Proper ventilation is crucial for maintaining proper indoor air quality and can help reduce the heat levels. It can help your home get rid of high moisture levels, smoke, odors, and pollutants such as those from the kitchen. Proper airflow in the ventilation system is crucial, and as a homeowner, it is important to remove any blockages to prevent the accumulation of indoor air pollutants.
Understanding Why Proper Ventilation is Vital
Around 58% of all homes have high condensation due to a drop in temperature inside the building, and the air fails to hold all the moisture. This often happens in winter when the heating systems are turned off. As the moisture turns to water droplets on surfaces, it can provide conducive conditions for mold growth, and you might soon have unsightly surfaces. Proper ventilation with a condensation control unit can reduce the condensation so you can have a healthy and fresh indoor environment.
Homes with poor ventilation can have high humidity, which provides a conducive breeding ground for dust mites. When they come into contact with the skin or when inhaled, they can trigger allergic reactions such as asthma, itching, and watery eyes.
Tips for Proper Home Ventilation
To improve your home’s ventilation, there are things you can focus on so fresh air flows into your home and the existing indoor air remains clean.
1. Choose the Right Ventilation System
A proper ventilation system is at the forefront in the removal of polluted air and humidity control. There are various HVAC systems in the market and it can be hard to choose the right one. You may seek professional help to determine the right system depending on the size of your home and the areas that need maximum ventilation. This ensures you know the system capacity that’s needed to ventilate your home properly.
Your area’s climate and environment can also influence the amount of ventilation required. If you live in an area where there are pollutants or odors, use a ventilation system that has filtration features to prevent entry of the pollutants into the house. Homes in areas with high humidity may require ventilation systems with high capacity to prevent mold and mildew growth.
2. Regular Maintenance
The ventilation system will accumulate dirt over time and, when clogged, restricts proper airflow. Ensure your ventilation system is serviced by a professional HVAC expert at least once every two years. The frequency can increase depending on the brand and the age of the system. Have a professional inspect the condition of the air ducts and the supply and return vents. They should thoroughly clean them if they are dirty. They can also repair damaged ducts to prevent air leakage.
3. Cross Ventilation
This is a natural method of home cooling, also known as wind-effect ventilation. It is one of the most effective methods of natural ventilation compared to single-side ventilation or the stack effect method. You can use inlets within your building that allow cool exterior air to flow in while an outlet forces the warm interior air out, as the wind moves from a region of high pressure to where it is low. When it impacts the house on one side, there is high pressure while the other side of the house is at low pressure. The wind thus moves through the house from the high-pressure side to the other side. Stale indoor air and pollutants will be blown alongside the wind, leaving clean air indoors.
4. Replace HVAC Air Filters
Central heating and cooling systems now include integrated ventilation functions to filter and freshen the air circulating inside a house. Each HVAC unit has an air filter that collects airborne particles, and after some time, they may get clogged and restrict the airflow. As the system strains to draw in air, some particles could pass through the filters. HVAC experts recommend homeowners change disposable air filters once in three months or clean the washable models after two weeks. The frequency of cleaning or changing the filters can increase during seasons of intense system use or if you have pets.
You can contact our professionals at Coffman & Company for guidance on proper ventilation techniques. Our experts also provide heating and air conditioning services to all residents in Aurora and the Denver Metro Area. Contact Coffman & Company today for high-quality HVAC services.
