Scientific Testing

Posted by Andre & Erika Lacroix on

Scientific Data

Never resting on its laurels, the EZ Breathe team continues to challenge and test our product. As part of our on going commitment to Research and Development, the EZ Breathe team conducts product testing on an ongoing basis. Results are posted as they become available.

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An example of EZ Breathe’s steadfast commitment to research and development is the mold testing conducted with the EZ Breathe model 400. The testing indicates an average of 50% reduction in total mold spores for the entire structure, and in specific rooms, up to an impressive 99.5% reduction in the spores. These homes were tested prior, and then again, 45 – 110 days after installation of the EZ Breathe, clearly demonstrating the system’s effectiveness in reducing harmful mold spores and pollutants.

Ongoing Testing… Energy Efficient

Radon Test Reports

Kidde
Radon Test Report		 Location:
Duncansville, PA
Basement Exercise Room
  Before EZ Breathe After EZ Breathe
  05.13.09 05.27.09
Lab ID# Radon Level (pCi/L) Radon Level (pCi/L)
857068 6.2 1.3
 

 

Mold and Lead Paint Analysis Reports

Air-O-Cell Analysis of Fungal Spores
& Particulates by Optical Microscopy		 Location:
Derry, NH
Basement QA
  Before EZ Breathe After EZ Breathe
  08.27.09 09.10.09
Spore ID Spores/M3 Spores/M3
Alternaria 42 42
Ascospores 42 0
Aspergillus/Penicillium 143000 1350
Basidispores 211 253
Bipolaris 0 0
Chaetomium 0 0
Ciadosporium 0 42
Curvularia 0 0
Epicoccum 0 0
Fusarium 0 0
Ganoderma 84 42
Myxomycete 0 0
Pithomyces 0 0
Rusts 42 0
Scopulariopsis 0 0
Stachybotrys 0 0
Torula 0 0
Ulocladium 0 0
Unidentifiable Spores 0 0
Zygomycetes 0 0
Unid Hyphomycetes 160 0
Total Fungi 143000 1730
     
Biological Particles Particles/M3 Particles/M3
Hypal Fragment 0 0
Insect Fragment 0 0
Pollen 0 84
 

 

AllState Services Environmental, Inc.
Mold and Lead Paint Inspectors		 Location:
Cumberland, RI
Before EZ Breathe After EZ Breathe
07.27.06 Results Spore Count 11.14.06 Results Spore Count
Outside   7,885 Outside   3,555
Living Area Score 204 3,841 Living Area Score 123 1,413
Basement Score 330+ 29,393 Basement Score 204 1,546

Conclusion from above table:
Mold count outside dropped 55% by -4,330 points
Mold count living area dropped 63% by -1922 points
Mold count basement dropped 99.5% by 27,847 points
Mold score living area dropped 40% by -81 points
Mold score basement dropped 32% by -83 points

 

 

Pro-Lab/SSPTM Inc.
Mold Analysis Report		 Location:
Montgomery, AL
Dining/Family Room
  Before EZ Breathe After EZ Breathe
  08.16.06 09.26.06
Spore ID Raw Count Spores/M3 Raw Count Spores/M3
Alternaria 0 0 4 27
Other Ascospores 1 40 4 27
Bipolaris 3 120 0 0
Cercospora 0 0 0 0
Ciadosporium 3 120 0 0
Curvularia 3 120 24 160
Epicoccum 0 0 4 27
Ganoderma 1 40 0 0
Nigrospora 1 40 4 27
Other Basidispores 2 80 4 27
Penicillium/Aspergillus 8 320 8 53
Smuts, myxomycetes 1 40 12 80
Unid Hyphomycetes 3 120 4 27
Total Results   1040   422
   
Biological Particles Raw Count Particles/M3 Raw Count Particles/M3
Cellulose Fiber 13 520 12 80
Insect Fragments 1 40 0 0
Plant Fragments 1 40 0 0

 

Pro-Lab/SSPTM Inc.
Mold Analysis Report		 Location:
Montgomery, AL
Den/Study
  Before EZ Breathe After EZ Breathe
  08.16.06 09.26.06
Spore ID Raw Count Spores/M3 Raw Count Spores/M3
Alternaria 0 0 0 0
Other Ascospores 1 40 0 0
Bipolaris 2 80 0 0
Cercospora 0 0 0 0
Ciadosporium 9 360 16 107
Curvularia 10 400 20 133
Epicoccum 0 0 0 0
Ganoderma 0 0 0 0
Nigrospora 3 120 0 0
Other Basidispores 1 40 0 0
Penicillium/Aspergillus 0 0 0 0
Rusts 1 40 0 0
Unid Hyphomycetes 4 160 4 27
Total Results   1240   267
   
Biological Particles Raw Count Particles/M3 Raw Count Particles/M3
Cellulose Fiber 11 440 9 360
Fiberglass 1 40 0 0
Insect Fragments 1 40 0 0

 

After test result video – https://youtu.be/5ATnR5NdkRg

Air Particles:
Before EZB = 23.9 ug/L
Recommended = less than 10 ug/L

After 1 week with EZB = 16.8 ug/L (30% reduction)

VOCs:
Before EZB = Over 4,000 ug/L
Recommended = less than 500 ug/L

After 1 week with EZB = 410 ug/L (90% reduction)

CO
Before EZB = 867 ppm
Recommended = less than 750 ppm

After 1 week with EZB = 648 ppm (25% reduction)

 

 

 

Written by Andre & Erika Lacroix

We are a 2nd generation family owned and operated business that has been working in homes with basements and crawl spaces for over 35 years.  We have been waterproofing and sealing about 500 foundations a month during that time as the largest Waterproofing contractor in the Midwest with 15 locations servicing 8 states.

20 years ago we would seal a foundation and recommend a standard dehumidifier to address the additional water vapor (humidity in the air) inherently found in below grade environments, such as basements and crawlspaces.  Back then, dehumidifiers were the industry standard to help with this problem. However, many of our customers were looking to us as the “foundation expert”, asking…

“What else do you have? I really am not getting results with this messy, expensive dehumidifier. My foundation is dry, walls are dry, floor is dry, so why does it still smell and feel like a basement?” 

We needed to find something better. Our company’s core values include offering world class customer service to every customer, every time.   So, we challenged our Research and Development department to find a real solution for our customers to combat not only the moisture, but also the odors, pollutants and unhealthy environment our customers were concerned about. We found, tested and installed a ventilation product for a period of three years. We private labeled that product as the EZ Breathe Ventilation System. The feedback in those first three years from our customers, as well as our installation crews, did not live up to the standard of quality to be included in our waterproofing process that offered a life time warranty. Once again, we needed something better.

We valued not only the results, but what we were learning from our customers. So, we went back to the drawing board, took matters into our own hands and made quality improvements to that first generation ventilation unit.

Our own EZ Breathe Ventilation System was born…reengineered, redesigned and much improved! We quickly learned that our crews were thrilled with the quality improvements, ease of operation and installation, but more importantly, our waterproofing customers loved the new, improved EZ Breathe unit as well.

Their feedback told us the air in their basements and crawlspaces felt better, but their entire home was benefiting from their EZ Breathe as well. We received countless letters thanking us because their whole house felt different, less odors, fresher air upstairs too, family members were feeling better, needing less allergy medicine, husbands were no longer snoring, children were no longer coughing as much, the home and it’s family were living healthier lives!

It was time for us to move beyond simply offering this innovative technology to just our waterproofing customers. Our passion and commitment to helping people improve their indoor air environments is what drove us to incorporate EZ Breathe Ventilation Systems as an independent company in 2003. We strongly believe that homeowners everywhere deserve a healthy indoor air quality.

We have spent the last 15 years dedicated to learning about the relationship between our home and our health; indoor air quality, the home as a system, building science and how it relates to indoor air quality as well as the challenges our modern day practices pose to the quality of air we breathe in our homes.