July 2018
President’s Message
As we wrap up our 2017-18 fiscal year, and launch into our 2018-19, I cannot help but reflect upon the many successes this small, but vibrant organization has had in the past year. It’s amazing to me how much we are able to accomplish with just one staff member and our meager financial resources.
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At the recent Annual Membership Meeting of the Council, I provided those present with a long list of our accomplishments and activities over the past year. I encourage each and every member and those interested in our work to take a look at our achievements. (click here to review the meeting minutes) My humble thanks go to our membership for their continued support of our work, and for their participation in our programs, committee work, and activities that achieve our mission.
I am very proud to be a part of this organization, and I look forward to seeing all of you throughout 2018-19.
Ted Small, Esq.
President
Maine Indoor Air Quality Council
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Feature:
Why We Have Spray Foam Problems
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This article was contributed by Henri Fennell, a building envelope specialist and architect from North Thetford, VT with over forty years of experience in energy conservation design, products, and services. Henri was one of the featured presenters at our recent IAQ & Energy 2018 Conference. We encourage Informer readers to visit Henri’s website for more information and resources on spray foam installations. www.polyurethanefoamconsulting.com. Videos of Henri’s presentations at IAQ & Energy are available at www.iaqandenergy.com.
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So, why have there been so many foam problems in recent years? First, “so many” is still a small percent of the foam projects performed every year in this country. Of the nearly two billion pounds of polyurethane foam used each year in the US for construction, foam quality problems occur in less than 2% of the installations. Why they occur is not an easy question to answer, as the answer must of necessity include pointing to the large number of possible causes that exist throughout the construction industry.
Read the full article.
Would you like to contribute a feature article to an upcoming newsletter? Contact Christy Crocker, MIAQC Executive Director, with your ideas. christy@maineindoorair.org
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Feature:
Buy or Rent with IAQ in Mind
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Submitted by MIAQC Member Kris Anderson. Kris is a professional engineer and president of K.G. Anderson, an engineering and consulting firm from Bath, Maine specializing in hands-on whole building and building-systems problem-solving.
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Have you ever been in a conversation with someone and seem to not be connecting? In reality both of you are speaking about the same subject from two different viewpoints, agendas, goals, and understandings. This is what it’s like buying a home or renting an apartment or house. Perspective buyers and tenants should work hard to be informed consumers when it comes to finding a place to live that won’t make you and your family sick. After all, inside your home or your apartment is likely where you will be spending most of your time in any 24-hour period. The last thing you want, and the last thing the seller or landlord wants, is to a contentious situation that leads to illness, default, eviction or litigation. Practice the age-old phrase of “Buyer Beware” by doing your own inspection and verification of indoor environmental conditions before you sign on the dotted line. This is especially critical if you have young children, or if anyone in the family has asthma or other chronic illnesses.
Read the full article.
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Would you like to advertise in this quarterly newsletter? Our distribution goes to more than 16,000 professionals in Maine, and around the country, with a solid open rate. Contact the MIAQC office at 207-626-8115 to secure your ad placement in our July issue.
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Did you miss the May IAQ & Energy 2018 Conference? Presentation Videos Available Soon!
If you missed the IAQ & Energy 2018 Conference in May, you didn’t miss the opportunity to learn from our amazing local, regional, and national presenters. Thanks to our partnership with Healthy Indoors Magazine, almost all the sessions at IAQ & Energy were captured on audio/video and will be available by mid-July for viewing.
Check out the IAQ & Energy video content at:
www.iaqandenergy.com
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Volunteers Needed at MIAQC Booth at Common Ground Fair
The Maine Indoor Air Quality Council hosts an informational/educational booth at the Common Ground Fair, scheduled for September 22, 23, and 24, 2018. We are looking for volunteers to take 3 hours shifts at the booth to help answer fairgoers’ healthy home questions. Not only will you get a free ticket to the fair, but all volunteers are invited to a complimentary “camper dinner” served on the hill at the end of the day. To volunteer, contact MIAQC executive director Christy Crocker at 207-626-8115 or christy@maineindoorair.org.
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Out and About with MIAQC
We don’t sit around! What’s MIAQC been up to lately?
On April 5th. as part of the Gardiner Adult Education Program, Board member Kurt Johnson presented a 2 hour session to 12 homeowners on strategies to improve the indoor air quality in their homes. If you are a member of the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council and would like to give a presentation on healthy indoor environments to a local group, please contact MIAQC executive director Christy Crocker at 207-626-8115 or christy@maineindoorair.org.
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On May 1-2, 2018 in Portland, Maine, the Council presented its signature event, The IAQ & Energy 2018 Conference. More than 300 professionals participated as exhibitors, sponsors, presenters and attendees, and for the first time ever, we had an on-line audience of nearly 100 additional participants. If you were unable to attend IAQ & Energy 2018 but would still like to benefit from the amazing presentations, video recordings and handouts are available for pay per view at www.iaqandenergy.com.
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On Tuesday, June 5, 2018, 36 golfers participated in the second annual golf tournament to support the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council. What was forecast to be a cold and rainy Maine spring day turned out to be a great afternoon. Thank you to all who participated in the tournament. Congratulations to the Dan Smith and his team – the tournament winners..
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On Thursday, June 7th, Steve Caulfield from Turner Building Science & Design shared case studies of Bad Applications of Good Products – an educational seminar offered by the Council’s education committee. Thank you Steve for a great presentation.
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The Council’s annual membership business meeting was held on Thursday, June 7th in Augusta. Copies of the meeting minutes and committee reports are posted on our website.
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The Maine Indoor Air Quality Council was invited to submit an editorial for the Environmental Solutions special section of the Bangor Daily News published on June 30th. Check out pages 5-6 of this special section to read our submission!
Get Involved!
Contact MIAQC Executive Director Christy Crocker to find out how you can participate in and support the work of the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council:
207-626-8115; christy@maineindoorair.org.
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Call of the Month
The Maine Indoor Air Quality Council receives hundreds of calls each year from homeowners, tenants, employers, building managers and others with questions about indoor environments.
In June, the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council was contacted by a homeowner looking for more detailed information on the dehumidification benefits of heat pump hot water heaters. A more lengthy conversation revealed a history of significant leaking in the older fieldstone basement, and the homeowner’s intent to weatherize the property in the very near future. After explaining to the homeowner that hot water heaters may have some dehumidifying benefit, they are, first and foremost, hot water heaters, not dehumidifiers. The Council provided the homeowner with a primer on moisture problems in homes, and the benefit of addressing those moisture problems head-on when doing any weatherization work that might increase the risk of mold growth. We further recommended some resources and guidance to assist the homeowner with decisionmaking as she heads into the actual weatherization work.
This scenario plays itself out over and over throughout the state every day. Homeowners undertaking initiatives to save energy, but neglecting to consider how those energy efficiency improvements might impact their indoor environment, and ultimately, their health. While our role isn’t to insert ourselves into a private homeowner’s project, we are grateful to have the opportunity to assist homeowners in thinking about the bigger picture..
Continue the Conversation! View and comment on this posting on our LinkedIn discussion group page.
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A Picture is Worth 1,000 Words…
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Once again, odors and moisture problems seem to be hot topics when it comes to indoor air quality. A reminder to do your homework, so you know whether or not any product, chemical, or practice is safe for you and your family.
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The following two images contributed by MIAQC Member Steve Caulfield.
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If you look closely, you can see charcoal briquettes scattered on top of poorly installed poly in a crawlspace: one homeowner’s attempt at odor management in a damp environment. The charcoal in a briquette is not the same as activated charcoal often used to manage odors. Hopefully these briquettes are not the easy-light variety! Photo contributed by MIAQC Board Member Kurt Johnson.
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The Maine Indoor Air Quality Council is grateful for the financial and in-kind support our Council Partners provide us on a daily basis. This month’s Partners’ Corner submission is from Particles Plus. If your company is interested in partnering with us in a similar capacity, please contact Christy Crocker, MIAQC Executive Director.
With Summer in full swing, Particles Plus has been busy working with many Indoor Environmental Professionals meeting the requirements of seasonal issues affecting their clients’ indoor air quality. The company considers their focus on creating useful and reliable instruments to support the indoor environmental professional as its contribution to better quality of living for the public in home and work environments.
Particles Plus is proud to be in their third year as a sponsor and member of the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council. The Association’s commitment to supporting and providing training, professional development events, and networking programs for their members creates a more educated, uniform message to the public about the importance for healthy sustainable indoor environments. The wide-ranging group of members, consisting of investigators, engineers, builders, contractors, consultants, and all other indoor environmental professionals – all collaborating and sharing in their knowledge and experiences – makes the association as a whole a much stronger and relevant organization.
Thomas Grillo, Jr.
Sales Manager
Particles Plus
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