Did you know that on average you breathe 12,000 liters of oxygen every day? Fresh, clean air is essential for sustaining life. Unfortunately, the majority of people spend a lot of their day inside and what they don’t realize is that indoor air can be 5 times more polluted that outdoor air. This is because homes today are sealed up tight with better insulation, windows, doors, and building materials. This is a good thing when it comes to efficiently heating and cooling your home. But it also means stale air gets trapped inside with nowhere to go. Contaminants of indoor air include dust, mold, waste, radon, nitrogen dioxide, toxic chemicals from sprays and cleaners, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). That is why, no matter the season, it is important to get fresh air into your home. Here are just a few things you can do to improve ventilation and indoor air quality:
- Use Exhaust Fans
You want to make sure, when building or purchasing a home, that the exhaust fans are vented to the outside. Otherwise you will just be circulating smelly or humid air throughout your living space. If they are properly vented, you can quickly eliminate cooking odors and other toxins by switching on your exhaust fans throughout the home and cracking a few windows. This forces stale air out and pulls fresh air in.
- Turn on Your Ceiling Fans
Another way to improve air flow is by using your ceiling fans. For warmer months you want the fan blades to spin counterclockwise at high speeds. This can make the air eight degrees cooler and keeps the air moving. Not only does this require less of your air conditioning but will help eliminate air contaminants when partnered with some of these other techniques.
- Open Interior Doors
Many homeowners close off the unused portions of their home in an effort to save energy. What they don’t often realize is when you shut the HVAC vents and seal off a room, there is very little airflow and the air gets stale. It’s actually more efficient for your HVAC system if you leave all the vents open and keep doors open for better air flow.
- Change Your Air Filters
This is a big one. If you want the air in your home to stay fresh, you need to do what you can to eliminate dust and keep it from circulating. It starts with your routines. Do you take your shoes off when you come inside? Do you routinely vacuum and dust the heavy traffic areas of your home? Do you check and switch out your air filters every couple of months? These habits can go a long way in improving the air quality inside your home.
- Open Doors and Windows
This is the fastest and most obvious way to improve natural ventilation. It immediately improves circulation and releases toxins outside. You want to make sure you clean your screens and windows regularly to cut down on pollens get inside. And if you can open windows on opposite sides of your home, this will encourage cross ventilation to reach more areas of the home. Even if it is just for a few minutes a day, opening the windows can do a lot to better the air quality inside your home.
When it comes to ventilation, some windows styles perform better than others. Casement windows are perhaps the best for ventilation because you can fully open the window and catch breezes that run along your exterior walls. But awning, slider, single and double hung windows are all great options. If you want to get replacement fiberglass windows in Seattle, WA to improve ventilation in your home contact Signature Window and Door at 253-887-7792. They can set up an in-home consultation or meet with you at 22613 68th Ave S, Kent, WA 98032 to go over your options.
