a source of moisture and humidity.  TP Environmental will make sure the end result is a clean, dry and healthy room in the home.

Call us today for an estimate 207-991-0171 or terry@gotbadair.com

Indoor Air Quality and Weatherization

If your looking at having an energy audit or weatherization project for your home here are a few questions to ask….

1.  Will I need an air exchanger system to overcome the sealing from the weatherization of my home.  Cost for a standard air exchanger system $2000 – $3000.

2.  Will you perform backdrafting testing on my home after the weatherization.

Unchecked, a tightly sealed house can present a flurry of problems, such as range hoods and clothes dryers creating negative pressures in houses large enough to backdraft furnaces, water heaters or fireplaces. The concern then becomes that this can introduce carbon monoxide and other deadly gases directly into the house.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is called the silent killer or the silent threat. This is because it is colourless, odorless, and silent. It is formed as a by-product of combustion of carbon-based fuels such as natural gas, propane (LPG), coal, coke, furnace oil, kerosene and wood. Carbon monoxide is absorbed by breathing and is 245 times more absorbent to the body than oxygen. Symptoms of poisoning can be mis-diagnosed as flu since they are very similar.

Symptoms Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• Persistent, severe headaches
• Dizziness and blurred vision
• Nausea and vomiting
• Confusion, weakness of muscles
• Insomnia and constantly tired
• Chest pain
• Fainting
• Cherry colored skin

The appliances that can generate CO within your house are the furnace, boiler, water heater, un-vented fuel burning heaters and solid fuel burning appliances. The three main problems are improper installation, chimney or vent blocked by bricks or bird’s nests etc. and inadequate ventilation, providing insufficient air to properly fuel the combustion process.

In addition to the symptoms of illness, a number of other signs can alert you to the presence of carbon monoxide in your house. Although carbon monoxide is problematic to detect, a stuffy, stale smell in your house may be a warning of its presence and not necessarily an indication that you should clean out the closets. If you have already taken measures to reduce moisture in your house, and you still see dripping water condensation on your windows, carbon monoxide may be present in your home. Moreover, closely inspect your stove to see that the normal blue flame you get upon ignition has not been replaced by a yellow burner flame. Or, if the pilot light in your furnace continues to go out, turn off the suspect equipment, evacuate everyone from the house and call a licensed heating contractor. A close inspection of your house may reveal that the source of carbon monoxide comes directly from your stove, fireplace, furnace or even your car. Although you would not know it, it is possible that your appliances have not been installed properly.

When your home is too airtight, dangerous carbon monoxide gases begin to seep into the air without you being aware of it. Like you, your house needs to be able to breathe. Excessive weatherizing has the potential to block the necessary flow of air needed for the safe operation of all appliances and heating equipment. Clear the air in your house with proper ventilation, know the dangers of excessive weatherization and don’t give carbon monoxide the chance to harm you and your family.

Maybe a little energy loss is worth good air quality……

http://www.gotbadair.com

Mold Removal…How much should it cost?

Mold remediation can be costly.  The remediation cost of a crawlspace can really vary. It could average as little as $500 or as much as $4,000. If the attic and wall ducts are involved, the cost for those generally ranges from $2,000 to $6,000. If your home has been flooded and the mold is all throughout it, there is much more that has to be done. This could drive your remediation cost up to $10,000 to $30,000 – and it could even go higher, depending on the size of your home.

Cost is why How and Who are important.

WHO……Don’t believe everything you see on TV.  Commercials are paid advertisements. Don’t believe everything your insurance company tells you. Insurance companies have what they call preferred suppliers.  I’m not sure how this works but I have followed a couple preferred suppliers that were recommended by a insurance company to a client…a $20,000 job had to be redone because the preferred supplier DID NOT do the job correctly. This was not the only preferred supplier that I have had issues with.  Check referrences and experience.  Training Certifications are NOT Professional Certifications.  A two day or online class does not make anyone a Mold Inspector.  No requirements in the State of Maine for certifications to be a “Mold Inspector”.   Remediation companies that have not been in business long (less than 5 years) , do their own air quality testing or sampling (to determine if you have a problem) and do their own clearance testing (to determine if the remediation was done properly)…Buyer Beware.   I recommend remediation companies with 10 years experience that utilize third party verification on their work. Ethically remediation companies should not be determining if you have a problem….remediating the problem….then confirming the problem is gone.  There are several good quality companies in the State of Maine contact TP Environmental or my website www.gotbadair.com where I have links to companies I recommend.  The cost to use a environmental company to determine if you have a issue is about 10% of what it costs to remediate it.    If you have a area over 100 sq ft or a possible hidden mold issue call a environmental services company to determine the extent and give you a protocol on how to clean up the issue.  This gives you a tool to use when determining whether to use a remediation company or do it yourself.  It also gives you a guideline on the remediation estimate.  A environmental services company does not profit from finding a issue they just help to correct it.

HOW…..there are several good methods to eliminate mold in your home.  First it’s important to identify if you even have a issue.  Testing and sampling should be conducted by a professional and NOT a remediation company.  Air sampling is a subjective science and sampling protocol is important.

There are many methods to remove mold.  New and old….proven and unproven.  No company can guarantee that mold will not come back.  Mold is everywhere in our environment.  What we don’t want is it growing in our homes.  The key is to control moisture and humidity which in turn will reduce your chances of mold growth in your home.

Dry Ice Blasting is one new method that is being used to clean mold.The primary purpose of dry ice blasting is to physically remove the mold growth by abrasive action, typically on semi-porous surfaces such as wood products (e.g. plywood). Physically removing the mold is the goal of mold remediation (not just killing the mold). Therefore, dry ice blasting can work nicely, assuming the debris that gets generated is adequately removed. The advantage of dry ice blasting over soda blasting is that the dry ice (solid state carbon dioxide) will go from a solid to a gas (sublimation). In layman’s terms, there is no dry ice to clean up afterwards. Again, the debris generated will need to be cleaned up though. The space needs to be well ventilated and oxygen levels monitored. Supplied air respirators may be needed.

The main disadvantage to dry ice blasting is the cost and complexity. Many say it is only cost effective on larger projects. For something small, a wire brush or sandpaper may be a better option for semi-porous surfaces.  Sanding or Blasting creates more particulates than it’s worth trying to clean and protect (workers). There is no contractor yet who can show me they clean up after sanding or blasting as well as they can washing/cleaning. They leave way too much dust behind.

Here are some products that clean up mold effectively – Do Not Use Bleach

White Vinegar –  Vinegar is in virtually every household and is great in fighting against mold and mildew. Its acidic quality makes vinegar an excellent fungicide,and it is known to kill 82 percent of mold and bacteria.Pour vinegar into a spray bottle and it’s ready to use.

Mint Surge –  The Mint Surge (SA-216) is a disinfectant, germicide, and deodorant. It is proven to be effective against bacteria and viruses. This quat disinfectant is a  broad spectrum disinfectant effective against gram positive, gram negative, fungi and selected viruses.  This can be purchased at Penobscot Cleaning in Brewer

Concrobium Mold Control Fungistat/Mildewstat (EPA Reg No. 82552-1)Available at Home Depot

Hydrogen Peroxide   – Fiberlock IAQ 1000 is a hydrogen peroxide-based, biodegradable, chlorine-free cleaner. IAQ 1000 is pH-neutral, and contains an agent that will whiten and brighten while cleaning, but does not contain sodium hypochlorite (bleach).IAQ 1000 is suitable for use in water damage restoration situations to remove odor-causing mold, mildew, bacteria and other microbial growth on porous and semi-porous, and non-porous materials. IAQ 1000 contains no dyes or perfumes, and is not corrosive like many industrial cleaners. IAQ 1000 is specifically designed for cleaning after water damage, sewerbackups and floods. IAQ 1000 is supplied in a powerful, ready-to-use formula that can be applied directly from the container.

Benefect – Typical disinfectants require 10 minutes contact time, which is difficult to achieve on vertical surfaces and materials. New Decon 30 solves this problem by being specially formulated to kill gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria with a more realistic contact time of just 30 seconds!  In addition to being bactericidal against Staphylococcus aureus (Staph), Salmonella enterica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa & Escherichia coli (E-coli), it is also virucidal against Rhinovirus (the common cold virus) and Influenza A including the Pandemic 2009 H1N1 on hard, non-porous, inanimate surfaces.

Here are some standard cleaning methods

Mold Remediation Methods

Method	Application
Wet Vacuum	Use when materials are wet Use where water has accumulated, such as on floors, carpets and hard surfaces Do not use when sufficient liquid is not present
Damp Wipe	Wipe or scrub non-porous (hard) surfaces with water and detergent Follow instructions listed on the product label
High Efficiency Particulate (HEPA) Vacuum	Final clean-up after thoroughly dry, and contaminated materials are removed Recommended for cleanup of dust outside of the remediation area Properly seal HEPA filter Personal protection equipment (PPE) is highly recommended; filter and contents must be disposed of in well-sealed bags
Discard	Building materials and furnishings that cannot be remediated Seal contents in two bags using 6-mil polyethylene sheeting Large items may be covered in polyethylene sheeting and sealed with duct tape Sealing materials must be within containment area to limit further contamination

Spray Foam Pros and Cons

Many people we trust are quickly coming to the conclusion that all use of closed cell spray foam, XPS and other extruded foam insulations in the construction industry needs to stop, right now. Not later and not maybe.

This is especially true when you consider that we have such easily available, less damaging foams stocked in every store. EPS, poly-iso and water blown foams are better by enormous factors if you must use foam. Far better again are mineral wool and cellulose.

Alex Wilson’s report at GBA is crucial reading for everyone in the construction industry:
http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/energy-solutions/avoiding…

It’s really easy to get people upset about possible health hazards in their homes, especially if we glibly reassure them there are no risks to certain products whether we know that to be true or not. In building, as in any other endeavor, it’s easy to convince ourselves something is true if we really want it to be true. I don’t know how safe spray foams are. I do know they’re used a lot, and I also know that the quality and safety control within the industry is (at least in my market area) VERY uneven. I also know that there’s rampant confusion regarding what building codes really require for thermal and ignition protection; that what sales reps say often contradicts what their own literature says with regard to ASTM testing among other things; and that, of all the newly prevalent products we use to make homes perform better, spray foams worry me the most in terms of potential liabilities.

The claim that closed-cell spray urethane foam meets the requirement that you call “reversibility” – the ability of a thermal envelope to be able to dry in either direction – is simply false. Like any vapor barrier, 2 pcf foam prevents drying. If there is a relatively impermeable material on the other side of the assembly (such as self-adhering membranes on walls or roofs) then the sandwiched wood sheathing cannot dry if it ever gets wetted by an imperfection in the weather barrier any time in the life of the building.
Additionally, because it is hydrophobic, any water leakage will be fully absorbed by wood framing and sheathing materials, increasing their saturation and the probability of mold or rot. Making an assembly impermeable to both liquid and vaporous moisture is a valid strategy only in a perfect world in which nothing ever leaks.

In the real world, some vapor permeance is essential to the long-term durability and livability of a house. And in mixed climates (most of the US), where the seasonal moisture drives reverse, it is important for a thermal envelope to be able to dry in both directions.

Closed-cell spray foam fails this requirement.

To sum up the partial list of negatives:

It’s so toxic to install that humans need full skin isolation and protection from the chemical components. Over exposure to isocyanurates can lead to devastating chemical sensitivities, including permanent respiratory damage (Direct from Bayer, a major manufacturer: http://www.greenbuildercollege.com/studyguides/BaySystemsSprayInsulation…).

During installation, if the chemicals are not mixed correctly or at the proper temperature you can get incomplete curing of the two chemical components, either of which is toxic on its own. This is a very rare situation, thankfully, but this rare risk is still one I wouldn’t ever recommend one of our clients take with their house.

And, once applied (correctly or incorrectly) a house is bound up and glued together in a manner that is impossible to reverse, limiting the ease of future renovations drastically, even simple actions like adding wiring or fixing plumbing issues.

It does nothing for thermal bridging at typical supplied depths, wood framed buildings still end up with an ~R-6 insulation gap every 16″ at each wood stud.

Polyurethane is best used in a cool, dry environment. A good design will ensure its protection from extremes in temperature and from becoming wet. It will also keep the foam dry by providing a vapour barrier that
will keep excessive moisture from entering the material and condensing or freezing in the colder parts of the foam. Polyurethane does not have good freeze-thaw resistance. If the material is wet and is subjected to
freeze-thaw cycles it may disintegrate after only a few dozen cycles.

And worst of all, it’s extremely expensive, far worse than other comparable insulation materials…
But, none of these specific technical issues gets at your main point, which is consumer confusion, because every point I have listed will be eagerly refuted by the closed cell spray foam industry, which has more lobbying money available than I have time to type.

And this is where we need to get to work changing these larger systems. It’s why I think we can’t shy away from pushing for policy changes, more than trying for individual behavioral change.
There are viable substitutes for all these blowing agents available, this is a US regulatory problem at heart.

Links FYI

http://www.thomasnet.com/articles/plastics-rubber/foam-insulation-danger

Insulation Basics: What to Know About Spray Foam

Maine Rentals Tested for Radon – It’s the Law

As of March 1, 2014 all rentals in the State of Maine are to be tested for Radon Air

All rentals whether houses or apartments must be tested.  Not just Section 8.

http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mecdc/environmental-health/rad/radon/hp-radon.htm

TP Environmental Consulting is a Maine certified radon tester

Please contact us with any questions on the new Radon Testing Law for Rentals

http://www.gotbadair.com