Pacific Northwest existing home indoor air quality survey and weatherization sensitivity study: Final report
In a survey of 111 homes in the Pacific Northwest, indoor levels of formaldehyde (HCHO), nitrogen dioxide (NO/sub 2/), and water vapor were found to be significantly below levels of concern. Indoor radon concentrations were elevated in homes in the Spokane River Valley/Rathdrum Prairie region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho, which has highly permeable soil that encourages convective flow of radon-bearing soil gas. Forty-eight of these homes were studied to evaluate the effects of house weatherization on indoor air pollutant concentrations. Standard weatherization techniques reduced the specific leakage area (SLA), as measured by a blower door in 40 homes by 12.5%, while the reduction in SLA due to wall insulation alone was not statistically significant. House doctoring in five homes resulted in an additional 26% decrease in SLA. Mean ventilation rates, measured with perfluorocarbon tracers (PFT) and uncorrected for environmental conditions, were 0.37 h/sup /minus/1/ before weatherization and 0.39 h/sup /minus/1/ after weatherization. These values were 20% lower than ventilation rates predicted using the LBL model. Good mixing of the indoor air causes uniform distribution of HCHO, NO/sub 2/, and H/sub 2/O vapor throughout interiors of the buildings. Respirable suspended particle (RSP) and NO/sub 2/ concentrations were low in those homes without tobacco smokers or without frequently used combustion appliances and were not dependent on high outdoor levels. Changes in concentrations of all pollutants and ventilation rates were generally small and essentially uncorrelated. Simplified models were developed to evaluate the impact of weatherization on normalized HCHO, H/sub 2/O vapor, and radon levels. 42 refs., 42 figs., 33 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC03-76SF00098
- OSTI ID:
- 6006616
- Report Number(s):
- LBL-23979; ON: DE89013408
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
320105 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Services-- (1987-)
320107* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Building Systems-- (1987-)
AIR POLLUTION
AIR QUALITY
ALDEHYDES
BUILDINGS
CHALCOGENIDES
DOCUMENT TYPES
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY
FLUIDS
FORMALDEHYDE
GASES
HOUSES
INDOOR AIR POLLUTION
MONITORING
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN DIOXIDE
NITROGEN OXIDES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
PROGRESS REPORT
RADON
RARE GASES
RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS
WEATHERIZATION