Air Date: 10-4-2019|Episode 560
This week on IAQradio+ we open up the microphones to frequent listeners and our expert audience. Our HBS 2019 is fast approaching and many of you will not be able to attend, but we want and need your input. Call in, text a message, or send us an email!
Today will be talking about some results from our own research and discussing industry research needs. We have divided the discussion into 3 categories with panels on each at the HBS 2019. Send us your thoughts what type of research questions do you have about these categories?
IAQ/Mold
Disaster Restoration
Home Performance
Today we will run through the categories and get listener input to include in a paper we are working on. We will take your comments, information from our panels at HBS 2019 and information from our panel at the IAQA 2020 Annual Meeting & Expo to produce a paper intended to help focus the research community on what we as practitioner’s need from them. We hope that researchers can then use our proceedings to help get funding for their future projects.
Z-Man’s Blog:
Open Mic Show, What is Practice to Research?
With IAQA President Jay Stake, John & Lydia Lapotaire
Nuggets mined from today’s show:
John Lapotaire and his wife Lydia
- According to the parameters they measure (formaldehyde, ozone, CO2, CO, airborne particulate, VOCs, etc.) when clients follow their recommendations to improve filtration, add dehumidification and upgrade the HVAC system they see improvements. Conversely, they don’t see improvement when clients add electric devices such as UV lights purported to clean the air.
- They would like to see more comparative research into these electric devices. Realistically, clients research is often confined to glossy product brochures.
- ATP not designed for determining Category 3 water.
- What parameters should be analyzed to determine Category of water? (types of bacteria, pesticides, petroleum, etc.?)
- Hint that’s it’s not Category 3, when job photos show workers in street clothes and no PPE doing the demo.
- Research bias exists. Researchers need to understand that they are biased when their clients pay for research.
- Overclassifying of Category 3 water in Florida remains a big problem. Contractors seek to classify water that falls from the sky or roof leaks as Cat.3.
- Lydia is looking for better particulate monitoring devices.
- There is no standard acceptable mold level. ERMI research failed in finding an acceptable mold level because farmhouses in the country are different than high rise condos in urban areas.
Jay Stake
- Apples to apples, comparative research is what’s needed. More consistency is need among remediation methods, protocols and contractors.
- ERMI assessments are for “research only”.
- Raising the bar of IAQA members.
- Raising the bar for IAQA members.
- Improving consistency. Improving measurement.
RadioJoe
- When is remediation complete?
- At HBSs has been studying effects and performance of AFDs in various configurations: negative pressurization, with cattail attached to break up air stratification, vortex, negative pressure with additional AFD to scrub air, positive pressurization,
- Research doesn’t always result in practical suggestions.
- Even though they have small capture zones, AFD’s work well at removing particulate throughout rooms and even in adjacent rooms.
Z-Man
- Is bothered by exaggerated advertising claims especially when accompanied by noticeably flawed and biased research.
- Has conducted research at HBS into misting as a method to remove airborne particulate and comparison of shellac and water base paints in sealing odors and staining.
- Would like to see research into hydroxyl generators, like they type done by Spivak/Dunston at the University of Maryland.
Z-Man signing off
Trivia Question:
Who coined the term scientist to describe someone who studies the structure and behavior of the physical and natural world through observation and experiment?
Trivia Answer:
William Whewell, 1834
Answered by John Lapotaire
