About this program:

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With the highest share of full/partial basements in new homes built in New England (79.8%), it is crucial to understand that these spaces often need a separate indoor air quality plan from the rest of the home to ensure the space is comfortable, healthy, and safe. Whether used for storage, a playroom, a home theatre, a home office, or a full-time living area, basements tend to hold more moisture than any other part of the home. These humid conditions can cause musty odors, mold spores, mildew, bacteria, and dust mites, and not only below the house; fifty percent of the air in the upper levels of a home comes from the basement. Damp air in these areas may damage the house's structure and stored items.

 

At this session, you will learn:

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1.  Why controlling humidity in the basement is important

2.  Second law of thermodynamic basics with an emphasis on RH and dew point

3.  Where moisture comes from in basements

4.  Different thresholds of what humidity will affect

5.  Pros and cons of different strategies to control humidity

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About the Presenter:
 

Nikki Krueger is the Director of Marketing  & Building Science for Therma-Stor’s residential indoor air quality brand - Santa Fe freestanding dehumidifiers and whole house ventilating dehumidifiers. She has been involved in the indoor air quality industry for over 20 years. She is a RESNET certified home energy rater, a member of the ACCA Manual Low Load Homes (LLH) Advisory Committee, sits on the building envelope committee for the Spray Polyurethane Foam Association, and has completed the ACCA Residential Design for Quality Installation Certification.

As building science manager for Therma-Stor, she educates builders, HVAC contractors, architects, engineers, crawl space contractors, and other professionals in the industry on the building science of ventilation and moisture control in buildings.

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Program Level:

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Basic

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Content Area(s):

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Residential, Building Science

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