Please confirm you are in our delivery area As winter approaches, it will soon be time to batten down the hatches so the warm air stays in and the cold air stays out. Keeping indoor air clean is critical to maintaining a healthy environment. The inner workings of a building’s operating system is often a mystery to the untrained person or board member. What exists in the seemingly endless caverns of a building’s HVAC system, for example, can be surprising—from dead rodents and insects to various forms of dangerous mold. Since it’s easier to determine the cleanliness of common rooms such as garbage and recycling areas, more attention is often paid to keeping these shared spacesHowever, there are no federal or state guidelines that require a building to have its air ducts cleaned and these systems often need annual A recent Harvard study showed that 100 percent of homes tested for indoor air pollution had at least one air quality concern—and most had more than one.

The following facts are not pleasant, but they underscore the potential health issues associated with poor indoor air quality. For example, it’s estimated that there can be as many as 42,000 dust mites living in every ounceOn average, dust mites leave fecal droppings about 20 times a day. mold spores, pet dander and cigarette smoke to the environment and allergens “Indoor air is very different than outdoor air,” says Kristy Lee, technical director of Rockville, Maryland-based Indoor“Indoor air is not circulating or being refreshed so if there is any kind of problem in a building such as mold or dust or anything like that it becomes an irritant, gets worse and keeps getting circulated throughout the building.” The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finds that there is not enough knowledge currently to determine whether or not air duct cleaning actuallyAdditionally, studies have not conclusively demonstrated that particulate levels in homes increase because of dirty air

However, the EPA does state that “it makes no sense to clean duct-work if air handlers are left untouched. ducts deliver exactly what an air handler drives, and if the duct-work is dirty, so are the air handler’s guts.”This client was experiencing extreme temperature fluctuations during season changes in his solid metal three car garage and work shop. During our Specialist’s initial evaluation, he recorded temperatures of an unbearable 104 degrees in the center of the dwelling during a 74- degree comfortable spring day.dvd lens cleaner for macbook pro Our Building Analyst Specialist recommended spray foam insulation in this Branchland, WV home, which is the only insulation available that seals as well as it insulates. comma aircon cleanerWe installed a 1″ layer of Spray Foam Insulation with an R-value of 20 per inch. best air purifier bathroom

Each inch of spray foam installed increases the R-value by 20, so a 2″ layer would have an R-value of 40, a 3″ layer an R-value of 60…etc. During our specialist’s post project evaluation, he replicated the initial evaluation using the same thermostat in the center of the metal building; he noted that the temperature was reduced by a phenomenal 25 degrees on an 80-degree day. The client has since stated that the temperature stays comfortable and he doesn’t think he will need to install a heating and cooling system now because in the late spring, this entirely solid metal building, is maintaining a temperature that is considered comfortable in residential homes. This homeowner was experiencing drafts and high utility bills. We identified lots of air leaks using our thermal imaging camera and realized there was a great need for some air sealing and better insulation. Fiberglass wall insulation in this St. Albans, WV home was not going to cut it anymore. We installed closed cell foam insulation at 6.3 R Value per inch of insulation.

This solution air seals and insulates at the same time because the material expands to fill all gaps and spaces. It will not move or lose shape like Fiberglass, so the walls will remain well sealed and insulated. This polyurethane material is a very reliable wall insulation material. With just some spray foam insulation, this St. Albans, WV home will have more reasonable energy bills and less drafts.York 845-4328Account Log In    Make PaymentTake a Look at our Case Studies York College – Grumbacher Sport & Fitness Center“This was a complex project with a very tight schedule. H.B. McClure came within 1% of reaching the productivity target.”Jim Saussaman, Vice President, HB McClure Company Download Case StudyBent Creek Office Building“Our client was seeking a short-term payback on a highly-efficient HVAC system. A geothermal system delivered annual heating/cooling costs of $0.90 per sq. ft (average).“Jim Saussaman, Vice President, HB McClure CompanyDownload Case StudySpring Creek Rehabilitation & Health Care Center“This Design/Build project required us to meet stringent building and health codes and execute the project without hindering daily operations.

H.B. McClure was able to meet the goals and reduce project man-hours by providing comprehensive permitting-to-finishing services.”Jim Saussaman, Vice President, HB McClure Company Download Case StudyContact HB McClure to schedule a Residential or Commercial estimate, service, or fuel delivery appointment.The same University of Washington researcher who used chemical sleuthing to deduce whats in fragranced consumer products now has turned her attention to the scented air wafting from household laundry vents. Findings, published online this week in the journal Air Quality, Atmosphere and Health, show that air vented from machines using the top-selling scented liquid laundry detergent and scented dryer sheet contains hazardous chemicals, including two that are classified as carcinogens. “This is an interesting source of pollution because emissions from dryer vents are essentially unregulated and unmonitored,” said lead author Anne Steinemann, a UW professor of civil and environmental engineering and of public affairs.

“If theyre coming out of a smokestack or tail pipe, theyre regulated, but if theyre coming out of a dryer vent, theyre not.” The research builds on earlier work that looked at what chemicals are released by laundry products, air fresheners, cleaners, lotions and other fragranced consumer products. Manufacturers are not required to disclose the ingredients used in fragrances, or in laundry products. For the new study, which focuses on chemicals emitted through laundry vents, researchers first purchased and pre-rinsed new, organic cotton towels. They asked two homeowners to volunteer their washers and dryers, cleaned the inside of the machines with vinegar, and ran full cycles using only water to eliminate as much residue as possible. At the first home, they ran a regular laundry cycle and analyzed the vent fumes for three cases: once with no products, once with the leading brand of scented liquid laundry detergent, and finally with both the detergent and a leading brand of scented dryer sheets.

A canister placed inside the dryer vent opening captured the exhaust 15 minutes into each drying cycle. Researchers then repeated the procedure with a different washer and dryer at a second home. Analysis of the captured gases found more than 25 volatile organic compounds, including seven hazardous air pollutants, coming out of the vents. Of those, two chemicals – acetaldehyde and benzene – are classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as carcinogens, for which the agency has established no safe exposure level. “These products can affect not only personal health, but also public and environmental health. The chemicals can go into the air, down the drain and into water bodies,” Steinemann said. The researchers estimate that in the Seattle area, where the study was conducted, acetaldehyde emissions from this brand of laundry detergent would be equivalent to 3 percent of the total acetaldehyde emissions coming from automobiles. Emissions from the top five brands, they estimate, would constitute about 6 percent of automobiles acetaldehyde emissions.