Ventilation is critical to home comfort. Proper ventilation prevents air pollutants from affecting the health of family members. Not only that, having airflow in home can get rid of any unwanted smells, such as from cooking or pets. It is also good to have an airflow that is uninterrupted, as anything blocking the air flow in home can cause damage to both home and health of family members.
One of the reasons ventilation is so important because it controls how much moisture is lingering in home. If one has adequate airflow throughout home, walls, floors, and all the wood in home will stay dry and not collect moisture. Wood can rot when exposed to moisture, as can drywall. If one lets moisture build up in these areas of home, they will not only destroy the structural integrity, but they will also cause mold to build up. Mold can have a number of negative effects on health of family members if they are exposed to it for a long time.
If a family member is not exposed to mold for a long time, he or she might notice some minor symptoms such as irritation to nose, throat, and eyes. He or she might possibly develop a headache or a fever if he or she is exposed for a longer period of time. Mold can both cause immune system problems and worsen the symptoms for someone who already has an autoimmune disease. Prolonged exposure to mold can result in respiratory damage that can’t be reversed, such as asthma. If one has proper ventilation in home, he or she won’t to worry about mold forming.
There are three ways one can provide ventilation in home. One can choose to have natural ventilation. This is when air enters home through windows, doors, and even cracks and holes in the walls of home. If one lives in an old home, it’s likely that air is entering home even when the windows shut.
Spot airflow is when one use exhaust fans or other forms of pushing air in or out of house in certain spots. Typically, one might have an exhaust fan over stove or in bathroom.
One can also have air ducts installed in home to provide airflow throughout home. There are three different ways air is moved through home when this method of moving air is used. The exhaust airflow system pushes inside air to the outside of home. The supply air system brings air into home. Then, there is a balanced system of air that moves air in and out of home. If one has one of these air systems, it’s important to keep it maintained so it doesn’t get blocked and allow air pollutants to lurk in your home.
Akhil Jain, CEO, Lazer India