The breathe easy house A builder is using technology to construct a house that purifies the air and keeps it clean.

Home, sweet home can become home, sick home.

Closing the door and locking the windows to the outside world isno way to hide from the dangers of air pollution.

Frequently, the enemy is within. It may be a leaky furnace orfaulty fireplace. It could come from cleaning chemicals, wallinsulation, paint fumes, dust, insects or pets.

The last touches are being put on a fortress against pollution,Illinois' first "Health House," in Glen Ellyn. Built to strictspecifications of the Health House unit of the American LungAssociation, the 10,000-square-foot house is designed to demonstratestate-of-the-art technology that purifies the indoor air and keeps itthat way.

The builder, Scott Sevon, president of Sevvonco Builders ofPalatine, said he was inspired to take on the challenge after hisexperiences trying to cure "sick homes."

Recently he worked on an older home in Evanston that was so badthere was mold growing on a wall and in the crawl space, Sevon said.

"They could barely breathe in most of the house," Sevon said."There was mildew and mold growing in the crawl space. There was nocement or vapor barrier down there. The duct work was going throughthe crawl space and it was sucking in the unhealthy air."

The solution was to clean out the mold, seal up the crawl spaceand seal off all the duct work and any other penetrations into thehouse.

In contrast, Sevvonco's new 3-bedroom Millennium II will showcasethe ultimate in home air purification and containment in a luxuryhome sitting on a 11/2-acre lot.

The key to pure air is a tight house that is protected against airand moisture infiltration, Sevon said. The footings and foundation ofthe home were waterproofed, not just damp-proofed. The basement isleak-proof. The sump pump was sealed so that any dangerous, naturallyoccurring radon gas from the soil or ground water would go up a stackand out the roof.

But, a house can be too tight. It must breathe, too. Its lifesupport is a heat or energy recovery ventilating system that exhaustsair from the house and brings in the new air. The incoming flow isheated, if needed, and cleaned using high efficiency particulateair filters and

The pool area features a kitchen, lanai and bathroom.