Indoor air quality
Moisture the concern with crawl
spaces
I’m from the Midwest and have always had a basement. We just bought a
house with a crawl space. What do I need to know?
Weeping windows pose plenty of
problems
During the winter, my windows have been sweating so badly that I put a
towel on the sill to catch the drips. Any idea how I can stop this?
Exhaust
fan blows bathroom mold away
My daughter lives in a rental house that has a mold and mildew problem
in the bathroom. In addition to the grout in the shower tiles, it's
also starting to show up on the painted walls and ceiling. What can be
done to get rid of this mess?
Agencies
question value of ozone generators
I recently purchased a home ozone generator in hopes of preventing
bacteria and other buildup in my house. However my friend told me that
these generators can produce serious health risks, is this true?
Ventilation
key to cutting home's humidity
I recently moved to the area and have noticed that my home has quite a
bit of moisture buildup, particularly in the bathroom and kitchen. I
suspect this isn't good, and I need to know how to manage it. What do
you advise?
Tight
construction can hurt air quality
In last week’s column, we began a discussion about dealing with excess
moisture inside the home, focusing on the kitchen, bathroom and laundry
areas. A good exhaust fan can easily get rid of this unwanted moisture.
But there are other sources of moisture that also should be addressed.
That’s our focus this week.
Do not jump
to blame ducts for household dust
I recently moved to the area and into a new house. While I think of
myself as a good housekeeper, I am having real trouble with dust in
this house. It seems no matter how much I clean, every time I turn
around I need to dust again. A neighbor suggested that it may be my
furnace ductwork. Should I have my ducts professionally cleaned? Will
this help remove dust?
Maintenance
key to air filters' performance
We are replacing our furnace and are getting bids from heating
contractors. A number of them have included add-on filters that the
salesmen claim will take care of dust and make our home healthier. Is
this true? Are these filters really worth the extra money they
cost?
Short-,
long-term tests can help detect radon
I live in an older basement home in Vancouver. I read recently that in
July the county building department is requiring all new homes be built
with radon-resistant construction techniques. I didn't think radon was
a problem in Clark County. Is it?
Readers'
questions on humidity and carbon monoxide alarms
The Energy Adviser responds to two questions:
1) We live in an older two-story home with the furnace in the basement.
The top floor is an open bedroom taking up the entire floor. Do we need
an alarm on each floor? In order to get the earliest alert, where
should we place the alarm?
2) The relative humidity in my home is hovering between 47 and 52
percent. What is the ideal relative humidity?
Carbon
monoxide alarms prevent poisoning, death
I recently read a story about a man who died of carbon monoxide
poisoning in his home due to a faulty wood heater. The story goes on to
say that there was no carbon monoxide alarm in the home, but that if
there had been it may have saved his life.
