Wave Home Solutions

Spring Cleaning

Spring is around the corner and with it the return of the stinky basement.  During the fall when the smell was there, it began to fade as the furnace kicked on allowing the heated air to dry up some of the moisture but now with the furnace cycling fewer times, that old smell is rearing it's ugly head once more. 

What have you done to manage that smell?  Installed a dehumidifier?  A dehumidifier is a small air conditioning unit in terms of cost to maintain with electricity alone costing anywhere from $30 to $60 a month.  Plus they need to be emptied, they need to be cleaned, the filters need to be changed, and they are only managing air in the immediate room. 

To be effective in managing the air in the basement or crawlspace, there needs to be proper air exchanges that a dehumidifier simply does not provide.  Being effective means circulating the warmer, dryer air from the upper level into the basement or crawlspace while exhausting the contaminated, stale air from the basement.

If you do nothing the humidity laden air will accumulate and can be absorbed into the floorboards and the structure of the home and can cause all sorts of damage including becoming a breeding ground for insects including termites that need water to survive.   

Simple solutions are the best and installing a maintenance free ventilation unit in the basement that exhausts the stale, contaminated air from the lowest level near the floor creating a natural vacuum to draw down warmer, dryer air from upstairs providing healthy air exchanges keeping the basement free of those nasty smells.

Water Softener Quick Fact

In reading up on the latest information related to the water softener ban in California, there was a site that had some interesting statistics --- this is one from the Santa Clarita Valley Water District website in California ...... "The installation of automatic water softeners—the kind that use rock salt or potassium chloride pellets—has been banned in the Santa Clarita Valley since 2003. Though the majority of households do NOT have automatic water softeners, many units continue to be used. Automatic water softeners discharge a salty waste into the sewer system that is treated by a process that does not remove salt and is released into the Santa Clara River. Too much salt in the river may potentially harm downstream agricultural crops."

There is a follow on piece that states that "automatic water softeners waste water and can spill as much as 350 pounds of salt into the waste stream per year, polluting waterways and damaging plant and aquatic life. Water softeners and reverse osmosis systems also waste hundreds of gallons of water per household every month."

Heating Water Efficiently

The Battelle Memorial Institute, a non-profit international science and technology enterprise, was retained by the Water Quality Research Foundation to develop and run  tests evaluating the energy and costs in heating water versus the savings with treated water. They also examined effects on washing machines, faucet fixtures, shower-heads, and dishwashers using hard water versus treated water.

The US Department of Energy says “water heating can account for 14%–25% of the energy consumed in your home.” It is the second highest energy consuming area of a home, next to heating and cooling. Battelle conducted tests to determine how much energy savings household water softeners can provide homeowners.

Results of the study have shown that untreated hard water can cause significant efficiency losses and added costs in water heating – up to 48% in some cases. The study also found hard water can rapidly lead to clogged shower-heads, in some cases possibly as soon as a year and a half of regular use. After just one week of constant testing with hard water, more than three-fourths of shower-head nozzles became clogged, according to laboratory results. Shower-heads using treated water, meanwhile, performed nearly as well as on the day they were installed.

It has also been proven that treating hard water, which in most cases is defined as limescale (calcium and magnesium), can effectively extend the life of appliances using hot water such as water heaters and dishwashers. 

Instead of removing the calcium and magnesium crystals as salt based systems do exchanging them for sodium, consider treating the "hard" water with a Hydrocare system that transmits a signal throughout the plumbing system rendering the crystals inert so they don't adhere to the surfaces of the heating elements, shower heads, faucets and dishwashers.

Remember, Calcium Carbonate and Magnesium Carbonate, in their soluble state, are bio-available or bio-accessible meaning the body can absorb and use them. We all know the calcium is good for bones and the magnesium is good for the heart. 

 

 

Indoor Air Quality

A recent study by the California Air Resources Board (ARB) concluded that indoor concentrations of formaldehyde in recently built homes often exceeds exposure guidelines for indoor air contaminants due to the many indoor air sources for formaldehyde.  There are other indoor air contaminants that also exceed exposure guidelines and researchers are recommending mechanical air ventilation systems be included in new home construction for purposes of controlling indoor air contaminants and improving air quality.

It has been proven that new homes are being built relatively airtight which is intended to reduce heating and cooling loss but have the unintended consequence of trapping airborne contaminants and VOC's (Volatile Organic Chemicals, like formaldehyde) inside the home. 

It has been a concern of the both the EPA and CDC as "tight" homes do not have enough air exchanges through "natural" ventilation and as a result the contaminants become trapped inside the home leading to the exacerbation of respiratory ailments and other illnesses.  Their recommendation is the same as ARB, installing a mechanical ventilation unit to provide a continuous supply of outdoor air which improves the air exchange rate and reduces indoor air contaminant levels. 

In homes with basements and/or crawl spaces, these mechanical ventilation units should be installed in the lowest area of the home as the contaminated air flows to the lowest level in the home and these units can then remove and vent this "bad" air to the outside.   In homes built on slabs, similar mechanical units can be used and there are other more sophisticate whole home systems that can be considered. 

Buying Green

In the January on line EcoHome Magazine it lists 10 building predications for 2010 that go from homeowners monitoring their daily energy usage, reducing carbon footprints, to focus on water conservation.  The article states that "Home buyers are driving demand for green building, particularly in metropolitan areas, ... and their motivations vary from financial savings to a desire for healthier living environments."

Simply put "green" is in for 2010 and finding ways to reduce maintenance costs, improve the efficiency of the home, and contribute to reducing utility costs (carbon footprint) are high on every homeowners list as well as all new home buyers.  Pushing it along is the current administrations push towards green solutions coupled with the reality that these solutions can provide both short-term and long-term financial returns.

With water conservation being in the top 10, this piece with how getting limescale issues in your home resolved can contribute to conserving water, lowering of utility bills and reducing the maintenance costs of the home.  Limescale that forms inside the pipes in your home, on the heating coils of the dishwasher, hot water heater, inside the shower head, and faucets can significantly reduce the efficiency of the home.  It takes more energy to heat when there is an insulating crust of scale around the coil. 

One method of dealing with limescale is using a salt or chemical based water treatment system but, with the focus on green solutions, it is becoming a less of a favored option plus with states like California passing a bill in 2009 that gives communities the ability to BAN water softeners, it's only a matter of time before other states adopt the same stance.

Hydrocare is a patented system (NOT electro magnetic) that sends a signal throughout the plumbing lines rendering the calcium/magnesium (limescale) crystals inert so they will not adhere to heating coils and the sides of pipes.  It also removes existing scale and ultimately, as the scale dissipates, contributes to significantly improving appliance efficiency, extending appliance life, as well as reducing utility bills and homeowner maintenance costs.

Surgeon General Healthy Home 2009

In 2009 the Surgeon General issued a "call to action to promote healthy homes".  It states that .. "Many factors influence health and safety in homes, including structural and safety aspects of the home (i.e., how the home is designed, constructed, and maintained; its physical characteristics; and the presence or absence of safety devices); quality of indoor air; water quality; chemicals; resident behavior; and the house’s immediate surroundings. The link between these housing features and illness and injury is clear and compelling.  Poor indoor air quality contributes to cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and other illnesses."

The report goes on to say that "Poor indoor air quality can contribute to symptoms ranging from eye, nose, and throat irritation to chronic conditions. Pollution sources such as wood smoke, natural gas combustion, or cigarette smoking that release gases or particles into the air can contribute to indoor air quality problems in homes. For example, secondhand smoke can cause respiratory and heart disease, whereas radon causes cancer. Inadequate ventilation also contributes to poor indoor air quality. High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants."(National Institute of Building Sciences 2005).

The report state that the "two effective ways to reduce indoor air pollution are to eliminate or reduce emissions from indoor sources and to improve ventilation."  It goes on to clarify ways to increase and improve ventilation by mechanical means and/or by opening the doors and windows.  During the winter when the house is shut, opening windows is not a realistic option so mechanical ventilation is required. 

Installing a mechanical ventilation unit in the lower level of the home that runs 24/7 and creates healthy air exchanges in the home will reduce the issues that are associated with poor indoor air quality.  The Wave Ventilation unit is a cost effective solution, takes the air from the lowest area of the home where the "bad" air accumulates and expels it to the outside. 

UV Lamps Can Reduce Sickness

In a study published in the Lancet medical journal, Canadian scientists found that by using ultraviolet lamps to kill germs in ventilation systems, worker sickness was reduced by about 20 percent, including a 40 percent drop in breathing problems.

About 70 percent of the work force in North America and Western Europe work indoors, and have frequently unexplained health problems such as irritation of the eyes, throat and nose, as well as respiratory illnesses.  Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation, or UVGI, is sometimes used in hospital ventilation systems to disinfect the air. 

The use of the UV lamps resulted in a 20 percent overall reduction in all symptoms for some workers; and a 40 percent reduction in respiratory symptoms and a 30 percent reduction in mucous problems.  The benefits were greatest for workers with allergies and for people who had never smoked.

With this study as a reference, it's surprising more homeowners are not seriously looking at installing a UV system in their ventilation system, especially in homes where one or more of the family members struggle with allergies and/or respiratory disorders. 

Winter 2009 -- Indoor Air

The quality of the air we breathe indoors becomes even more important in the colder months, when we naturally spend more time inside. But the list of things that pollute that air is a long one, featuring such varied culprits as combustion sources (oil, gas, kerosene, coal, wood and tobacco), building materials (deteriorated insulation, damp carpet), household cleaners, even our furniture and carpets.

 

Indoor air quality has been a problem since homeowners and builders began to "tighten" the homes with increased insulaton to reduce the overall energy costs without balancing it with adequete ventilation to exchange polluted indoor air with fresh outdoor air.  Plus excess moisture and high temperatures can lead to mold problems.  During the winter (and summer if the house is closed up), carbon monoxide from gas stoves, dryers and furnaces, if not properly vented to the outside, can cause serious health issues.  Studies done by EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and CDC (Centers for Disease Control) have shown that indoor air can be 5 - 10 times more polluted than outside air.

 

Key to managing indoor air is providing healthy air exchanges on a daily basis and expelling the "bad" air that tends to accumulate in the lower levels of the home.  One key element in any home is controlling humidity levels which also tend to build in the lower level of the home and can lead to organic growth such as mold. 

 

By installing a mechanical ventilation unit in the lower level of the home that runs 24/7 expelling the contaminants from the lowest level to the outside and bringing down healthier, drier replenishment air from the upper levels, is being proactive and contributes to an overall healthier home environment.

 

California Bans Water Softeners

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed Assembly Bill 1366 (AB 1366) into law, the Pacific Water Quality Association (PWQA) said in an October 12 press release. News of the signing was also carried in an October 12 report on California Newswire®.

The law will make it easier for regional water and wastewater agencies in California to impose local bans or restrictions on water softeners. Some of the agencies have been seeking to reduce salt discharges from water softeners into local wastewater streams, saying those discharges make it difficult to remove enough salt to be in compliance with state wastewater regulations. They also say softener discharges return unwanted salt to natural water supplies which are already stressed.

In a few communities in the state, bans on new softener installations or orders to remove existing ones have been implemented in the past few years under the older process, which required extensive studies and public ballot approvals. Under the new law, agencies would have to go through a less extensive “findings” process to implement softener bans.

 

Alternatives to manage the single biggest reason Californians have purchased a softener -- limescale -- are limitedbut one solution has been tested and proved effective at eliminating existing as well as pre-existing conditions is the Hydrocare unit.

 

This legislation is being considered in other states as the tainting of the ground water has created problems within local municipalities as they try to cope with the additional amount of salt they are seeing in their treatment plants.

 

Hydrocare costs pennies to operate, is easy to install, and requires NO maintenance. 

Tankless Hot Water Heater Efficiency

An excerpt from a June. 2009 article in Water Technology, about a study done by the Water Quality Research Foundation (WQRF) on the energy efficiency of tankless hot water heaters states that ...... it "found that, after the equivalent of only one year and three months of average household use, such devices can be six percent less efficient when hard water is used" which followed a study that showed 75% of the shower heads became clogged with limescale after just one week of constant testing with hard water.

Several solutions are touted as resolving hard water issues -- salt based water softeners are the most often selected as they have been out there for years and are ingrained in our collective head as "the" solution for hard water.  Problem today is salt based systems are under attack with California being the first to pas a bill giving their municipalities the ability to ban water softeners due to the excess salt in the ground water.  Other states have similar issues but have not adopted California's approach "at this time". 

Magnets have also been around and without a lot of discussion, have generally failed to manage hard water and more specifically, limescale.  They are usually flow dependent, meaning the water has to be running to be working and once water is off, crystals can return to their original state.

One solution has been successfully solving limescale problems for 18 years, primarily in Europe and Asia is the Hydrocare product line.  On the web site, there is a test that was conducted with tankless water heaters and the results are impressive. View the test at: http://www.wavehomesolutions.com/content/hydrocare/test-results.cfm

Hydrocare sends a unique, patented radio wave signal that traverses the entire plumbing system and works 24/7.   How many products have any of us purchased that come with a One Year Performance Guarantee?  Hydrocare provides one and is glad to discuss it with their customers. 

  

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