IAQ

Brad White_44

You have to have a definitive standard against which to measure. Otherwise your determination is meaningless.

I suggest you use ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.2-2004 (AKA Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential Buildings). It is according to the ASHRAE web site, 'the only nationally recognized indoor air quality standard developed solely for residences'.

Within that you can have standards against which you can measure objective criteria.

As for equipment, I use and specify Gems Sensors and if you check out Onset Computer

www.onsetcomp.com

which sells data loggers among other things, they have a line of partner sensors which they also sell. That is where I learned about Gems.

The other part I did not mention is particulates and degree of filtration (dust, dander, etc.) and that I believe is addressed in the ASHRAE standard.

Hope this helps.

John L

Does anyone know of an indoor air quality measuring device that can be used while doing a preso in the home. I am aware of a device that can be attached to the phone but it takes a day or two to get results. I am looking for a unit that will give quicker results

Brad White_44

What are you measuring for exactly?

"IAQ" is as nebulous a term as you want it to be, largely because lawyers can understand it and make it mean whatever they deem it to mean. Half joking, but entirely serious.

If you are seeking appropriate Outside Air for population, you generally test for CO2. However, understand that CO2 is only a sentinel gas, a predictor of relative not finite population. High CO2 generally means high population coupled with low OA. That or the ginger ale and seltzer was left out en-masse.

You can also test for any variety of contaminents but you would have to know what you are looking for. Aldehydes, flammable gasses, CO, all are in play. Broad-spectrum IAQ firms will use a sampling gas sniffer and mass spectrometer analysis to break down the air into elemental predominance. Spikes occur in certain spectra but it helps to limit the search range for what is being sought or what is likely to be found.

When you say "Preso", I assume you mean the flow meter people? Not clear on the connection unless you are doing hot work to install it. Perhaps I missed something elemental and Bruce will bail me out

Brad

John L

I want to be able to determine the general air "quality" in homes I am in during a presentation(preso) of HVAC equipment, and then to offer appropriate solutions to the homeowner. i am looking for testing/measuring tools that will help me do this.

Weezbo

There are a few minor technicalities in what you suggest...

i am uncertain specifically how much the instrumentation would cost ,however lets just say i would retire today had i that much money:) ASHRAE 62 deems outside air acceptable for indoor ventilation IF.....62-99 "to minimize the Potential for adverse health effects" considers Chemical,physical,biological contaminants that may effect air quality...Clarifies importance of CO2 levels...EPA Reference 19 standards for outside air.....and if that doesn't grab your attention..when you certify the home meets required minimum ventilation requirements an the homeowner has any health problems and it can be proved that the home does not meet the requirements then you the signer of the certification may be held liable for ALL damages that may be incurred... i read this as plenty of liability in the age of the King Snivelers.

some other salient points of interest are things like positive and negative pressure....and various spores molds blah blah blah chemicals ,out gassing, and like Brad said animal dander carpet mites and a group of pinner gas acids chemical combinations...i am not one to dissuade someone who wants to work mind you,i just got to make sure that you have some idea of a few things that might be overlooked in your enthusiasm....

Brad White_44

Sniff, sniff.... Weezbo

that was just so, so..... beautiful....

John R. Hall

AirAdvice

This device will monitor the particulates in the air and give you a readout via the Internet. I tried it for a week in my home and wrote an article about it. I have a friend who is using it now to monitor homes prior to making his sales presentations. It's a great sales tool and I'd advise looking into it. And the people who work for AirAdvice are top shelf, too.

www.airadvice.com

Brad White_9

Nice product, John-

Seems to fit what John L. has been seeking.

Hope that in my responses I did not overthink things. My experience in IAQ assessments, principally offices has had me chase way too many red herrings, barking up wrong trees, having the tail wag the dog and a host of similarly annoying metaphors.

I have bookmarked AirAdvice and will probably seek their counsel at some point.

Thanks!

Brad

BillW@honeywell

IAQ info

IAQ is something that covers a very broad range of potential problems and related causes. CO2 is used often to determine if there are ventilation issues. There are instruments that are designed to read CO2 levels. Volatile organic compounds(solvents, paint, glue, plasticizers) also produce vapors that can be measured by hand held instruments. Gases like radon, methane, hydrogen sulphide can also be measured with instruments or collection media. Particulate(dust & fibers) also are measurable using specially designed pumps that pull a know volume of air thru a filter that is then analyzed under a microscope and the particles are counted. Direct reading monitors like John Hall mentioned are another option. Most of this instrumentation is used by the Industrial Hygienist or other scientists as part of a detailed diagnostic of a home or building. This type of instument is delicate, expensive and require periodic calibration. Unless you plan to specialize in diagnostic IAQ, the heating contractor doesn't usually need such gear. If you need it, it's probably more cost-effective to hire an environmental testing lab to do the diagnostics, and to provide the remediation suggestions. Bacharach and others make many of these instruments, contact them for more info.

Weezbo

That is True Bill.

Farm the work out to an industrial Hygienist and independent testing agency...and should one get the work, do a follow up with another just for G.P's

Air Advise sounds like it is firing on the right cylinders, it would be worth looking into as a monitor for PDM filter changes and the like.

Thanks Brad*~/:)

EQ and IAQ is so dimensional that the Real Estate agent has "Busted in, too". The Radon detection kit's on every new home:)

John L

IAQ Air Advise

Where did the article appear, and is it archived? I have not heard of this product. Does it give a print out?

John R. Hall

Yes

It does give a printout. Check out their website, too. The article URL is:

http://www.achrnews.com/CDA/ArticleInformation/features/BNP__Features__Item/0,1338,115257,00.html