Q. Last year we installed an air exchanger, and ever since we smell bacon in the basement when cooking breakfast. The basement door is not near the kitchen and we don’t know why this happens. L.M.

A. Sounds like the installer was not familiar with the minimum distance required between the exhaust and intake vents on the outside of the house. The vents should be at least 1,800 mm apart to prevent re-entry of exhausted air. Check the location of the vents, and relocate the one that is easiest to re-route. If possible, locate the exhaust and intake vents on different faces of the house. If they must be located on the same face, install the exhaust downwind of the intake as a further precaution. You didn’t indicate who the installer was, but it should always be a technician certified by the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute, (HRAI).

Since 1990, the National Building Code of Canada requires an air exchanger in new houses. An air exchanger draws exhaust air from the upper levels of a house and brings fresh air into the basement. The new cold air gradually warms in the basement before moving upstairs.

An air exchanger changes the air in a house, which is good for removing moisture and odors, but does not recover heat from the exhausted air. A heat exchanger is similar, but transfers some of the heat in the old air to the new air. A heat exchanger is actually called a “heat recovery ventilator”, or HRV, because it recovers heat and ventilates at the same time. A HRV can also be used in summertime for air conditioning.

Some HRV’s offer the additional option of negative ionization. As new air enters the HRV, dust particles in the air are given a negative charge. When charged negatively, dust particles stick to objects that they contact in the house, whereas positively charged particles float around in the air. This feature is good for people who have asthma or other breathing problems.

With your situation, the bacon smell is a symptom of a potentially serious problem. Along with bacon odors, the exhausted air re-entering your house carries moisture, which is absorbed by the building materials. This is critical for wood structural members, which can rot and become unsafe in as little as one year. Relocate one of the vents as soon as possible.

Q. We are planning to remodel our bathroom, but my husband and I can’t agree on a colour scheme. I would like to have a deep, rich colour on the walls. My husband insists on beige. Can you offer a suggestion to resolve our colour dilemma? B.H.

A. Selecting colours is highly subjective and there is never one right answer. Lighter colours are good for health reasons in areas requiring cleanliness such as the bathroom, kitchen and laundry room. Lighter colours reflect more light and create a brighter atmosphere. The walls do not have to be pure white, but can be tinted an off-white, or a pastel, and still give good light reflectance. Ceilings account for about fifty percent of reflected light in a room and this is why white is often chosen for ceilings.

The size of a room and the amount of natural light affect our perception of colours. In a small windowless room, a dark colour will make the room seem even smaller. In a large open area, with lots of windows, selective use of a dark colour adds contrast. One wall, or the bottom half of all walls, can be painted a deeper tone for accent. Strong, contrasting colours on door and window trims will stand out against a lighter background.

A common misconception about colour schemes, is that everything in a room must match monochromatically. While making everything a lighter or darker shade of the same colour appears to be a “safe” approach, it’s not nearly as interesting as a scheme with contrasting or complimentary colours. Try experimenting with colours on small areas first, before deciding on the complete scheme.

To resolve your bathroom dilemma, there is an easy solution – base the colour scheme on the preference of the person who spends the most time there!

LIGHT REFLECTANCE
All paint colours are rated by the percentage of light which they reflect. The percentage of light reflected is usually provided on the back of colour chips available from paint manufacturers. Knowing the amount of light reflectance is helpful when selecting colours based on the function of a room. In work areas, good lighting is essential, and a colour with a high percentage of light reflectance is recommended.

When selecting colours from paint chips, view the samples under the same lighting conditions as in the room to be painted, e.g. natural, incandescent or fluorescent light. The type of lighting affects colour rendition.

The degree of sheen affects the perception of colour. The same colour will appear differently in flat, semi-gloss or high-gloss paint. If colour matching is critical, as with renovations, first try a test sample under the actual lighting conditions.

It’s also a good idea to record the colour numbers and manufacturer of the paint used for future reference.