On 17 Nov 2004 09:25:38 -0500, wrote:

Gary R. Lloyd wrote:

~^Johnny^~ wrote:

wrote:

wrote:

We live in a rented townhouse. During the winter when the heat is
used, the place really gets dry. So much so that it dries out the
sinus and causes discomfort.

We might get used to that, ie adapt. Arizonans do. We might grow more
nose hair or wear mufflers or those foggy alien harmonica holders :-)

Is there any easy practical way to humidify this place?

Sure. Caulk it. Andersen says an average family of 4 evaporate 2 gallons
of water per day, ie 0.0116 pounds per minute... 70 F air weighs about
0.075 lb/ft^3, so you can raise the RH from wo = 0.0025 pounds of water
per pound of dry air outdoors to wi = 0.0047 indoors (70 F at 30% RH) by
reducing the air leaks until 0.075C(wi-wo) = 0.0116 pounds of water per
minute, ie C = 70 cfm. This will also reduce your heating bill.

Or, stop dehimidifying it. Put film over the window frames, or install
double glazing. In the winter, most indoor indoor moisture is lost due to
condensation, not infiltration.

Anybody with the slightest bit of knowledge on the subject, or even a
healthy measure of common sense is waiting for your proof on that last
statement. It is not only wrong, but ridiculous. Yet you state it
authoritatively, as if it were a proven fact.

It seems unlikely and undesirable and avoidable, esp in this country.
Canada's IDEAS (post R2000) air infiltration standard specs 0.15 m^3/h
per m^2 of envelope, tested at 50 Pa, which translates into a natural air
leakage of about 2.5 cfm, or 0.008 ACH for a 2400 ft^2 1-story house,
125X less than a typical 1 ACH US house.

Nick


Is that enough fresh air to sustain life? Would the oxygen deprivation
cause us to be come socialists? Enquiring minds want to know.

Gary R. Lloyd CMS
HVACR Troubleshooting Books/Software
http://www.techmethod.com