Re: GBlist: Re: GBList: Dust Mites/RH and Infiltration -Reply

Hal Levin (hlevin@cruzio.com)
Thu, 06 Mar 1997 15:20:39 -0800

I agree with Arnie. To quote Jim White of Canada Housing and Mortgage
Corporation (CMHC), "build tight, ventilate right." This means prevent
leaks, create openings that can be used to control ventilation, whether
mechanical or passive, to provide the necessary ventilation for health,
comfort, and satisfaction. This will also mean matching the timing,
location, and quantity of ventilation to the loads - bringing air in where
it is needed, when it is needed.

At 05:12 PM 3/6/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Loren:
>I totally agree that the health/safety of the people is the top priority--much
>more important than saving a few BTUs. The question,though, is whether
>depending upon a leaky house--i.e., random infiltration--to supply enough
>fresh air to dilute pollutants and breathe well is the best way to assure
>their health.
>
>My own experience is that it's not. The solution for the folks who may be
>suffering from CO poisoning and oxygen deprivation is not to make the
>house leakier. The solutions are 1) source control and 2)ventilation. If
>they want to heat with wood (as I do) they need an air-tight stove,
>combustion air piped directly into the stove, and a sealed flue/chimney. If
>the stove is atmospherically decoupled from the living space, CO can't
>enter the house. A digital CO detector as a back-up is also a good idea.
>
>Then supply ventilation adequate for the people and moisture removal.
>
>Letting the CO in the house, and hoping to dilute it with either random
>infiltration or mechanical ventilation, does not seem like a sound strategy.
>
>Arnie Katz
>AEC
>909 Capability Dr.
>Raleigh, NC 27606
>
Hal Levin <hlevin@cruzio.com>

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