Assessment of Indoor Air Quality in Interior Alaskan Homes
Publication: Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Volume 16, Issue 4
Abstract
Interior Alaska has indoor air quality issues similar to those of other far northern communities associated with long cold winters and reduced ventilation rates. Moreover, geological features in the hills around Fairbanks, Alaska increase the likelihood of elevated radon levels. To better quantify these features, our team has gathered data at 68 homes. We used concentrations as a surrogate for indoor air quality as well as to help determine ventilation rates to be used in subsequent modeling work. We found the data correlated well using basic mass conservation considerations for yearly averages. The summer CO values ranged from 1 to 9 ppm and the winter values from 0 to 23 ppm. For homes with woodstoves, we found the indoor concentrations rose after the stoves were fired up. Here refers to particles smaller than 10 μm. Over 40% of the tested homes in the hills around Fairbanks had radon compared to a nationwide average of 7%. Active subslab depressurization systems tested were very effective in reducing indoor radon concentrations (average reduction of over 90% for eight homes).
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Cold Regions Engineering
Volume 16 • Issue 4 • December 2002
Pages: 218 - 229
Copyright
Copyright © 2002 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Oct 10, 2001
Accepted: Mar 29, 2002
Published online: Nov 15, 2002
Published in print: Dec 2002
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