To Our Clients: Your Homes and Buildings are Prepared

You've done outstanding work preparing your homes and buildings for optimal performance; it will be especially helpful in these trying times. This virus situation is one of the reasons we preach so much about optimizing your indoor environment for better comfort, energy efficiency and indoor air quality. Most of you reading this are, or have been, one of our customers, builders, students or you’ve had some interaction with us. Be confident in the work you’ve done, the guidance you’ve given and the healthier indoor environments you’ve helped to create.

Your Homes and Workplaces are Prepared!

(Building) Science says the best way to ward off viruses/contaminants in our homes and workplaces is to take the following steps:

• Tighten up homes and buildings – We take great pride in the progress many of our residential and commercial audit clients, builders and IECC testing customers have made in making their structures and duct systems more airtight.  Many homes are coming in tighter than the minimum air leakage required by code!
  
  
• Remove bad air sources and dilute the remainder by ventilating the space -  Again, the majority of the recipients of this email have already taken these steps; having chosen to make sure adequate amounts of fresh air are being introduced to your homes and workplaces on a regular basis. Ventilation systems/outside air solutions should be kept running. Check them twice a year (now and in the fall) and keep them clean.
   
• Keep relative humidity levels as close to 45-50% as you can.  However, no more than 45% in the winter (climate zone 4 and higher) and 45-50% in the summer (weather permitting). Remember, if you see condensation or signs of moisture on anything – your humidity levels are probably too high.  Follow these recommendations to reduce the life and growth of allergens, bacteria and viruses in your home or workplace. If you’ve heard us get fired up about any topic – it’s been indoor humidity. We’ve helped you install controls that will automate humidity management, so stay vigilant and keep an eye on those relative humidity levels. (Read our most widely read article-Optimizing Fan Speed to Control Indoor Humidity)
  
  
• Finally, eliminate any remaining indoor contaminants. Install the highest-rated MERV filter possible that will still allow your furnace to operate within manufacturer’s specifications.  We’ve likely tested your furnace or taught you how to test your furnace/air handler to identify the right filter for your home or business. Make sure your furnace filters are clean.  

The building science best-practices we’ve all prescribed to and follow were designed to optimize our well-being. By making the structures we live and work in perform their best, in terms of indoor air quality, comfort and efficiency, we can be more confident in times like these that they are prepared to help ward off potential illnesses.     

Together, we can keep ourselves and our communities healthy, happy, and moving forward!
Just reach out if you have questions or concerns about your residential and commercial property.