Thread by @energysmartohio

THREAD:

As HVAC is starting to be discussed more for COVID19, here's an email I sent to our clients that have what we affectionately call BAD ASS HVAC.

With a few simple changes they can help manage risk. @MontePaulsen @lloydalter @Guay_JG @ShellyMBoulder

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Hello!

I hope this finds you well in the current craziness.

You all have advanced HVAC systems that can help at least somewhat to reduce the risk of COVID19 (and sickness in general) as most of us are spending more time in our homes than usual.

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I did a bunch of research and 3 things are clear:

1. Humidity - Maintain relative humidity between 30-50%. This keeps small droplets in our breath from shrinking to be super small where they are difficult to filter, and those levels also seem to inactivate viruses.

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2. Outside Air - Increase fresh air levels

3. Filtration - Good filtration can help knock virus particles out of the air

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Your HVAC system can do all three. These are all best practices. Here's how to do them in your homes:

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1. Humidity - On your thermostat, click menu > comfort profiles > humidity and fresh air profiles > heating humidity. Set it to 35% or higher. Higher carries some condensation risk. For summer consider reducing your cooling humidity set point to 50%.

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Increased dehumidification may come with a minor energy cost which you can see on your thermostat in the "energy tracking" menu.

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2. Fresh Air - You have a duct going outdoors that brings in outside air. Menu > comfort profiles > temperature and fan profiles. Change fan speed to medium or high to increase fresh air flow. This only applies when the system isn't running to heat.

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3. Filtration - You already have a good filter on your home. Consider upgrading it to a MERV13. Pull the filter door off, it will tell you what model to buy. Amazon is the easiest place in most cases.

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If you want to dig in I did a webinar on the topic of HVAC and COVID19 with a cameo from a leading indoor air quality researcher. Watch at 1.25 or 1.5X speed. Or I did a shorter version.

bit.ly/HVACandCOVID19…
bit.ly/HVACandCOVID19…

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To be clear, this is all about risk reduction, these are not guaranteed of course. But there is a fair amount of scientific evidence behind each of the three suggestions which I dig into in the webinar.

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Also, if you hear of HVAC contractors offering cure all products, please be wary. The evidence is thin, and some products can actually be harmful, namely UV products that create ozone.

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If you see friends talking about these products, you might forward them this email or the webinar link.

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By the way, we've named the HVAC system you all have, we call it BAD ASS HVAC and it's gaining popularity in the HVAC industry. Here's a video explanation if you're curious.

bit.ly/BADASSYouTube

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We're finding ways to enjoy this time, we hope you are too! I think we'll be telling stories about it for years to come as will our kids.

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@j_g_allen this may be of interest, it should follow along with your findings as well. Unfortunately most residential HVAC systems don't have these capabilities.

PS I sent this 4/1, hence all the heating references...

PPS BAD ASS HVAC isn't just me being cheeky.

It stands for Big Ass Drop, Air Source System.

The Big Ass Drop is a big duct for the filter.

Air source system is because it works best with an air source heat pump.