Questions tagged [air-quality]
The air-quality tag has no usage guidance.
101
questions
1
vote
2
answers
86
views
How can I ventilate an underground garage to make it safe to work from?
I live in a townhouse. We have an attached garage which is underground and with no windows. it gets air by either the attached stairways which leads home or by the garage door which leads to the ...
- 111
0
votes
1
answer
70
views
Do wall ac/heater units bring in fresh air?
I live in an apartment with a combined wall AC/heater unit, like the type that you often find in hotels. Does this bring in fresh air when operating, or does it just recirculate the air inside the ...
- 101
1
vote
0
answers
109
views
How can I filter smoky air coming from outside when the only opening is a window? (How to improve this system)
We live in a small single room apartment just under the roof in a city center. Many of our neighbors burn wood and coal (among other things: it often smells of burned plastic). The toxic smoke comes ...
- 456
1
vote
2
answers
185
views
Poor air quality in a small room
Due to covid, my workplace has permanently closed its HQ. As a function of such, we now all work from home. Only catch is I don't have an office and I have kids!
To remedy this, I turned a "...
- 39
0
votes
2
answers
71
views
Why are some HVAC UVC air cleaners listed as "return air models"?
I would like to install a UV Air cleaner, but most of them seem to be listed as return air models.
Due to the .. odd nature of my furnace setup, I would really like to install this in the plenum that ...
- 397
0
votes
1
answer
103
views
Artificially lowering CO2 concentration
Is there any way to realistically lower CO2 concentration in living rooms?
Today only way to lower CO2 concentration is to basically bring the "fresh" air from the outside.
But this is ...
- 1
0
votes
3
answers
113
views
Is there a difference between combining two fans in parallel and buying one with twice as much CFM?
I want to build something like an "air purifier". I'm considering a box where I have a big filter and I send the air from one side to the other.
I want to maximize the air flow through the ...
- 101
1
vote
1
answer
51
views
Does there exist a standard for furnace UV lights?
When you're replacing neon light tubes you don't think twice about compatibility. The distance between the two pairs of pins on opposite sides of the tube is a fixed standard, the voltage (in one ...
- 497
0
votes
2
answers
178
views
Propane vs. Natural Gas - Indoor Air Quality?
I've seen plenty of articles about gas stoves and the impact on indoor air quality. Specifically, there are reports of much higher CO2, NOx, PM 2.5 particulates, and formaldehyde, relative to electric ...
- 107
1
vote
1
answer
265
views
Any reason to not use a concentric vent for HRV/ERV air exchange?
Planning to install an ERV (Energy Recovery Unit) and have been advised that a concentric vent is easier to install and the risk of short circuiting output and input is negligible. My feeling is if I ...
- 13
1
vote
1
answer
98
views
Air-sealing basement slab weeping tile access for radon
I have a pretty high levels of radon in the basement (~400 Bq/m3 when windows are not open), so I want to seal obvious entry points, one of which is what looks like a 10 inch weeping tile cleanout ...
- 215
1
vote
1
answer
318
views
Tiny Fibres/Dust Everywhere
I dust/clean/vacuum once a week which does make a difference to overall cleanliness/tidyness. However, even after cleaning, that very same day, there seems to be a new layer of dust/tiny fibres ...
user137594
0
votes
2
answers
55
views
how should I determine the requirements for my specific crawlspace encapsulation?
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Low humidity and mild climate year round.
I don't have any problem with mold or humidity in my vented crawlspace, but it is musty and I want to prevent that musty ...
- 111
0
votes
0
answers
54
views
Using air humidifier wick cleaned with home detergent - Any health concerns?
I have been using humidifier with rotating wick, and used to clean it with domestos detergent.
This detergent as said by manufacturer contains:
Non-ionic surfactants <5% - particular type not ...
- 101
0
votes
2
answers
100
views
What is the best method and tool to detect harmful non-carbon-monoixde gases?
I recently cleaned my home's air filters and discovered a significant increase in well-being.
Previously, staying at home during the weekend for more than 1-2 hours resulted in fatigue and dizziness,
...
- 321
0
votes
2
answers
41
views
How does one clean these filters after 6 months?
There's a great project on This Old House that uses 4x MERV 13 filters to purify the air on your house (even against covid-19 they say)
Question; When it has been running in your house for 6 months, ...
- 497
0
votes
3
answers
269
views
When would you want/have/need to put in a post filter in an electrostatic air filter system?
The HVAC system has an Electrostatic air cleaning system and it uses a prefilter and has a slot for a post filter. I've been reading online that only the prefilter is good enough to get the job done ...
1
vote
1
answer
230
views
Air intake for a condo apartment
I am renovating a top-floor apartment (gutted it entirely & rebuilding everything). With new windows and doors, spray foam insulation etc, the space is becoming quite air-tight.
I will be putting ...
- 111
0
votes
1
answer
323
views
Is this black material in my HVAC air duct mold?
I live in an apartment complex in the southeastern United States. The apartment complex is made of brick so is probably fairly old, but my apartment was renovated just before I moved in. It has ...
0
votes
1
answer
111
views
Do I need to worry about random nameless HEPA filters containing asbestos? [closed]
I bought a cheap "DIY" air purifier with HEPA filter. I think it was this one > https://smartairfilters.com/cn/en/product/hepa-filter/
Then I started reading the history of HEPA filters ...
- 103
2
votes
2
answers
171
views
When it's smokey out, why does more smoke get into the house in the mornings and evenings?
We've had thick smoke outside our home for several days now due to the fires on the west coast. We're doing what we can to filter the inside air and keep excess outside air from coming in (covered ...
- 145
2
votes
2
answers
417
views
What are the options for filtering fresh air entering a building (especially outdoor air with wildfire smoke)?
I'm confronting once again the California wildfire season. The outdoor air quality is poor right now and it's spreading all over. If we bunker down in place I'm worried about the air conditions inside ...
- 283
0
votes
1
answer
40
views
Air Flow using Vacuum and High Air Pressure Air
I am investigating container homes. Something about the modularity appeals to me.
Regardless, I am thinking about one of the challenges that they face is to get adequate air flow without cutting ...
- 193
0
votes
1
answer
112
views
Is it normal to smell sewer gas from a plumbing vent?
We have a second floor room that is centered on top of the house - but this means that the windows of this second story are ABOVE the plumbing vents from the first floor. These plumbing vents are a ...
- 960
1
vote
1
answer
352
views
Basement Smell in Utility or Bathroom?
In our house, we have a partially below grade basement. Occasionally, our basement will smell like sewer gas (farts) but I can not determine where the smell is coming from.
The basement does have ...
- 165
2
votes
0
answers
957
views
Air purifier/humidifier - strange yellow substance
I have had this Sharp air purifier/humidifier for the past 6 months. After cleaning the humidifying filter today I have noticed a strange yellow slimy substance on the filter "fins".
I have ...
0
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Possibly Asbestos Contaminated Washer! What do I do?
So a while back, while my mom and I were moving out of our last place, I may have stowed a bunch of stuff from the attic away in plastic trash bags, as the attic was apparently insulated with asbestos,...
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
34
views
retrofit an installed HVAC system
My day care center, located in a 100+ year old house and only licensed for 28 kids, had an HVAC system installed about 15 years ago. Can it be set to vent ALL indoor air and send only cooled outdoor ...
1
vote
2
answers
116
views
Since moving into a new house we are constantly ill including both my dogs. Is this house the cause?
We moved into a brand new council house just under 2 years ago in the UK and since then we have had nothing but problems with our health. I am disabled so already had health issues but they have ...
- 11
1
vote
4
answers
124
views
How can I darken a bedroom yet let air in as much as possible?
Of course one could use a vent but this is not feasible for me. Is there a low-tech solution, like some kind of a specific curtain?
I could also cover my window with an opaque board, letting some ...
- 339
0
votes
1
answer
280
views
Choosing air-conditioner's BTU power for humidity
Recently, I've been cut off of access to sun and fresh air to my apartment. It is completely sealed now, with no windows or sun to the walls or roof. Ever since, humidity has grown a lot, and mold is ...
- 103
0
votes
2
answers
125
views
Ventilating a room with no forced air without opening windows?
I would like to ventilate my bedroom because air quality monitors show CO2 levels rising above 2000ppm every night.
I have two windows in the room, both with blackout blinds, but I prefer not to open ...
- 101
0
votes
2
answers
252
views
How to permanently get rid of old cigarette smell from previous resident?
We have recently moved into a rental apartment (built early 1990s). The previous resident was a smoker, and there is a distinct smell of cigarette smoke. She lived there for 15 years. The apartment ...
- 237
0
votes
2
answers
383
views
What is the difference between the filter on my furnace and an Air Exchanger?
I live in the Pacific Northwest (Seattle area) and the allergy season has started for me. It is so bad that I am thinking about getting an air exchanger for next year. The house I live in was built in ...
- 151
-2
votes
1
answer
61
views
How can I get rid of the bacteremia in the floating in the air! [closed]
How can I get rid of all that chemical bacteremia floating in the air!
1
vote
1
answer
65
views
How to remove moisture from kitchen air?
Our new home has a kitchen in a corner without a vent-out channel.
As far as I understand, standard kitchen hoods can't condensate and collect water from the air they process.
What can be an ...
- 183
7
votes
6
answers
3k
views
Letting fresh air through a window without letting noise in
I live in an apartment and it's pretty noisy outside, so I usually keep my windows closed. It does get pretty stuffy inside though, so I'm wondering if there's a way to get air through the window ...
- 173
0
votes
1
answer
906
views
How should I ventilate an air-tight concrete room?
My house has an unused cistern that abuts the foundation. I've cut a doorway into it from my basement and would like to use it as living space. I would like to install a door to obscure and ...
- 157
21
votes
6
answers
12k
views
How to get rid of CO₂ in a house with A/C in hot summer?
Recently, I've been measuring the CO₂ concentration during multiple nights and the levels in the bedroom where I sleep are very high and unhealthy (over 1600 ppm).
I use an AirVisual monitor, which ...
- 313
1
vote
2
answers
321
views
Do I need to sanitize my air vents after I remove a bird from them?
I am quite positive I have a bird in my air vents. I plan to remove it tonight but I'm not sure what I should do afterwards. Should I have a company sanitize the vents/system? I just don't want any ...
- 1,971
0
votes
1
answer
206
views
I need a stronger fan for this CO2 scrubber
This image is a CO2 scrubber I'm trying to optimize. It's 3 inch PVC with a fan to draw or force air over soda lime to extract CO2 out of the air. It presently drops the CO2 level a small amount, and ...
- 151
0
votes
2
answers
90
views
How do I keep indoor air quailty high without letting in the outdoor air? [duplicate]
The outdoor air is polluted. Is it possible to keep the indoor air quality high without letting outdoor air in? Maybe with plants?
- 101
1
vote
0
answers
354
views
Why does my cork subfloor test positive for formaldehyde?
This week I have been having engineered wood flooring installed, with a 1/2 in. cork subfloor installed to help reduce sound transmission between upstairs and downstairs.
I bought a tester off of ...
- 121
0
votes
0
answers
299
views
Can I run an air cleaner and air conditioner at the same time without a significant counter effect?
Can this be counter effective, or the opposite?
I assume this also comes down to what I am using the air cleaner for, it is for dust allergies, but also vs air pollution.
I also guess that I need ...
- 161
0
votes
1
answer
86
views
After market air filter replacment
I have a Lennox heat pump which has an air handler with a Lennox X7935 Carbon Clean Healthy Climate MERV 16 Filter installed. These filters are like $105 per at least. When we purchased this whole ...
- 115
1
vote
2
answers
13k
views
How often and long should my fresh air intake run?
My builder installed a fresh air timer on my furnace, a 24-hour pin timer with 15-minute increments. When it's on, it runs the fan and opens the fresh air damper. The resulting air that comes from the ...
- 143
2
votes
1
answer
128
views
Should I filter polluted outside air as it comes through my window or clean it inside the room?
Situation:
apartment of 42m², ground level, recent from 2013
humidity is 40%
apartment near a big city, in the suburbs
near freeways
we have a very good air handler with 2 extraction systems: one in ...
0
votes
1
answer
293
views
Filter Air coming through window
There is a window in my back side of the house. i wanted to keep open the window of the backside just to keep the house warm. but there is a public bathroom in the backside and i feel very bad smell ...
4
votes
2
answers
17k
views
Can i use air filter that is one inch smaller
Currently, i have a 16x25x1 filter in my furnace/ac duct (probably a better term out there).
I am at the local store and they seem to be all sold of all brands of 16x25x1. They do however have an ...
- 227
1
vote
1
answer
9k
views
Why do space heaters make the air smell like that?
My parents live in a country house and they've got a bunch of space heaters of various designs. Some of them are:
Heating coil and a fan (hot air blower)
Oil-filled battery
Flat electric battery (no ...
- 217