Re: Thermal Complaints: Interrelationship with poor indoor air quality

[Guest guest]

It is common for commercial HVAC systems to be balanced after they are

installed or after changes have been made to the HVAC system. Air

testing and balancing is frequently done on existing systems for

energy conservation reasons.

If you are looking for information on air system testing and

balancing, you might want to check with the Associated Air Balance

Council. They certify people who do testing and balancing of air, and

other HVAC, systems. You might also try American Society of Heating,

Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE).

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> Dick Cussen

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> IAQ-Listers,

>

> Over the decades of IAQ assessments, I noted a strong relationship

> between thermal complaints and IAQ problems; that is, thermal complaints

> leading to well intentioned, but improper, system adjustments leading to

> more improper system adjustments, leading to outdoor air restrictions,

> eventually leading to IAQ complaints and my IAQ assessment.

>

> Since one attempts to identify the base cause of IAQ problems and not

> just symptoms in the development of long term solutions, I assume that

> the ability to recognize, evaluate and correct common, but improper,

> HVAC primary air system flow and distribution problems is a common tool

> for most office IAQ evaluations. However, I've yet to find any

> significant literature citations addressing this topic.

>

> Any references would be appreciated.

>

> Dick Cussen, PE, CIH, CSP

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> E-MAIL

[Guest guest]

Hi Dick,

I agree I haven't seen many literature references on this topic.

Having worked for a state agency that did a lot of IAQ

investigations at no charge, I have seen a lot of cases where the

HVAC system and temperature control were the root causes of

complaints. Add stress, perceived unfairness, individual

susceptibilities and health conditions. Then have an " exposure

incident " and IAQ concerns suddenly go sky-high. So an understanding

of proper ventilation system design and use and its role in

temperature control and air distribution is important in IAQ work in

most settings.

Not finding " smoking guns " (i.e. no outside air intake, a dry cleaner

downstairs, recent building renovations, mold)in a lot of the

investigations, my approach typically interviews people and

finds " dead air " , drafts, hot, cold spots leading to checking and

comparing HVAC diffuser flowrates leading to recommending

rebalancing, adjusting operating controls, redesign office layout,

reduce partition height and other blockages to air distribution.

In addition to the Associated Air Balancing Council and ASHRAE, the

Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association

(SMACNA), an international association of union contractors, has a

number of publications on HVAC design, commissioning, inspection, and

IAQ.

This is the url to their bookstore. I suggest taking a look at their

list of titles available. Their " IAQ: a systems approach " is good

primer for anyone in the IAQ field.

http://www.smacna.org/bookstore/

Weddig, CIH

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>

>

>

> Dick Cussen

>

>

>

>

> IAQ-Listers,

>

> Over the decades of IAQ assessments, I noted a strong relationship

> between thermal complaints and IAQ problems; that is, thermal

complaints

> leading to well intentioned, but improper, system adjustments

leading to

> more improper system adjustments, leading to outdoor air

restrictions,

> eventually leading to IAQ complaints and my IAQ assessment.

>

> Since one attempts to identify the base cause of IAQ problems and

not

> just symptoms in the development of long term solutions, I assume

that

> the ability to recognize, evaluate and correct common, but improper,

> HVAC primary air system flow and distribution problems is a common

tool

> for most office IAQ evaluations. However, I've yet to find any

> significant literature citations addressing this topic.

>

> Any references would be appreciated.

>

> Dick Cussen, PE, CIH, CSP

>

> .

>

>

>

> E-MAIL

[Guest guest]

Observation I can't help but make:

Since being poisoned in a sick house incident over eight years ago, I've

found that my ability both to sense temperature objectively and manage

temperature (sweating, shivering, etc) do not function well when I am

exposed to traces of normal indoor air contaminants that normal people

tolerate well.

So despite the anecdotal nature of this observation, I'd encourage indoor

air professionals seeing temperature complaints which are not borne out by

objective measurement of temperature/humidity to consider the possibility

that what is really being reported is the presence of (or sensitization to

a normal level of) a contaminant in the air.

The one I do the worst with is routine corrosion products of anodized

metal surfaces, presumably dissolved in the humidity in the air.

Ubiquitous in commercial environments. My case is very unusual, though...

Steve Chalmers

stevec@...

---- Thermal Complaints: Interrelationship with poor indoor air quality

Dick Cussen

IAQ-Listers,

Over the decades of IAQ assessments, I noted a strong relationship

between thermal complaints and IAQ problems; that is, thermal complaints

leading to well intentioned, but improper, system adjustments leading to

more improper system adjustments, leading to outdoor air restrictions,

eventually leading to IAQ complaints and my IAQ assessment.

Since one attempts to identify the base cause of IAQ problems and not

just symptoms in the development of long term solutions, I assume that

the ability to recognize, evaluate and correct common, but improper,

HVAC primary air system flow and distribution problems is a common tool

for most office IAQ evaluations. However, I've yet to find any

significant literature citations addressing this topic.

Any references would be appreciated.

Dick Cussen, PE, CIH, CSP

[Guest guest]

Contrary to your statement, I have rarely found buildiong systems to

have flow or hydronic TAB's following system modifications or

occupancy restacks. I commonly recommend such but it seems facility

managers would rather spend $3000 for someone to measure air

contaminants than $20,000 to correct the true balancing and air

distribution problems.

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > Dick Cussen

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > IAQ-Listers,

> >

> > Over the decades of IAQ assessments, I noted a strong

relationship

> > between thermal complaints and IAQ problems; that is, thermal

complaints

> > leading to well intentioned, but improper, system adjustments

leading to

> > more improper system adjustments, leading to outdoor air

restrictions,

> > eventually leading to IAQ complaints and my IAQ assessment.

> >

> > Since one attempts to identify the base cause of IAQ problems

and not

> > just symptoms in the development of long term solutions, I

assume that

> > the ability to recognize, evaluate and correct common, but

improper,

> > HVAC primary air system flow and distribution problems is a

common tool

> > for most office IAQ evaluations. However, I've yet to find any

> > significant literature citations addressing this topic.

> >

> > Any references would be appreciated.

> >

> > Dick Cussen, PE, CIH, CSP

> >

> > .

> >

> >

> >

> > E-MAIL

[Guest guest]

A connection between IAQ complaints and dry air does exist. In the winter,

the air in many buildings gets very dry by the mechanisms outlined in other

replies to this message. The resulting dry air causes a rash of symptoms

that many building occupants mistake as being due to air

contaminants. More specifically, such complaints are bloody mucous, stuffy

head, dry mouth, headache and itchy and irritated skin and eyes. The

bloody mucous, stuffy head and headache type symptoms are caused by

swelling of the sinus membranes in an attempt to humidify the dry air

entering the lungs, which would dry out if the air was not

humidified. Membrane swelling causes stuffiness, and if swelling is bad

enough, headaches. (Don't just ask if the occupants have headaches. Ask

what part of the head is involved.) Swelling can also cause tears in the

membranes that bleed, resulting in bloody mucous. In some cases, the

irritation caused by the swelling and tears causes sneezing.

Dry mouth is due to drying by the air. But, when a person cannot breathe

through their noses, they have to breathe through their mouths. In this

case, the mouth membranes have to try to humidify the air, as would be

needed when the air passes through the nasal area. A complicating factor

is lack of hydration because most people do not drink enough water anyway.

When people have stuffy heads, they will usually use some kind of

decongestant, either by self-medicating or on their doc's

recommendation. One of the side-effects of these drugs is that they dry

out the mucous membranes, which tends to further irritate already irritated

membranes. If the person's decongestant of choice is one of the sprays,

misuse can cause mucous membrane ulceration, further causing

bleeding. Spray decongestants also have rebound effect where congestion

reoccurs even worse when the drug wears off. The drug's effective time

also decreases with use. In severe cases, the person ends up almost

constantly sniffing the drug trying to keep their nasal passages open.

Studies have shown that when mucous membranes are already irritated by

something like dry air or nasal decongestant spray misuse, air contaminant

irritation threshold concentrations decrease. In other words, air

contaminant irritation can occur at lower concentrations when the person's

sinuses are irritated than when they are not. Therefore, contaminant

concentrations may be the same year round; but during the winter, people's

sensitivity to the contaminants is greater.

Itchy and irritated skin and eyes are also caused by the drying effect of

the air. Dry air causes skin scaling and fissuring, resulting in

irritation manifested as itchiness. People tend to think the itchiness is

being caused by fiberglass or some of other air contaminant. Dry air also

dries the eye mucous membranes, resulting in irritation and

itchiness. This effect is increased by computer use. Studies have shown

that people's blink rate decreases when they use computers. No blink means

no eye lubrication means increased eye dryness.

Dry air can impact people's perception of air contaminant concentrations,

mainly because they do not really understand the impact of dry air. In

temperate areas where air humidity might be high during most of the year,

people's perception of dry air is particularly lacking. I have also found

that most IAQ investigators also are ignorant of dry air effects, and spend

a lot of wasted time and expense trying to find contaminant problems that

don't exist.

Note that I only discussed dry air in this message. Temperature also has

its own range of impacts on IAQ perception. But, explaining that impact

would take a much longer message, and my hand hurts; so enough for now.

******************************************************

If what is written looks too stupid to be written by me, I disclaim it. On

the other hand, if it is brilliant, then I have no one to blame but

myself. Otherwise, whether you choose to accept my opinion is up to you.

******************************************************

K. Klein, PE ME, MBA

Indoor Air Quality Solutions, Inc.

PO Box 7

Bethel, OH 45106-0007

VOICE:

E-mail: mkklein68@...

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Wouldn't it be nice if common sense were really common?