Peter L. Pfeiffer
Principal of Barley & Pfeiffer Architects
"The room attached to your home—the garage—harbors a variety of chemicals and substances that you want to keep out of children's reach (that’s why you store them there). Half-open cans of paint, bags of fertilizers, spilled oil, car grease—these all off-gas significantly, more so as it gets hotter or more humid. And don’t forget your car, which is full of chemicals and plastics and off-gasses for hours after you pull in. When you open the door to your home, these airborne chemicals and hydrocarbons come rushing in—especially when air ducts from A/C and heating units aren’t sealed tightly. When the door opens, there’s a vacuum effect.
Do an air-duct seal test to ensure the duct system is functioning efficiently and this vacuum scenario doesn’t occur. Ensure that the doors and access areas to the garage are well sealed with proper weather stripping.”From HEALTHY CHILD HEALTHY WORLD. Reprinted by arrangement with Plume, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Copyright (c) 2009 by Healthy Child Healthy World.
To read more from Peter and many others, pick up your copy of our book, Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home, today.
