Tag Ventilations

HVAC air ducts have provided protagonists and antagonists means of escape, sneaky entrances, and surprise attacks in movies. While the scenes in these movies may not be completely realistic to real life standards, they’re still enjoyable and entertaining to watch. Below are a few scenes in which an HVAC air duct was used in a crafty way by movie characters.

Mission Impossible

Perhaps the most infamous scene from the Mission Impossible series is Tom Cruise’s character being lowered into the white control room at Langley. Given the tight security surrounding this mission, Tom Cruise’s character can’t simply waltz through the front door. The air duct gives him access from the ceiling to retrieve the information without triggering any alarms. During the scene we see his accomplice lowering him down from the safety of the immensely strong and study air duct above.

The Fifth Element

In this wacky sci-fi movie, an alien is transformed into a human female. After her transformation is complete, she’s completely bewildered, confused, and scared. In order to escape those trying to capture her, she leaps head first into an air duct. There she navigates the tunnels searching for a way out. This character also tries to escape through an air vent in the climax of the film, but soon realizes the vent is circular and there’s no way out. Needless to say, ventilation sure comes in handy when this otherworldly creature is looking for escape.

Alien

Alien is unique in that the antagonist (the alien) is the one using the ventilation system to navigate and surprise her prey. This scenario stretches the truth to its limit, since we can guess that the alien likely weighs near one ton and spits acid. These two factors combined make it highly unlikely that the alien could be properly supported in this fashion, but then again, it does make the film thrilling and suspenseful.

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club inserted a bit of truth into their HVAC air duct escape scene. After rebellious character Bender is locked away in the broom closet for misbehaving, he escapes through the duct above the hallways. Once he’s over the library, where all the other students are, the duct caves and he falls through. Since most airways likely can’t support the weight of a human, this is the most realistic scene on the list. The collapse also provides a funny punchline for Bender’s unfinished joke.

Resident Evil

A group of agents enter an underground facility that’s been shut down due to a virus outbreak. Once the group realizes the virus has turned the dead into walking zombies, they scramble for a way to exit the underground facility safely. Navigating through hallways, laboratory rooms, and utility tunnels, the group finally makes their way through an air shaft to reach safety and evade the hungry zombies.

Though escape through an HVAC air ventilation system isn’t likely your best bet in real life, it makes for a thrilling and entertaining escape in movies. We’re likely to see many more sneaky crawls through airways to come in the future.

Source by Andrew Stratton

Casement windows are typically characterised by a window with one or more hinges, attached to a frame. Before the advent of sash windows, they were the most common type of windows used in households. Casements were once the most widely purchased style of windows, before sash windows became commonplace. They traditionally consisted of framed glass panes that were fixed in place by strips of lead and the window could be opened outwards.

Useful Properties

Whole Opening

Casements can be opened much further than any other type, since the entire window can be swung open. This can be compared to the following types of windows.

Double-hung style: the whole window cannot be opened only the upper or lower half can be open at any one time.

Sliding: only one side of the window can be opened with this type of window.

Fixed: these windows cannot be opened at all.

Casement windows are a popular choice, especially if the size of the window opening is important.

Harder for Break-ins/More difficult for Break-ins

Casement windows feature a hook shaped, embedded casement lock which is very inaccessible to someone outside and thus makes the window very difficult to break into.

In comparison the double-hung style of window can be opened quite easily by lifting the sash using a long object such as a pry bar.

Maximum Ventilation

The fact that the entire window can be opened allows for maximum ventilation. Furthermore, wind which blows sideways along the property wall will find it difficult to penetrate, thus creating a lack of ventilation. Since casements have an opening sash they can essentially direct the wind into the house which can be especially useful if you have any windows directly facing another building with very little space in between.

Opening & Closing

Casements are easy to open and close due to their single leaver or tandem latches, and they can even be enhanced by fitting automatic openers.

Disadvantages

Unsafe

The large window opening can be dangerous at high levels, since the gap is typically sufficient for small person or child to crawl out of and therefore poses a risk for families with young children.

Incompatibility with Air Conditioning

Casements typically do not cater well for air-conditioning units since they open outwards, especially when compared to other types such as sliding windows.

Size Limitations

Casements are designed to open outwards which means the opening needs to be strong enough to support the window. This places limits on how large a casement can be without placing unnecessary strain on the window opening.

Source by Emma D Clark

One of the worst parts about the summer is dealing with humidity. Humidity is a result of too much water vapor in the air, which brings about that sticky and uncomfortable feeling we’ve all grown to hate. However, while we dislike the feeling of humidity, there is a more serious issue at hand. When there’s too much moisture in the air, mold tends to start growing, which can cause those with allergies to start coughing and sneezing, among other health conditions.

To get this moisture out of your house, there are some systems you can invest in. You can either purchase a heating, air conditioning, ventilation or HVAC system, which will not only remove the humidity from the air, but also leave you feeling cool and fresh.

The Dangers of Mold

If there’s too much moisture in the air, this could cause you to experience all sorts of health and respiratory conditions like allergies and asthma.

Pump Your AC System on High to Remove the Humidity from Your House

The best way to get the humidity and mugginess out of your house is by blasting the air conditioning in your house. If you feel that is not working as well as you would like, you can also invest in a dehumidifier. Then, for those areas of the house where there is a ton of moisture, you can install a ventilation system, which will remove the humidity altogether thanks to its fan. Typically, you see these placed in rooms such as the bathroom.

If you have a HVAC system, make sure it’s installed properly. That’s because if it’s not, it will not work correctly. Also, check that the system isn’t too big for your property. If the HVAC system is too large this will cause the air to stop flowing around and doing its job.

Are You Ready to Deal with the Summer?

To make sure that you can handle the humidity this summer, have a qualified technician stop by your home and check out your ventilation, heating, air conditioning and HVAC systems. For HVAC systems, you may need to have your filter replaced, since generally disposable filters are used for that. Those filters also need to be cleaned often. If you don’t have your systems constantly checked on, they may end up breaking down on you, which will cause a lot of moisture and humidity to run wild in your house.

Source by David F Gray

There’s absolutely nothing like starting up your fireplace – even those nifty electric ones are pretty neat – on a cold winter day. It makes you want to throw on a blanket, cuddle a warm cup of hot chocolate in one hand, and hold a novel in the other.

Looking for a new fireplace can be hard work. With all the selection out there, from traditional to electric, indoor or outdoor, gel-fuel,stove, fireplace inserts, or wall-mounted fireplaces – where does a consumer even begin?

Read on for an easy step-by-step guide on buying a new fireplace.

The classic fireplace is a good place to start. The traditional fireplace was used as the main heat source for a home during the winter (before modern heating). Many homes still have fireplaces and chimneys that use burning wood to create heat and fire for warmth and enjoyment. The downside to the classic fireplace is that it uses and burns wood, which is wasteful and requires ventilation (via the chimney) to burn. This also means added costs for annual chimney cleaning, and etc.

Electric fireplaces are the most popular alternative to classic ones. The benefit to electric fireplaces is that they still look like and give off heat like a fireplace, but use electricity rather than wood. This means not having to have ventilation and also flexibility in terms of where you install the unit. If you have a classic fireplace, you can opt for an electric fireplace insert to be installed to reap the benefits of an electric fireplace where your traditional fireplace would be.

A popular option for is the corner electric fireplace, especially for small rooms or apartments. Instead of having to take up a large portion of a wall for they are triangular in shape and fit in the corner of a room.
Similarly to the classic fireplace is the country-style stove. If you stepped into a century home, you may see a small square or rectangular-shaped block, which acted as the stove and fireplace for these homes. For a traditional look in your home a fireplace stove is a fun choice and also comes as an electric version.

Gel fireplaces are another alternative to a classic or the electric fireplaces introduced above. Cans of gel-fuel that are made specifically for gel fireplaces can usually burn for up to three hours. The gel-fuel is made of a grain-alcohol that burns off, leaving no ash to clean up or need for ventilation. They are also safe because the burning gel doesn’t spark and thus avoids any danger of potential fires.

Source by Roch Elle

Why condensation happens

The acrylic used in these windows is slightly hygroscopic (i.e. attracts water), so in extreme conditions, moisture will permeate the material. For this reason these windows are not sealed units, so any moisture can escape between the panes. Normally no moisture builds up, but it will happen if it is cool inside, warm and moist inside and the caravan becomes warm very quickly. In this case temperatures and humidity do not have time to balance and condensation forms.

How to clear condensation

If your window has plugged ventilation holes, remove the plugs. Park your caravan slightly open and towards the sun, this will draw the moisture out. You can speed this up slightly by putting a warm, dry towel on the outside pane. During this process the moisture may appear to go away and then come back, this is because there is still moisture in the acrylic material that needs to be drawn out.

Preventing condensation

It is important that there is adequate ventilation in the caravan to prevent the build up of moist air inside the vehicle. In particular, make sure that the ventilation provided by the manufacturer is not blocked in any way. Provide extra ventilation by leaving sky lights open and any partition doors open. Do not leave water in kettles, pans or containers. Do not do the washing up inside the van last thing at night. Do not have the caravan too warm at night. Increase the ventilation in wet or humid weather.

Condensation should not cause too many problems for most caravan owners, but if parts of the windows are remaining damp for a long time, then mould may form or discolouration to the acrylic may become visible.

Source by Rick Lomas

A decent pair of badminton shoes is essential for not only maximizing on-court performance, but also to prevent injury. The legs and feet are certain to experience a lot of stress when playing badminton, so it is important to carefully consider the different features and options. Let’s take a look at a few things that are essential in badminton shoes:

Soles

Most badminton shoes have gum rubber or rubber soles. For the players using a PU or wood court, the preferred option is the gum rubber soles. They give a very high level of grip on the court. Alternatively, the standard rubber soles are adequate for the cement based floors.

Also, there are shoes that have non-marking soles to avoid leaving a lot of marks on the floor from the fast movements from the back to the front of the court.

Ventilation

Proper ventilation is certain to be appreciated in shoes worn while engaged in a fast paced sport. A build up of sweat can lead to wet shoes which can easily develop into bacteria and fungi. Also, they will likely smell very badly after a short period of time. Ventilation in various places on the shoes will help to keep the feet cool and make the time on the court a lot more comfortable.

Cushioning

Badminton involves a lot of moving around and jumping, so shoes with excellent cushioning are certain to benefit. Good cushioning will ensure the body is given the desired impact protection from the constant movement. An area of the body that will see a lot of stress is the knees from the regular jumps or a lunge. But, with the right shoes, it is possible to rely on the cushioning to accept some of the load, and not entirely on the knees.

Weight

The light shoes for badminton are the most desirable option. With a need to constantly move around the court, the heavy shoes will only slow the player down after a short period. A typical weight is in the region of 250-350 grams. At this weight it will be easier to swiftly move across the court to strike the shuttlecock.

Ankle Support

In general, the badminton shoes are built with minimal ankle support compared to running shoes or trainers. Ankle support is useful for running shoes because the feet and legs need to be kept in a straight line. But, with badminton there is a constant need to move sideways, backward and forward. The preferred choice with badminton shoes is to let the ankles flex naturally, and they will develop flexibility and strength on their own.

Source by Leo Eigenberg

The most common toxic mold health problems involve the respiratory system. A person who has accidentally breathed in spores from ordinary mold may experience coughing, wheezing, a running nose, fever, headaches, and fatigue. He may also acquire a rash plus a mild irritation of the eyes.

Someone who has been exposed to toxic mold, however, may have more serious complaints. It’s not unlikely that a person could suffer from memory loss, mood disorders, and damage to the nervous system in cases of long-term exposure.

There are even reports linking toxic mold to weight gain and weight loss problems, and now scientists may be able to present the factors supporting the unusual link.

How toxic mold affects the digestive system

When spores of the toxic mold enter our body, they immediately act on healthy cells and destroy them. And because the respiratory system, through which mold spores pass, is related to the digestive system, it’s highly possible that toxic mold spores can find their way into the digestive tract.

Mold can destroy the lining of our stomachs and prevents the healthy functioning of the system, interfering with various digestive processes and weakening the organs.

The immediate results of this infection is diarrhea and vomiting, as our bodies instinctively try to eject the harmful toxin. But there have also been cases of people suddenly gaining or losing weight after exposure to toxic mold.

Ever heard of the toxic or sick building syndrome?

The sick building syndrome (SBS) has been defined as a collection of symptoms related to a person’s residence or workplace. Its cause has been attributed to poor ventilation systems (which includes flaws in airconditioning and heating) in both old and new buildings.

When a building is poorly ventilated, noxious fumes and toxins from contaminants cannot escape. Instead, they are trapped inside the building, multiplying and moving around from one room to another.

There are a host of reasons for the sick building syndrome. Aside from poor ventilation, it may also be due to the presence of poisonous volatile compounds, a lack of sufficient air filtration, and of course, molds.

Weight gain and toxic mold infection

Exposure to toxic mold brings about not just health problems with the respiratory system but can also cause psychological issues. This is not surprising because the nervous system is also affected by this deadly toxic mold.

Mood swings and depression have been reported and these may be the reasons why people resort to binge-eating or to starving themselves. Thus, regardless weight gain or weight loss, you should never eliminate toxic mold as one of the probable causes.

And to make sure that the symptoms won’t get worse or recur, the place where the mold originates should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

Source by Gerard K. Lawson

There are a huge variety of windows available today. If you are remodeling your home, then so many options might confuse you. Windows you are installing should be perfect because it provides light, fresh air and allows you to keep an eye outside. Online when you will shop for the windows you will find that there is a plethora of collection. You just have to find the one that suits your needs perfectly. Awning panels are also considered the best and most of the homeowners prefer installing it. It is a hinge at the top of the window. There are several benefits which are mentioned below.

Ventilation

These windows are installed mainly for the ventilation purpose. You can install them in your kitchen areas, storerooms, basement or any other room you like. There are several designs and can be placed in any part of the room. It provides great ventilation and keeps the flow of the air constant. It also provides perfect light in the dark spaces. It is best to install them in the areas such as storerooms and basement where light is always required. There are different designs and materials available.

Security

These windows open just a few windows thus, leaving no space for the intruders to break into your house. So, even if you have forgotten to lock it there are no worries. It is impossible to come in even as they break the glass. Most of these windows are wide but narrow on the height. To avoid insects and birds coming in you can install mesh from inside and it will be totally secured. Wind and air will not be affected and you can always leave your window open.

Elegance and beauty

You can get them installed in different designs and they look great. The majority of the homeowners are adopting it because of the extreme beauty it provides. It is definitely going to set your dwelling apart from the others. You just have to choose a right place where you want to install them. Though they are in the existence for a long period of time they are still choices of the modern people. It looks beautiful and is functional as well.

Cost

Cost can be one drawback because it is a little bit expensive compared to others. But it is called a onetime investment. They are expensive than the sliding alternatives. Fortunately, you don’t have to use them everywhere.

Take professional help

When you will shop for awning windows, you will find plenty of options. You can make a complete research on the company. Make sure that you are comparing them. This will help you in getting the best deal. There are some companies who are in the business many times. They can help you in installing them at cheap prices. With them, you can get windows as well as the installation team. There are several other options which they can provide you with. This will help you in getting professionally installed windows with perfection.

Source by Neha Morewal

If you own your home, you have learned about heating, air conditioning and ventilation (HVAC) by default. The mere fact that you own a home has introduced you to all these facets of maintaining your home in a comfortable state. In order to maintain the temperature warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer, it’s necessary to have a properly functioning ventilation system. A motorized damper will eliminate manual operation and function according to the reading on the thermostat.

The damper allows or obstructs the entrance and exit of air into and out of the home. It’s placed at the end of a piping system, usually in the wall, soffit, gable, foundation or the roof of a building. It can control air flow for an entire zone, for instance all the bedrooms on the top floor of a home, maintaining a comfortable temperature for sleeping. A damper may be used to control air flow for a particular room as well.

The motorized damper’s design can be with a spring return, multi-blade function or it can have a power open and close feature. End switches can come with some of these models, allowing you to operate other vent related appliances when the motorized damper is completely opened or closed at full power. Most operate with 24 volt or 120 volt power.

Spring return dampers come in a 4 inch diameter to a 20 inch diameters with a 24 volt motor. Many of these dampers are used primarily as fresh air dampers, not for zoning. Multi-blade dampers are most frequently used in tunnel and metro ventilation systems. A multi-blade damper works well for air flow, zone control and air exhaust. They use aluminum blades in opposed degrees. This material is light weight, yet very strong and makes a great functioning damper. The open and close powered dampers can operate two to three zones at one time.

To ensure that your home is free of stall air or air that is too cold or too hot, a working damper is needed. The type of damper chosen is based on your lifestyle and the type of HVAC system you currently own. Selecting the ideal damper for your needs can lead to your family’s comfort year round or a series of consistent complaints about their lack of comfort. Installing a motorized damper eliminates any manual operation that might have previously been required by your HVAC system and allows your family to enjoy comfort without any additional effort on your part.

Source by Robert Brodie

Norway is the place where rainscreen cladding had its birth. It was not a scientific breakthrough, however, but more a gradual discovery that happened centuries ago in a largely intuitive way. Norwegian builders, probably through trial and error, found a way to utilise drained and back-ventilated cladding with joints that were both closed and open.

The first buildings to have this type of cladding were large barns. This is why they called it “the open-jointed barn technique.” The timber cladding had closed joints with opening at the top and at the bottom of the timber to allow for water drainage, and also for the evaporation of any rain moisture that managed to penetrate inside.

Scientific research of the underlying principles of a rainscreen didn’t start until as late as the 1940s. It was quickly recognised that the principles involved in rainscreen cladding was vastly superior to anything else in use at the time. That still holds true today.

The early research concluded that it is unwise to allow walls made of brick or cement to be exposed to rain over a long period of time without having anything to prevent the porous nature of the materials from absorbing water in a way that is similar to blotting paper.

The idea of fitting an outer screen wall to porous brick and cement walls that could repel rainwater was adopted. It was also easy to make this screen aesthetically pleasing at the same time. Just because its primary purpose is to serve as a rainscreen, there is no reason why it can’t look good too.

The outer screen also needs to have strength qualities and it needs to have an acceptably low cost. The design also needs to be such that it can, through proper ventilation, remove any water vapour that finds its way into the space between the wall and the cladding.

The Alcoa building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was one of the first very large buildings to utilise modern rainscreen cladding. The 30-story building was built with large baffled aluminium panels. The baffling provided resistance to penetration from water and the ventilation to dry and water moisture was provided in the airspace between the cladding and the main wall.

In the early 1960s the Norwegian Building Research Institute published the idea of equalising the air pressure between the screen and the wall with the air pressure on the outside. This has the effect of preventing water penetrating into the wall. The rainscreen prevents the actual wall becoming excessively wet.

The terms “rainscreen principle” and “open rainscreen” were first used in 1963 by the National Research Council of Canada. Research continued through the 1960s and 1970s with refinements being made principally in Canada and in Europe.

By the 1980s the principles of rainscreen cladding was well understood. Its use has proliferated, especially in Europe, and experimentation with various different materials is ongoing. Today, the potential problems that may arise through the effects of global warming is now being taken into consideration in building techniques and industry standards regarding rainscreen systems.

Source by David A Robinson