Carbon Monoxide Detector Law

During use furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, stoves, chimneys and gas dryers produce carbon monoxide while in operation. Exhaust systems for these devices are designed to allow carbon monoxide, smoke and other gases to escape the living space into the outside air and avoid the potential build up of dangerous carbon monoxide gas.

"Lofgren Family Carbon Monoxide Safety Act" Begins July 1, 2009

On March 24th. Colorado governor, Bill Ritter, signed the "Lofgren Family Carbon Monoxide Safety Act" into law.

• Applies to any dwelling using any fuel-fired heater or appliance or with an attached garage
• Compliance required upon sale of home or tenant turnover or new construction
• Battery or AC powered or combination alarms for existing dwellings
• Plug-in type alarms must not be on a switched outlet
• Hardwired AC powered for new construction
• Alarm needed within 15 feet of each legal sleeping room
• Local codes may specify additional or more stringent requirements

The levels that the carbon monoxide detectors are required to comply with is within the UL 2034 listing, which at the low end of exposure 70 ppm up to 149 ppm for between 60 and 240 minutes. If a dangerous level of carbon monoxide is present the carbon monoxide alarms will detect this danger and sound an alert.

Dryer Vent Cleaning

Dryer Vent Cleaning is Necessary Maintenance

One maintenance item of a home that is often overlooked is the dryer vent exhaust. The dryer vent exhaust is the air duct that is connected from the back dryer and exits to the outside of your home. It is responsible for exhausting the moisture and lint, and requires periodic cleaning.

If your dryer is not drying clothes like it used to, you may not need a new dryer, you may need to get your dryer vent cleaned. A dryer vent exhaust clogged with lint reduces airflow .

A full load of wet clothes placed in a dryer contains about one half gallon of water. As water is removed, lint is created from the clothes. Reduced airflow results from lint buildup in the screen or other areas around the dryer can causing the dryer to perform poorly, operate at elevated temperatures and possibly overheat. Clothes dryers are one of the most expensive appliances in your home to operate. The longer it runs, the more money it costs you.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that 15,500 fires associated with clothes dryers occur annually. These fires account for an average of 10 deaths and 310 injuries and more than $84.4 million in property damage annually.

• Reduce the amount of wear and tear on your cloths.
• Improve Energy Efficiency
• Prevent the potential for a dryer fire

Source Removal

Removing Pollutants From The Air Ducts

Overtime, the walls of your air ducts become laden with particles of dust, allergens, and other debris. Some of these contaminants may cause allergic reactions others significantly decrease the efficiency of your heating or cooling system. When the pollutant sources are known, control is feasible.

Source removal is the physical removal of contaminants and debris not intended to be present from internal HVAC system surfaces. Source removal is the most effective strategy for maintaining clean indoor air.

A vacuum collection device alone will not get an HVAC system clean. To properly and safely remove debris from the walls of the air ducts an air duct cleaning contractor can use specialized tools and HEPA filtered vacuums to throughly clean the air duct system.

Filtration

Filtration: Removing Pollutants from the Air

Used with your heating and cooling system, filters make a big difference in the quality of air circulating throughout your home and work place. Inadequate filtration can allow for a build-up on fans coils and other surfaces. Factors that affect filter efficiency include fiber size, fiber density, airflow rate, and particle diameter.

When selecting an air filter look for the MERV rating. MERV ratings are used to rate the ability of an air filter to remove dust from the air as it passes through the filter. MERV is a standard used to measure the overall efficiency of a filter. Higher MERV ratings mean fewer dust particles and other airborne contaminants pass through the filter.

Types of filters:

1. Panel filters: These are usually 1″ thick fiberglass filters, are the typical furnace filters installed in the ductwork of most home heating and/or air conditioning systems. These filters do little to remove contaminants from the air. The primary function of these filters is to prevent large debris from damaging the furnace fan blower.
2. Pleated filters: basically panel filters that have been pleated or folded to provide more surface area. These filters are typically more efficient than a panel filter by increasing the surface area for collecting particles. It is important to change the filter on a regular basis so as not to restrict airflow.
3. High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters: are extended filters that remove sub-micron particles with high efficiency. HEPA filters consist of a core filter that is folded back and forth over corrugated separators that add strength to the core and form the air passages between the pleats. The filter is composed of very fine sub-micron glass fibers in a matrix of larger fibers. These types of filters are not designed to fit most standard furnaces. They generally need a separate system consisting of a fan and filter.
4. Electronic air cleaners use an electrical field to trap charged particles. Like mechanical filters, they can be installed in central heating and/or cooling system ducts. Electronic air cleaners trap a high percentage of particles from the air passing through them.

Replace your filter at the stated intervals instructed by the manufacturer, usually about every three months, i.e., the first day of every season. Replace more often if you are introducing higher levels of particulates into your home, such as when renovations are being done. Also, consider more frequent replacements if you have a family member with asthma, allergies or another lung disease.

It is important to understand that air filters only protect the air ducts from air entering the ventilation system. Debris must be professionally removed by an air duct cleaning contractor prior to implementing a filter maintenance program to improve indoor air quality.

Ventilation

Understanding Ventilation: The Dilution of a Pollutant Source.

Controlling pollutants at the source is the most important strategy for maintaining clean indoor air. Ventilation is the second most effective approach to providing acceptable indoor air. There are three ways that air enters and leaves a home:

1. Infiltration & Exfiltration: Outdoor air flows into and out of the house through openings, joints, and cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings, and around windows and doors. Infiltration & Exfiltration is not the best source of ventialtion because the air enters and leaves the home in an uncontrolled manner.
2. Natural Ventilation: Air moves through opened windows and doors. Natural ventilation is where the building occupant purposely opens a home to increase ventilation in a controlled manner. While natural ventilation is very effective, it allows for expensive conditioned air to leave a home, and allows for possible pollutants to enter a home (pollens, dust, etc.)
3. Mechanical Ventilation: There are a number of mechanical ventilation devices, from outdoor-vented fans that intermittently remove air from a single room, such as bathrooms and kitchen, to air handling systems that use fans and air ducts to continuously remove indoor air and distribute filtered and conditioned outdoor air to strategic points throughout the house. Mechanical ventilation allows the greatest ability to control an environment, however it must be periodically maintained to ensure it’s effectiveness through qualified HVAC contractors and Air Duct Cleaning contractors.