humidity / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

Why cleaning HRV units is so important  When any machine has its normal operation hampered, it will reduce its efficiency and ability to function properly. Many of us are probably guilty of forgetting about basic maintenance of some of the mechanical equipment in our homes; keeping your HRV (heat recovery ventilator) c...

After completing a design workshop for high performance wall systems, teachers at the New Frontiers School Board in Ormstown, QC have settled on a building envelope that will outperform houses built to code by a factor of almost 3. The school will be releasing videos following the progress of this first of its kind pro...

...humidity levels in your home low enough, aim for below 40% Relative Humidity (RH), so step one would be humidity monitoring, followed by installing adequate heat recovery ventilation,  and a dehumidifier sized properly for the volume of air you need to condition if necessary.  Ironically, interstitial condensation is m...

...humidity levels will control the growth of indoor mold – so this is the key. Condensation is a symptom of other issues Consider condensation as a symptom and not a cause of home humidity being too high, so, if there’s condensation happening on windows, the first step we’d suggest is to get hold of a hygrometer or humid...

...humidity from the air being extracted to the incoming fresh (and dry) air to help keep the ambient internal humidity level at a reasonable value (between 40 and 60%) at all times. In summer, the humidity transfer in an ERV reverses and the humidity in outside air is removed before it is injected into the home. This sav...

...humidity of 40% to 50% in indoor home environments. This range can be maintained under more or less all conditions with the only energy penalty being the electric for the blower to overcome the pressure drop in the system. If you need help choosing between an HRV & ERV system, see here Indoor air quality is importa...

Working with charitable housing groups like Habitat for Humanity, the CaGBC will administer free registrations and certifications under the internationally-recognized Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green building certification program, which addresses homes as well as a broad range of other buildi...

...humidity and lower-quality windows. Winterizing your home: Condensation and ice on windows is a sure sign that your home needs checking over Solutions: You can buy a hygrometer (to measure indoor humidity) at most hardware stores for around $20 or so; that's your first step. If your humidity is low (20-40 RH) then th...

...Humidity (RH) to accommodate mold. With recent 'improvements' to construction in North America, we now use standard code compliant paper-faced drywall which can start to develop mold at about 80% RH. As we insulate and make homes airtight, they don't dry as easily, and common building practices trap moisture inside wal...

Mold in homes is a bad sign so how to get rid of it or prevent mold in drywall? Mold and mildew in homes develops in conditions of high humidity, most often in bathrooms, kitchens and basements, unless caused by roof leaks and other building envelope failures. Along with affecting the durability of your home, mold and ...

What is the best wall system for a home?  We're frequently asked which is the perfect wall system for high-performance LEED, Passive House or Zero Energy Homes, Well, a perfect Answer to that Is, first Ask the Right Questions! - After all, what is the best way to get from one place to another?  You have to choose betwe...