Includes: -List of Tools Required -List of Tools Recommended -A complete floor plan review and design of ventilation system placement -Calculation of what is needed to pr... Complete DIY Install Guide 2 h $495 Prenota DIY Walkthroughs We have a walkthrough to clean your unit yourself in two options, ​ The Longer Version(Venmar/Broan) The Shorter Version(Venmar/Broan) Constructo 1.0 Constructo 1.0 Fantech Units The exhaust vents that pull the polluted indoor air from inside can be become quite dirty as well. This video summarizes how to clean a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filtered unit 31/4100 by Venmar.

Fresh Air's Professional r ecommendations for a variety of common issues Sick Building Syndrome SBS is used to describe situations in which building occupants experience acute health and comfort effects that appear to be linked to time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. - EPA Chills and muscle aches, a fever or tightness in the chest but only at a certain friends house? Or only at work? You may be experiencing the symptoms of a Building Related Illness (BRI). The World Health Organization (WHO) suggested back in 1984 that up to 30% of buildings worldwide may be the subject of excessive indoor air quality complains. While Sick Building Syndrome (SBS) and BRI may not seem to have a direct cause, and may mysteriously get better after leaving the building for a while. They can be accompanied by headaches; eye, nose or throat irritation ; phantom itches or dry skin; or suddenly becoming quite tired and dreary. While you may have an illness resulting from exposure to a virus or bacteria outside the building, if your symptoms improve a short while after you leave, it might just be the building! BRI does differ from SBS in that symptoms experienced hit harder and last longer than those of SBS. SBS has a pretty straightforward solution. If fresher air eliminates the symptoms, you may want to consider getting fresh air pulled into that space. If it’s a business you work for, talk to your managers about ventilation. So how did SBS become an issue? Or, how is it only a recent problem? Well, before the 1970's oil embargo people were nowhere near as ‘energy conscious’ and as a result, when everyone started to close up their homes nice and tight like plastic packaging- toxins couldn’t get out. Of course, we’re also bringing in more and more toxins as well. From plastics to formaldehyde in flooring, building materials and furniture. Our cleaning products and air “fresheners” which do anything but freshen it; instead filling the air with chemical fumes. Whether the source be a can of aerosol or a plugin . With tightened houses, moisture gets trapped inside too. Moisture tries to move from more to less; and when it hits something it has a hard time passing through, it will condense. We don’t always see this condensation, in our attics, walls or basements out of sight- out of mind. Read more about the affects of moisture on a structure in our moisture section.

Radon Is a naturally occurring gaseous element that escapes from granite as other natural elements like uranium break down. Once it is a gas it's inhaled and after a short while it breaks down into Polodium, Bismuth and Lead where it releases radiation, mutating your cells and causing cancer. The EPA's Citizens Guide to Radon can be found here . Radon is second leading cause of Lung Cancer in America. Identifiable Traits: Colorless, Odorless, Tasteless Method of Detection: Air Sample Test ​ Formaldehyde Just a simple corrosive, colorless carcinogen. Identifiable Traits: Colorless, Pungent Odor, Method of Detection: Air Sample Test ​ Low Level CO Exposure Did you know most CO Detectors only alert you at levels of 35 ppm, but are hazardous to your health at 7 and 8 ppm? ​ Identifiable Traits: Colorless, Odorless, Tasteless Method of Detection: Carbon Monoxide Detector (of which can detect to 0) ​ ​ High Level CO2 Exposure Identifiable Traits: Colorless, Odorless, Tasteless Method of Detection: CO2 Monitor ​ ​ Mold Spores Identifiable Traits: Visible Growth on walls, Mild to Extreme Odor, Tasteless Method of Detection: Air Sample Test if not clearly visible ​ ​ Mildew Identifiable Traits: Surface fungi that can easily be identified as a patch of gray or even white fungus that is lying on the surface of a moist area. Method of Detection: Air Sample Test if not clearly visible ​ ​ ​ Dust Identifiable Traits: A visible particulate matter comprised of a variety of: smoke, pet dander, dust mites and bacteria and viruses. Method of Detection: Visible on surfaces and in rays of light ​ ​ Odors Identifiable Traits: Pungent, may be able to be tasted Method of Detection: Whether it be you after mowing the lawn, the cat's litter box or something in the fridge that's gone bad, initially odors should be fairly easy to detect. ​ ​ Pollen Identifiable Traits: Pollen is a fine to coarse powdery substance, Method of Detection: Pollen may be detected by those with allergies, an air sample test, or visible buildup -normally around puddles, bird baths and other small collections of water. ​ ​ Pet Dander Identifiable Traits: Pet dander is a protein found in the very tiny particles of skin that had been shed from animals with fur or feathers. In addition, the protein is also found in the urine and saliva of these animals as well. Method of Detection: Allergic reaction, hair that has been shed, ​ ​ Chemical Cleaners & Aerosols Identifiable Traits: Strong chemical smells, residue, can be tasted in the air Method of Detection: If someone's house is "very clean" it's likely they use cleaning products to achieve that. A mixture of 50% water and 50% white vinegar is also an effective, and non-toxic, cleaner as well. ​ ​ Smoke Identifiable Traits: Due to difference in temperature between the studs or screws and the interior wall smoke -like moisture- attracts to these points and are commonly visible. Other places where the carbon in the smoke builds up is on the ceiling above the device that is using combustion often. Be it candles, a wood stove or pellet stove or a propane stove or fireplace. Method of Detection: Generally speaking, smoke is fairly easy to smell or see. Small amounts from candles however, may be harder to detect without equipment. ​ ​

Fresh Air's Professional r ecommendations for a variety of common issues Allergies Dust bunnies and cat dander causing a runny nose but the fresh outside air makes you sneeze? A ventilation unit with a High-Efficiency Particulate Air filter may be just the solution you've been searching for. Allergies are the worst If you’re the type of person who’s allergic to something you like, such as cats, a ventilation system can help you to reduce associated allergens in the air. Karen Johnson, wife of Fresh Air’s owner Kurt Johnson, is allergic to cats and with a system in their home running on the high setting 24/7, they’ve been able to have a cat for ten years now. As a participant at Lewistons' 2017 Business-to-Business Trade Show said to us, “But it’s the stuff outside that makes me the most sick.” As not all allergens start in the home, there’s an option for people with outdoor allergies too. It’s called a High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filter. The Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) rating for a HEPA filter ranges from 17 to 20. The MERV rating scale was designed by The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). A link to ASHRAE can be found at the bottom of this page. The scale is fairly straightforward, filters marked as being 1-4 cover the simple, low end filters. 5 through 13 are medium range filters and 14 to 16 are considered high efficiency, just not quite HEPA. Quite simply, the higher the MERV rating, the smaller the particles it is able to filter out. ​ ​ So what makes these HEPA filters so special? Great question. To have earned a MERV rating of 17 or higher it must be able to filter out contaminants down to a size of 0.3 Microns, also called micrometers, which are very small. There are some filters that can take care of even smaller than a MERV 20 though, those are called Ultra-Low Particulate Air (ULPA) filters, though in most cases they’re not necessary. A MERV 17 is primarily what we sell when it comes to HEPA, above that and you’re getting more towards a hospital’s “clean room” level of filtration. While that’s not a bad thing, it’s usually more than what the average person needs. MERV 17 can filter out all bacteria, all combustion smoke, lead dust, mold spores, hair spray, cement dust, pollen dust mites and several others. MERV 18 adds carbon dust, MERV 19 adds viruses and MERV 20 can filter out unspecified, smaller fine particulates. For most of our customers a MERV 17 is actually more than what they need. For people with chronic allergies, asthma or other respiratory issues looking for a way to breathe easier, MERV 17 is the way to go. What else should I consider when looking into filtration options? Odors from outside are also a factor when selecting a filter. If you have neighbors who regularly smoke marijuana or tobacco outside, or often have camp or bonfires- preventing these particulates from entering your home is a healthy decision. Who wants to smell the fresh spray of a skunk or the strange and “exotic” foods your neighbor’s always trying? Well maybe some people do, but for me I’ll stick with a HEPA filter so none of that bothers me. As someone who is sensitive to smells, I find that filtering the air as much as reasonably possible is the best way to stave off headaches. You can read more about sensitivities in the Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) section, which mostly recommends a HEPA filtration as well, but there are some helpful links if you think you may suffer from this condition.