The State of Ohio is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider of ADA Services

ASHRAE 62.2-2013 and Indoor Air

Quality

Weatherize Ohio Conference

October 27 – 29, 2015

Introduction

• ASHRAE: Why is it needed?

• What hazards effect Indoor Air Quality?

• Upcoming changes

• Choosing the best system for your client

• What have been your experiences with

ASHRAE?

What is ASHRAE?

• A measure adopted by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

which consists of controlling the air flow in a home or

residence and improving Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) by way of

installation of mechanical ventilation equipment.

• Goal: To address each home’s air changes and air quality to

ensure safe breathing air and overall improved air quality. And

to provide each client with the education needed to make

sound decisions moving forward.

Why do we need ventilation?

How many times have you seen this?

Or these?

Reasons for Ventilation

• Indoor Air Quality

- Provide fresh air

- Reduce or remove carbon monoxide, radon, cigarette smoke,

pet dander, etc.

• Moisture

- Few things are as destructive to homes than the presence of moisture

- Ventilation is critical to the maintenance of healthy moisture levels in all homes

• Inadequate existing Ventilation

- Addressing non-existent, non-operational, improperly

installed, damaged or underperforming exhaust equipment

Reasons for Ventilation

• Inadequate existing Ventilation can offer little help to

resolve moisture issues, or even make them worse.

Indoor Air Quality

Defined by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as:

The air quality within and around buildings and

structures, especially as it relates to the health and

comfort of building occupants. Understanding and

controlling common pollutants indoors can help

reduce your risk of indoor health concerns.

Health effects from indoor air pollutants may be

experienced soon after exposure or, possibly, years

later.

Primary Causes of Indoor Air Problems

Indoor Pollution Sources

Fuel–burning combustion appliances

Tobacco products

Building materials and furnishings (asbestos-containing insulation, flooring, upholstery,

carpet, furniture of pressed wood)

Primary Causes of Indoor Air Problems

Other Pollution Sources

Household cleaning products, candles, air fresheners

Central heating and cooling systems, humidifiers

Excess moisture

Radon, pesticides, outdoor air pollution

Unseen Pollutants

• Not all pollutants are visible or obvious.

Mold spores Ragweed spores Dust mites

Unseen Pollutants

• Ghosting, soot and yellow

walls.

Pollutant Sources

Pollutant Sources

Radon

• A gas that has no color,

odor, or taste

• Comes from the natural

radioactive breakdown

of uranium in the ground

• Two main sources:

– radon in the air in

your home

– radon in drinking

water

Effects of Pollutants

Immediate

• Irritation of eyes, nose, throat, headaches, dizziness, fatigue

• Short-term treatable

• Aggravate or worsen diseases such as asthma

Long-term

• Increased risk over repeated exposure

• Respiratory diseases, heart disease,, cancer

Disability-adjusted life year (DALY)

• The disability-adjusted life year (DALY) is a measure of overall

disease burden, expressed as the number of years lost due to ill-

health, disability or early death. Basically this is the time frame

spent with health issues as a direct result of the culmination of a

lifetime of exposure to contaminants.

Improving Indoor Air Quality

Air Cleaners

Table-top and whole-house modelsNot designed to remove gaseous

pollutants

Improve Ventilation

Open windows or use window fans

Use exhaust fans (kitchen, bathroom)

Treat IAQ before adding ventilation

Source Control

Eliminate source of pollution Reduce emissions

Improving Indoor Air Quality

• Additional IAQ notes:

The most effective way to improve indoor air quality is to eliminate individual sources of pollution.

Ventilation cannot remove the source of pollutants; only lessen the presence of pollutants.

Be sure to treat the source of IAQ pollutants before adding ventilation.

It is important to take as many steps as possible during short-term activities that can generate high levels of pollutants. For example: painting, paint stripping, unvented heaters, etc.

Weatherization and ASHRAE

• Weatherization itself generally does not introduce indoor

air problems, and when done properly, greatly improves

it.

• Client education is very important.

Air Movement

Air Movement

• Air sealing

• Once a home is air

sealed, the home will

become more energy

efficient by keeping the

conditioned air inside, but

any pollutants found

inside will also be kept

inside.

• This is why ASHRAE and

ASHRAE education is so

important.

Air Movement

• Just as household

pollutants can build in

an air-sealed house,

so can Radon.

• A properly sealed

vapor barrier is vital.

Spray adhesives

provide a practical

solution.

DP77 Industrial Spray Adhesive

3M Super 77 Multipurpose Adhesive

What's New for ASHRAE 62.2-2016

Scope change

• The scope of the 2016 Standard will be significantly broadened to

". . . dwelling units in residential occupancies in which the occupants

are nontransient." There is no height limitation of three stories or

less. The 2016 version will include all residential dwellings from

single-family detached to high-rise. It will not include lodging

facilities because these are for transient folks. In apartment

buildings, the hallways and common areas will fall within the scope

of ASHRAE 62.1 (point one).

What's New for ASHRAE 62.2-2016

Normalization of unbalanced and balanced whole-building ventilation

• Until now, the Standard has treated unbalanced and balanced ventilation equally. If your Residential Energy Dynamics (RED) 62.2-2013 tool results with a minimum whole-building ventilation requirement of 40 CFM, you could install a 40 CFM unbalanced or balanced system. The equivalence with which the Standard has handled unbalanced and balanced ventilation has been a long-standing issue with the Standard.

• As a result of Addendum “s” to the 2013 Standard, unbalanced ventilation requirements will increase while balanced will remain the same. This is because unbalanced ventilation reduces natural infiltration (making the actual infiltration credit smaller), whereas balanced does not.

What's New for ASHRAE 62.2-2016

Reorganization and change of terms

• Rather than having a separate multifamily section, multifamily will be

incorporated throughout the Standard.

• The term "whole-building ventilation" will become "dwelling-unit

ventilation". This new term works better with the scope change and

the increased importance of multifamily buildings.

What's New for ASHRAE 62.2-2016

De minimis whole-building ventilation for existing dwellings

• If an existing building is determined to need whole-building

ventilation of 15 CFM or less, none is required to be installed.

• Although this addendum does not include the term de minimis, it has

been given this name by the installer community. DOE has allowed

you to use this new feature since September 17, 2014 when it

issued WPN Memorandum 007.

What's New for ASHRAE 62.2-2016

Floor area

• Floor area, has been clarified by Addendum "a" to the 62.2-2013

standard. Floor area is now defined as: "all above and below grade

finished areas as defined in ANSI Standard Z765-2003."

Other ASHRAE Requirements

• ASHRAE timers must be set to the

final calculation post work

• Attached garages must be adequately

sealed from living space

• Clothes dryers must be vented to

exterior

• All duct joints outside conditioned

space must be sealed

• Branch duct systems must have

backdraft dampers

• Whole-home fan flow must be verified

• Continuous vs. intermittent fan

specifications

Choosing a System

• Exhaust only

o Spot ventilation fans

o Balanced multiple intake single fan, single exhaust system

• Supply only

o Into return side of HVAC system

o Direct through the wall fan

• Balanced

o Fan driven air in/ air out

o Heat recovery (HRV)

o Energy recovery (ERV)

Things to Remember

• Not every home must have an exhaust only system.

• In some cases, an exhaust fan may actually need to be downgraded. (Ex: Excessively high CFM fan in small air tight home.)

• In some cases, the existing fan with an upgraded timer control is all that is needed.

• Use the best option for each home and treat it as the individual that it is.

*Be mindful of the seasonal tendencies of a region, and client habits/ wishes before choosing a positive pressure system.

Common Monitoring Issues

• Jobs not having an initial and final ASHRAE calculation

• Timers not set properly

• Lack of air sealing to avoid ASHRAE

• Humidistat installed instead of a timer

• ASHRAE systems installed in the basement and the duct

not tied to the main body of the living space

• Kitchen fans not being tested

• Inaccurate data entered into the ASHRAE calculation

• ASHRAE systems not listed on NEAT/MHEA audits

Sources

• Environmental Protection Agency www.epa.gov

• Department of Energy www.eere.energy.gov

• Residential Energy Dynamics

www.residentialenergydynamics.com

• WAPTAC www.waptac.org

• Illinois Sustainable Technology Center

www.istc.illinois.edu

• Energy Trust of Oregon www.energytrust.org

Questions

Eric Sandys, Energy Analyst

(614) 387-3312

eric.sandys@development.ohio.gov

Jim Hall, Training Coordinator

(740) 594-8499 ext. 234

jhall@coadinc.org