What are the issues builders and homeowners are facing today? What can we do to provide a safer and healthier environment for our families?

Hot Topic: Mold and Mildew in my air conditioned home, what can I do?

People have suffered with mold and mildew for as long as can be remembered. We eradicate it from our bathroom and from our damp cellars on a daily basis. Now we are finding these damaging microorganisms hiding in the walls, feasting on the structure.  Homes and buildings are being condemned and insurance companies have begun to limit, if not exclude, coverage for this type of destruction. What can we do to save our homes? There are several ways to limit mold and mildew problems in a home with central air conditioning. Tamarack provides some answers from a ventilation perspective in The Problem of Pressure. (requires Acrobat Reader) This article was prepared by  Tamarack for The Florida Builders Association in August 2002.

Cool Idea: Thermal Safety Switch

Safety Issue: Furnace/Water Heater Back Drafting

As new homes are constructed to be increasingly energy efficient and older homes are weatherized for the same reason, passive air infiltration rates often become quite low.  Homes that are relatively “airtight” can be put under negative pressure when any type of exhaust appliance is operating without an adequate source of make-up air. Typical residential exhaust fans include clothes dryers, range hoods, kitchen and bath fans, attic ventilators and whole house ventilators. 

In a perfect world, all exhaust appliances would be provided with dedicated sources of make-up air under automatic control.  In the real world, providing make-up air can be as simple as opening a window.  Unfortunately, when ventilating with a whole house fan for cooling purposes, the homeowner may forget to open the windows. When other types of exhaust appliances are operating, homeowners may be understandably reluctant to open a window during the heating and cooling seasons. 

One potentially dangerous consequence of negative pressure in the home is the back-drafting of passively vented (chimney based) furnaces and water heaters.  Exhaust from both oil and gas heating appliances contain carbon monoxide and other potentially harmful combustion byproducts.  Fortunately, an inexpensive device called a Thermal Safety Switch can be installed by your heating appliance contractor to address this issue.  A thermal safety switch functions by sensing the heat contained in back-drafted flue gasses and automatically shutting down the heating appliance until the problem is corrected and the device is reset.  The peace of mind you will get from having one of these simple and inexpensive safety devices installed will be worth every penny. Contact your HVAC contractor or local supply house for further information.

For more information, a product brochure, or technical and pricing assistance, please contact us at 800-222-5932 or E-mail us at: sales@tamtech.com

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