title: Ventilation, indoor air quality, and health in homes undergoing weatherization.
abstract: Ventilation standards, health, and indoor air quality have not been adequately examined for residential weatherization. This randomized trial showed how ASHRAE 62-1989 (n=39 houses) and ASHRAE 62.2-2010 (n=42 houses) influenced ventilation rates, moisture balance, indoor air quality, and self-reported physical and mental health outcomes. Average total airflow was nearly twice as high for ASHRAE 62.2-2010 (79 vs. 39 cfm). Volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde and carbon dioxide were all significantly reduced for the newer standard and first-floor radon was marginally lower, but for the older standard, only formaldehyde significantly decreased. Humidity in the ASHRAE 62.2-2010 group was only about half that of the ASHRAE 62-1989 group using the moisture balance metric. Radon was higher in the basement but lower on the first floor for ASHRAE 62.2-2010. Children in each group had fewer headaches, eczema, and skin allergies after weatherization and adults had improvements in psychological distress. Indoor air quality and health improve when weatherization is accompanied by an ASHRAE residential ventilation standard, and the 2010 ASHRAE standard has greater improvements in certain outcomes compared to the 1989 standard. Weatherization, home repair, and energy conservation projects should use the newer ASHRAE standard to improve indoor air quality and health.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois, Champaign, IL, USA.
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Francisco
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health EOHS, Chicago, IL, USA.|National Center for Healthy Housing, Columbia, MD, USA.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health EOHS, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Targos
authors.affiliation: National Center for Healthy Housing, Columbia, MD, USA.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Dixon
authors.affiliation: National Center for Healthy Housing, Columbia, MD, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Breysse
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Illinois, Champaign, IL, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health EOHS, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cali
mesh_terms: D000064:Acclimatization; D000328:Adult; D016902:Air Pollution, Indoor / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000032:analysis*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000032:analysis; D006798:Housing / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis; D014691:Ventilation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000032:analysis; D014887:Weather
chemical_list: D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D005557:Formaldehyde; D011886:Radon
keywords: ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning Engineers); healthy housing; housing; indoor air quality; retrofit; ventilation; weatherization