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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.
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