Healthy Indoors Magazine
Issue link: https://hi.healthyindoors.com/i/1188714
36 | November 2019 Tips for Keeping a "Green House" Healthy ©2019 Jeffrey C. May A Finished Basement: I worry about finished base- ments, because they are prone to developing mold-growth problems. Here are a few tips to help you maintain such a space as mold-free as possible. • If the relative humidity (RH) in below-grade (be- low-ground level) spaces is not controlled (kept under 60% in finished basements), mold problems usually develop. As air cools, its RH rises, and some species of mold can grow when the RH is over 80%. In the heating season, a finished basement must be kept consistently warm, with the thermostat set at a mini- mum of 60 o F, whether the space is being used or not. Cleaning: • Be sure that your central vacuum system exhausts into the exterior rather than into the basement or garage. Leaky central vacuum system May Indoor Air Investigations LLC • Conventional, portable vacuum cleaners can spew out particulate matter in their exhaust stream. If you don't have a central vacuum system, use a HEPA vacuum (one with a high efficiency particulate ar- restance) filter for all household cleaning. R egrettably, summer has come to an end. In New England where I live, the leaves turn colors and nights will be cooler, and we shut up our houses and turning on the heat. With a reduction of fresh air in the house as cooler weather approaches, the quality of our in- door air becomes an even more important consideration. "Green houses" are tight houses, which saves ener- gy. We all want to preserve fuel and lower energy costs, but we don't want to breathe contaminated air. Lucki- ly, there are some simple things homeowners can do to help keep airborne allergens and contaminants at a minimum indoors in the heating season in all homes, including "tight" ones. Air it Out: • Turn down the heat or turn off the air conditioning on a temperate day, and open up windows to air out the house. The Attic: • Pull-down stairs or an attic hatch leading to an attic should be covered above with an airtight, insulated box to prevent moist house air from flowing into the attic and fueling mold growth in cooler weather, when the moisture condenses on the sheathing. Attic sheathing with mold growth May Indoor Air Investigations LLC