Strong energy codes protect you and your family’s health

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A home built to the most current energy code is safer and healthier for you and your family.

To find out more about the link between energy efficiency and health in homes, the EPA provides additional resources such as these:

https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/health-energy-efficiency-and-climate-change

https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/text-version-indoor-air-quality-house-tour.  

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Energy codes guard against pollutants, pests, mold, mildew, and vulnerability to extreme temperatures.  Energy codes work in tandem with other building codes to ensure safe buildings. Click on each of the following benefits of the energy code to learn more:

+ Prevent Pollutants

Air that leaks into a home can carry pollutants and contaminants—such as car exhaust from a garage, smoke from wildfires, or radon from under a foundation—and the energy code requires sealing air leaks and controlling ventilation.

+ Prevent Pests

Air sealing pesky cracks and holes also prevents pests from sneaking into your home.

+ Decrease Temperature Vulnerability

Tightly built and well-insulated houses with good windows help maintain livable temperatures for longer, allowing residents to stay inside during extreme weather such as heat waves, blizzards, or wildfires -- in particular, if there is a power outage.

+ Prevent Mold and Mildew

To prevent mold and mildew, the energy code dives deep into building science to apply the latest advances for controlling heat, air, and moisture transfer through the walls, roof and floor (the “envelope”) of the home using air sealing, proper insulation, and better windows to control condensation and risks such as ice damming. Cold winter climates require proper building insulation to prevent thermal bridges that can lead to condensation and mold growth (ASHRAE 2009).

Newer energy codes mean better exterior walls, roof, and floors (the envelope) that act as a cozy blanket for your home.  If a home’s envelope is not built right from the start, homeowners can be stuck with costly upgrades and higher energy bills for the life of the home.

Energy codes also guard against pollutants and mold that can be triggers for asthma.  In 2018, 111,954 adults in Idaho currently suffered from asthma, according to the CDC.  Outdoor pollutants (such as smoke) and mold are two of the most common causes of asthma attacks.  The air sealing and moisture prevention measures of the energy code help prevent outdoor pollutants from leaking into the home and mold from growing.