by: Troy Munn
The purpose of a home ventilation system is to maintain a healthy living environment by supplying fresh air to your home while at the same time removing stale and polluted air. Home ventilation also helps to maintain proper humidity levels of 30 to 50 percent.
The air in your home is used many times over, often with fresh air entering only when we open doors or windows. As we strive to build homes more and more energy efficient, we create an environment prone to indoor air quality problems, thereby, reducing the homes ability to breathe and natural air changes do not occur.
The reason for the buildup of indoor pollution in today's homes is a direct result of our efforts to conserve energy. With insufficient home ventilation, pollutants can build up and become very concentrated. These pollutants come from many sources and some, such as mold, are more problematic when combined with high humidity levels, which is another problem associated with inadequate home ventilation.
When humidity is too high, mold, mildew and rot can become serious problems. A mold outbreak can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to your home and in some cases can make a home uninhabitable.
Another problem with high humidity is dust mites. Every home has dust mites and they thrive in humid conditions. This is a concern for people who suffer from dust mite allergies.
Low humidity, on the other hand, can cause nose and throat irritation, dry skin, wood can shrink and crack and hardwood flooring can shrink and become noisy when walked on. Static electricity is a symptom of low humidity.
Home ventilation is one of the most important things you can manage, in order to maintain a healthy environment for you and your loved ones.
Heat Recovery Ventilators, Air Exchangers, Kitchen and Bathroom Exhaust Fans, Attic Ventilation Fans, Dryer Vents and attic and crawl space vents are all important components of proper home ventilation.
Pet Dander, Pollen, Lead, Dust Mites, Mold Spores, Tobacco Smoke, Household Chemicals, Pesticides, Cleaning Supplies, Paints and Solvents are only some of the common pollutants that can build up without adequate home ventilation.
Carbon Monoxide, Carbon Dioxide and Soot from fuel burning appliances and heating systems can also become a problem without proper home ventilation.
Proper home ventilation can help reduce allergy and asthma symptoms and help ease other respiratory ailments that burden millions of people.