Building Retrofits

There are few areas of building construction that are so commonly misunderstood as air movement within and through homes and buildings. While some contractors swear that houses need to breathe and refuse to make any effort to make building shells tight, others are proud of their efforts to reduce uncontrolled air flow but remain unconvinced that controlled ventilation is needed in tight hbuildings. Chances are, both groups are providing work for air sealing retrofitters.

When air sealing was largely ineffective, practitioners generally did little good or harm. Now we can do a great deal of either. The modern air sealing retrofitter must go beyond simply sealing holes to deal with the ways in which air is supplied, used, and exhausted. The goal is to control, rather than just reduce, the air that flows through our buildings. It often involves the correction of problems more important than high heating bills and may even include increasing air flow where appropriate.

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Indoor Air Quality

The quality of indoor air inside offices, schools, and other workplaces is important not only for workers' comfort but also for their productivity and health. Poor indoor air quality (IAQ) has been tied to symptoms like headaches, fatigue, trouble concentrating, and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. Also, some specific diseases have been linked to specific air contaminants or indoor environments, like asthma with damp indoor environments. In addition, some exposures, such as asbestos and radon, do not cause immediate symptoms but can have negative health effects in the future

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Troubleshooting Common Building Problems and Solutions

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Is your home, office, store, building, or condo cold, drafty, or uncomfortable? Do you have high energy bills? Health concerns? Mold problems? Ice dams? Peeling paint? Excessive dust? Addressing these types of building problems can make your building healthier, more comfortable, and at the same time improve its energy efficiency — saving you money on utility bills and helping to protect the environment too.

​Hot or Cold Rooms Significant differences in temperature from one room to another could be caused by several factors, including inadequate insulation, air leakage, poor duct performance, and improperly installed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system.

​Mold, Mildew or Musty Odors Water leaks or high humidity can lead to mold and mildew. This can cause wood rot, structural damage, peeling paint, and a variety of health problems. Often, high humidity in buildings with central air conditioners can be traced to improperly sized or installed air conditioners.

​Dry Indoor Air in Winter Air leaks in your home allow warm humid air to escape and draw in drier colder air.

​High Energy Bills High utility bills in summer and winter can often be traced to air leaks in your buildings envelope, inefficient windows or inefficient or incorrectly installed heating and cooling equipment, or poorly sealed and insulated ducts.

​Drafty Rooms Cold air coming into or going out of your bulding, especially through leaks hidden in the attic and basement, can cause rooms to feel drafty and uncomfortable.

​Cold Floors in Winter Some types of floor coverings (such as wood, stone, tile, or concrete) will naturally feel cold on bare feet. However, insufficient insulation or air infiltration can also cause cold floors.​

​​​Moisture on Windows Inefficient windows or high indoor moisture levels from air leaks can result in condensation, frost, or pools of water on windows and sills.

​​Ice Dams Warm air inside your home leaks into the attic and will warm the underside of the roof causing snow and ice to melt and refreeze as it runs off your roof — forming icicles and ice dams.

​Peeling Paint Peeling or cracking paint on your home's exterior may be a sign of a humidity problem or improper paint application.

​Dust Increased dust could be a sign that your ductwork is not well sealed.

​Damp Basement A damp basement is commonly caused by moisture migrating through the foundation. As this moisture evaporates, it increases indoor humidity and can promote the growth of mold — resulting in an unhealthy home.

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