Mould & Humidity Control
House mould, mildew and fungi often lead to serious health problems and are some of the most difficult pollutants inside the home.
Moulds, Mildew and Fungi grow in moist environments within the home and release hazardous spores into the air you and your family breathe.
As home become tighter to achieve better energy efficiency, this and various other contaminants are more prone to build up within the home.
Air Conditioning Coil Mould
One of the most common places to find mould is on your central air conditioning coil and ductwork. A dark, wet location, conditions here are ideal for the growth of Mould, Mildew and Fungi. Unfortunately, it is also an ideal location to then distribute the spores through your home. Proper maintenance of the air conditioning system can help keep this problem to a minimum. A better solution is to use a UVC Lamp to kill these organisms before they can become a hazard.
High humidity levels in bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms and basements as well as the condensation on windows can also lead to Mould, Mildew and Fungi growth. An HRV can resolve these issues, as well as positively impacting levels of VOC’s, particulate contaminants, as well as Radon.
Mouldy Fact: The largest living multi-cell organism is the underground portion of a single Armillaria mushroom. In Michigan, one extends more than 30 acres.
Control is the Solution
Because they are living, growing and reproducing entities, once entrenched, biological contaminants are by far the most difficult to eliminate. Effective humidity control is probably the single most important aspect of maintaining good indoor air quality.
Ideally, an indoor relative humidity level maintained between 30 & 40 % in winter, and 40 – 60% in summer tends to reduce indoor air quality problems. In more extreme climates like Ottawa, this is difficult to maintain in all conditions. During extremely cold periods, it may be necessary to reduce humidity levels for short periods of time to avoid condensation on windows. It can be a fine balance, but a well-designed HVAC system can provide optimum control.
A variety of methods and combinations of HVAC components can easily maintain these levels in most homes. A continuously operating furnace fan will keep air moving and help prevent pockets of condensation on windows and in cooler areas like basements.
Installation of an HRV can resolve these issues, as well as reducing levels of VOC’s, particulate contaminants, and Radon. Whole Home Humidifiers can add moisture as needed. Steam Humidifiers are best, as they inject sterile stem into the air stream.
In summer, consist ant operation of a properly sized air conditioner is generally effective. In some cases, whole home dehumidifiers may be used to augment the dehumidification capability of the air conditioning system.
At Climate Works, we have the solutions to precisely control this most important aspect of indoor air quality.