energylogic | homeowners | builders | commercial | provider | resources | training | calendar | contact | home


www EnergyLogic


Safety Concerns

Each year there are reports in the various media outlets reporting tragedies that occurred as a result of a home killing its occupants. In some cases, the homeowners themselves played a part in the tragedy. In others, it has been a case of a home simply not performing properly. It is a real concern and one that is answered in large part by a high-performance home.

The primary area that we are concerned with is the combustion appliances that heat our homes and our water. A home is a very complicated set of systems that either work in harmony as in a high-performance home or potentially work against each other creating dangerous situations.

Though the building science that creates the problem can be complicated, the resulting condition is relatively simple.

When atmospherically vented (low-efficiency) gas burning appliances operate in a room that experiences a negative pressure, they have the potential to backdraft combustion by-products like carbon monoxide into the room. What can create such a situation? Listed below are some factors:

  • Poorly sealed ductwork
  • Poorly designed duct sytems
  • The wind
  • Homeowners changing the duct system or blocking combustion air inlets.

Many low performing homes have combustion air inlets, large ducts installed to provide outside air to the furnace and water heater. Unfortunately, combustion air inlets are often blocked by homeowners and even when not restricted, can be part of the problem and not the solution. High-performance builders bypass these issues by using sealed combustion appliances and paying close attention to the details of the homes they build.