BPI HHE flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Healthy Home Evaluation

A structured room-by-room assessment documenting moisture, ventilation, combustion safety, contaminants, pests, and injury hazards, paired with measurements and occupant history to guide prioritized recommendations.

Relative Humidity Target

The generally recommended indoor range of 30 to 50 percent; sustained levels above 60 percent support mold growth and dust mite populations.

Moisture Meter Use

A pin or pinless instrument that estimates moisture content in wood and building materials; readings above roughly 16 to 20 percent indicate elevated moisture needing investigation.

Efflorescence

A white powdery salt deposit on masonry surfaces that signals water migrating through the material and evaporating, often indicating an active moisture pathway.

Backdraft Testing

A combustion safety check that confirms flue gases spill into the home rather than venting outdoors, performed on atmospherically vented appliances under worst-case fan operation.

Occupant Interview

A structured conversation covering leak history, fuel types, renovations, pesticide use, pets, smoking, and symptom timing that helps correlate health complaints with building conditions.

Four Control Layers

The building enclosure systems for water, air, vapor, and thermal control; water control ranks first because bulk water causes the fastest and most severe damage.

Stack Effect

Buoyancy-driven air movement in which warm indoor air rises and escapes high while outdoor air enters low; the driving pressure grows with building height and temperature difference.

Dew Point

The temperature at which air becomes saturated with water vapor; condensation forms on any surface at or below the dew point of the adjacent air.

Vapor Retarder Placement

Installation rule based on climate: place the retarder on the warm-in-winter interior side in cold climates; avoid exterior vapor barriers in hot-humid climates.

Air Leakage Versus Diffusion

Air leakage transports far more moisture through assemblies than vapor diffusion; a small opening can move more water vapor than a large permeable surface.

Pressure Boundary

The continuous plane separating conditioned from unconditioned space; it should align with the thermal and air boundaries to prevent moisture and energy problems.

R-Value and U-Factor

R-value is resistance to conductive heat flow and U-factor is its reciprocal (U equals 1 divided by R); lower U-factor means better insulating performance.

Thermal Bridging

Heat flow through framing and other conductive elements that bypass insulation; it reduces effective assembly R-value and can create cold surfaces where condensation forms.

ASHRAE 62.2

The residential ventilation standard specifying mechanical ventilation rates, roughly 7.5 cfm per occupant plus 0.01 cfm per square foot of conditioned area, with a minimum floor.

Radon Action Level

The EPA threshold of 4 picocuries per liter in indoor air; at or above this level, mitigation is recommended because radon is a leading cause of lung cancer.

Carbon Monoxide Limits

EPA ambient reference values of 9 ppm averaged over 8 hours and 35 ppm over 1 hour, used to judge whether combustion appliance emissions are adequately controlled.

PM2.5

Airborne particles 2.5 micrometers or smaller that penetrate deep into the lungs and bloodstream; filtration is rated by MERV, with MERV 13 capturing most fine particles.

Formaldehyde

A volatile organic compound emitted by pressed wood products, some foams, and combustion; it is a known human carcinogen and a respiratory and eye irritant.

Dust Mite Control

Dust mites thrive when indoor relative humidity exceeds 50 to 60 percent; lowering humidity is the primary and most effective control measure.

Blower Door Test

A diagnostic that depressurizes a home to 50 pascals and measures leakage in cubic feet per minute, quantifying envelope tightness and the need for mechanical ventilation.

Environmental Tobacco Smoke

A mixture of gases and fine particles from burning tobacco; no safe exposure level exists, and distance or general ventilation does not eliminate occupant exposure.

Carboxyhemoglobin

The compound formed when carbon monoxide binds hemoglobin with roughly 200 to 250 times the affinity of oxygen, impairing oxygen delivery to tissues and organs.

CO Poisoning Symptoms

Nonspecific complaints including headache, dizziness, nausea, fatigue, and confusion; improvement when occupants leave the building is a key diagnostic clue.

Scald Prevention

Setting water heater delivery near 120 degrees Fahrenheit; at 140 degrees a serious scald can occur within seconds of exposure.

Lead Paint Hazard

Deteriorated lead paint, friction surfaces, and renovation dust in pre-1978 housing are primary exposure pathways, especially harmful to young children's development.

Fall Hazard Controls

Grab bars in bathrooms, continuous handrails on both sides of stairs, adequate lighting, and removal of loose rugs and cords reduce the most common home injury mechanism.

Asthma Triggers at Home

Common triggers include mold, pest debris, secondhand smoke, nitrogen dioxide from unvented gas cooking, and fine particulate matter; source control is the primary strategy.

Makeup Air

Outdoor air supplied to replace air exhausted by fans and combustion appliances; insufficient makeup air depressurizes the home and can backdraft naturally drafted equipment.

Depressurization Risk

Negative indoor pressure from exhaust fans or duct leakage in tight homes can pull soil gas and flue products indoors, raising radon and carbon monoxide exposure.

Smoke and CO Alarms

Interconnected alarms placed outside sleeping areas and on each level provide early warning; combined with a posted escape plan they form the core home emergency readiness measure.

Nitrogen Dioxide Source

A combustion byproduct emitted by unvented gas ranges and poorly vented appliances; it irritates airways and is associated with asthma symptoms in children.