Proper ventilation in eco-friendly homes is essential to keeping the indoor air clean and healthy. It helps dilute stale indoor air and reduces concentrations of pollutants and moisture.
Ventilation also improves occupant comfort and productivity. In addition, it increases energy efficiency and reduces the use of a heating or cooling system.
Improves Indoor Air Quality
Ventilation plays a key role in keeping indoor air clean, healthy and comfortable. It dilutes pollutants like mold, radon, chemicals and smoke in order to keep them from lingering in buildings or homes.
Improving ventilation also helps reduce the risk of respiratory diseases, such as COVID-19, which is spread by a virus that thrives in airtight spaces.
When building codes are met, ventilation rates can be optimized based on air quality measurements. This allows building owners to save on space heating and cooling while meeting IAQ goals.
In addition to ventilation, better air filtration and humidity control can help improve IAQ. Some of these improvements can be accomplished with simple products, such as charcoal and Himalayan salt lamps, which are inexpensive and easy to use. Others require more in-depth research and engineering.
Reduces Moisture
Ventilation is a critical component of any energy efficient home design. It allows a healthy balance of air circulation that helps to rid your home of pollutants, smoke and cooking odours, while minimizing moisture buildup and condensation.
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is affected by many factors including occupant activities, the building envelope and seasonal changes. It is also influenced by the presence of pollutant contaminants in the outdoor air, such as radon.
One of the most common ventilation strategies, which largely relies on a house’s “natural” leakiness, is to simply open doors and windows and allow outside air into your home. However, this strategy requires either a breeze or a significant temperature difference between the outdoors and inside to create a pressure differential that drives ventilation.
Reduces Mold and Mildew Growth
Mold and mildew are fungi that grow and flourish in homes with high humidity. Keeping the humidity in your home low helps prevent mold and mildew from developing, so it’s important to ventilate properly in rooms like the kitchen, bathroom or basement.
Proper ventilation also prevents stale air from forming inside your home. This stale air contains a number of common pollutants that can lead to health problems and affect the indoor environment.
When proper ventilation is not available, mold and mildew can be a serious problem. They can cause a variety of allergic reactions and respiratory illnesses in susceptible individuals.
Many of the newer homes being built are airtight to reduce energy costs. However, this can make it more difficult to control indoor air quality.
Increases Comfort
Proper ventilation in an eco-friendly home is a must for a variety of reasons. The most obvious is that it helps keep the air in your house free from toxins, which can have a big impact on your health.
It also helps to improve your home’s comfort levels. As a result, you can enjoy a warm and cozy house even on the coldest of days.
Ventilation can also help to lower energy bills. Oftentimes, this is achieved by using a combination of air sealing and insulation, which can save you as much as 90 percent on your heating and cooling costs.