Quantifying air leakage through party walls in Toronto semidetached and row-home dwellings

This study contributes to the development of quantifying and understanding building air tightness as it relates to Toronto semi-detached and row homes, particularly party walls. While infiltration characteristics of single family detached homes have been widely developed and understood, the isolation of semi-detached and row home single family dwelling units is relatively unexplored. When quantifying air leakage in a building attached to an adjacent dwelling unit, air is drawn through the exterior envelope as well as the party wall (i.e. shared common wall). The purpose of the proposed testing method, guarded blower door testing, is to isolate air leakage through the party wall from the envelope. Currently the party wall is considered a fire-rated assembly but is not part of the air barrier system. Issues associated with party wall air leakage include spread of fire, indoor air quality, transfer of tobacco smoke between dwellings, and heat loss through the party to attic detail. Data collected on buildings constructed between 1890 and 1920 (Century buildings) has been compared to the data collected on buildings constructed between 2012 to 2017 (new buildings). Air leakage has been collected on twenty-six of Century semi-detached homes with solid masonry construction and twenty-one new semi-detached/row homes of lightweight wood frame construction. Each unit was tested independently and simultaneously, or “guarded”, with the adjacent unit, to pressure neutralize allowing for quantification of envelope and party wall air leakage. Party wall leakage was found to be similar to leakage through the exterior walls. The leakage accounted for 22% of the total infiltration in Century old buildings and 38% in Modern dwellings.

Quantifying air leakage through party walls in Toronto semidetached and row-home dwellings

This study contributes to the development of quantifying and understanding building air tightness as it relates to Toronto semi-detached and row homes, particularly party walls. While infiltration characteristics of single family detached homes have been widely developed and understood, the isolation of semi-detached and row home single family dwelling units is relatively unexplored. When quantifying air leakage in a building attached to an adjacent dwelling unit, air is drawn through the exterior envelope as well as the party wall (i.e. shared common wall). The purpose of the proposed testing method, guarded blower door testing, is to isolate air leakage through the party wall from the envelope. Currently the party wall is considered a fire-rated assembly but is not part of the air barrier system. Issues associated with party wall air leakage include spread of fire, indoor air quality, transfer of tobacco smoke between dwellings, and heat loss through the party to attic detail. Data collected on buildings constructed between 1890 and 1920 (Century buildings) has been compared to the data collected on buildings constructed between 2012 to 2017 (new buildings). Air leakage has been collected on twenty-six of Century semi-detached homes with solid masonry construction and twenty-one new semi-detached/row homes of lightweight wood frame construction. Each unit was tested independently and simultaneously, or “guarded”, with the adjacent unit, to pressure neutralize allowing for quantification of envelope and party wall air leakage. Party wall leakage was found to be similar to leakage through the exterior walls. The leakage accounted for 22% of the total infiltration in Century old buildings and 38% in Modern dwellings.

Use of Ultrasound for Sizing Tracheoesophageal Puncture Prostheses

Tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) with voice prosthesis placement is the gold standard voice rehabilitation following total laryngectomy. Ultrasound may be useful to determine tracheoesophageal wall thickness, guiding prosthesis choice. Therefore, 14 patients undergoing total laryngectomy and TEP or prosthesis change with 16-mHz ultrasound measurement of the posterior tracheal wall were included. Seven patients underwent secondary TEP, 3 primary TEP, and 4 TEP changes. Six patients underwent flap reconstruction, while 8 patients were closed primarily. Average party wall thickness was 9.6 ± 1.7 mm, without a difference ( P = .08) between primary closure (10.3 ± 1.7 mm) and flap reconstruction (8.6 ± 1.4 mm). Change from the hypothesized sizing was noted in 11 patients (79%). Prosthesis size did not correlate with age (–0.19, P = .51), height (–0.12, P = .69), weight (0.26, P = .38), body mass index (0.22, P = .46), or flap status (–0.48, P = .079). These data suggest that ultrasound is beneficial in patients with distorted or less predictable anatomy (eg, flap reconstruction) but also important for those patients undergoing primary closure.