Indoor Air Quality and How It Affects Your Home

Florida's Challenge

Florida’s environment is one of the most brutal in the United States as far as heat, humidity, and airborne allergens are concerned. Our extreme climate parameters demand more than the cursory review frequently given during the mechanical system design analysis of most homes.

J. F. Smith Addresses Indoor Air Quality

We are proud to have borne certifications from the Indoor Air Quality Association that were the hallmarks of leading technologies in the control and diagnostics of indoor environments. Our designs will be aggressively managed to provide the very best indoor environments possible, and we are equipped with the latest technologically advanced tools such as pressure differential meters, laser particle counters, and digital recording hygrometers to assess the resultant performance of the finished systems. Our commitment to helping you control and manage your indoor environment is complete.

We at J. F. Smith always hope that our houses will exhibit the timeless beauty from the architecture of the past, but we are always certain that their indoor environments will be as comfortable as allowed by the technology of the present.

Modern Construction Techniques

J. F. Smith's modern construction techniques place a focus on developing a building envelope and, building systems that control air contaminants, human pathogens, microbial growth, and exterior environmental factors. Proper implementation of this process is critical to the health and well being of your new home and the people in it.

Emphasis on Efficient Design

Through a study of psychrometrics, a strong focus is placed upon heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and the ways in which these systems directly affect moisture control and occupant comfort within the building environment. Again, without the proper knowledge, planning, and implementation your home could be at risk.

Understanding the Building Envelope

Indoor air quality starts with the outside of the building as the building envelope is the first line of defense, and quite often the best line of offense, in controlling the quality of the indoor environment. Controlling envelope leakage allows the direct control of latent heat, pollutants, and often durability of the entire structure.

Envelope and system design management, through the use of better windows and doors, and exterior insulation that seals holes in the envelope, allows for more efficient air conditioners and less energy use. AC units and ducts can be downsized, and interior humidity is controlled. The control of the indoor humidity, along with an aggressive filtration design, helps manage and deter the proliferation of potential allergens such as dust mites and molds. Our exclusive use of polyurethane foam insulation ensures that humidity is managed as aggressively as possible. Demilec's Sealection™ 500 is typically the open-celled foam we install in our building envelopes. For more information on this innovative product, please visit Demilec's site at

Why manage your indoor environment?

Less energy use and expense
More durability for the entire structure
More durability for the air conditioning and heating system
More equal distribution of conditioned air throughout the living area
More comfort
Less indoor pollutants
Less allergenic particulates in the home
More of what being inside is all about!

Reference Links

Indoor Air Quality Association

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers

American Conference of Governmental Hygienists

Building Science Corporation