The ECHO Basement Finishing System

Pioneered by Dr. Douglas Walkinshaw, President of Indoor Air Technologies, an Ottawa-based company specializing in indoor air quality, ECHO comprises ventilated perimeter finished walls built on the inside of the foundation and optional subfloors. ECHO is designed to combat water leaks, humidity and soil gases that enter foundations.

- Enclosed Conditioned HOusing system -

Using a small variable speed blower, 10-100 CFM, consuming 10 to 85 watts, air is continually exhausted to the outside from the sealed and fully insulated ECHO walls and low E floors at a low rate. This combination creates a negative pressure barrier around the basement living space, preventing soil gas and moisture entry, and keeping insulation and materials dry. And since air in the envelop is constantly ventilated, soil gases such as radon do not enter the house.


ECHO comprises specially sealed, ventilated, depressurized, drained and insulated stud walls and optional sub-floors, covering the foundation where basement thermal, moisture, mold and soil gas problems begin. ECHO SYSTEM air quality improvements reduce ventilation requirements thereby eliminating the need for air-to-air heat exchangers. ECHO construction increases usable living space while preventing basement dampness and musty odors. ECHO Prevents soil gas entry and reduces basement heating and dehumidification requirements.

The ECHO System protects your loved ones and your investment through system drainage, dehumidification and material isolation from concrete.

KEY BENEFITS

  • Unlike HRVs and standard exhaust ventilators, ECHO dehumidifies in rainy and humid weather.
  • ECHO eliminates basement pollutants such as microbial spores and gases at the source, thereby reducing house ventilation requirements and eliminating allergy problems.
  • ECHO provides whole house ventilation with heat recovery while eliminating envelope moisture problems.
  • ECHO creates healthy living space from unhealthy basement space, thereby eliminating the need for a costly addition and additional heating and cooling costs.
  • ECHO eliminates 1-2 gallons per day of soil moisture entry through the foundation, thereby reducing house dehumidification requirements.
  • ECHO keeps insulation dry and eliminates energy robbing convection currents thereby increasing subfloor and perimeter wall thermal resistance.

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