It is very important to take as many of these steps as possible, especially when you are involved in short-term activities that can produce high levels of pollutants. Examples could be when you're stripping or painting a room, heating with kerosene heaters, normal daily cooking, or engaging in maintenance projects and hobby activities such as welding, soldering, or sanding. You might also choose to do some of these activities outdoors, if you can and if the weather lets you.
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Quality Ventilation Within Your House Will Benefit Your Health
Just like you have to digest food and water, you need to breathe air. The air around you, whether indoor or out, is 78% nitrogen and 20% oxygen. Oxygen propels metabolism, which is the transformation of blood sugar and oxygen into energy. The carbon dioxide is transmitted from the muscles to the lungs by way of the bloodstream where it is released into the air people breathe out.
Needless to say, the air you breathe is really as important to your overall health as water and food. Air, just like water, may and will get contaminated if it is permitted to become stagnant.
Therefore arises the need for things like windows, forced air, and other ventilation methods in your home, especially bathrooms and kitchens. These parts of the home are usually greater in airborne contaminants compared to other areas. Normal cleaning of your ventilating systems by a expert air conditioning contractor may counteract these symptoms. You need "good" ventilation!
Good ventilation is ventilation that accomodates and allows fresh air to pass through your house on a regular basis. A good home’s ventilation system is one that will reduce heat during the summer, and in winter, the breeze of cold air during the day doesn’t allow too much into the house. Fresh air is one important role for a healthy family living. A good house ventilation is beneficial, especially when there’s gas leaking. This way the fresh air can quickly reduce and neutralize the indoor air pollutant.
In winter months, individuals generally do not open the windows as much as they do throughout the summer. Indoor air gets stagnant and air quality can suffer. Making sure to maintain your house as clean as you can will cut down on airborne pollutants.
Regular changing or cleaning of the filters for kitchen and bathroom vents and air conditioners will improve the indoor air quality and reduce symptoms of airborne pollution such as dizziness, shortness of breath and eye irritation.
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Home Ventilation...Controlling Temperature and Moisture
Ventilation of the home attic is important for two reasons. During the summer, excess heat that builds up in the attic during the day causes high energy costs for cooling. Plus, moisture that is produced within the home may rise into the attic if ceiling vapor barriers are not implemented. When this moisture is not exhausted from the attic, it can amass and cause insulation and construction materials to deteriorate. Thus, temperature and moisture control are the main reasons for providing attic ventilation.
How much attic ventilation is required to provide proper temperature and moisture control?
A number of federal studies are presently looking at ventilation rates and methods. However, earlier studies made can help with this decision. The maximum ventilation rate is needed to get rid of heat during the summer cooling months. Attics can reach temperatures of upwards to 150 to 160 degrees during a summer day, although outside air temperatures may only be 90 or 95 degreesF. The cooling load for a home air conditioner is related to the difference in temperature between the inside and outside air, and the reduction of attic temperatures from, for example, a 150 degrees to 105 degrees F, which will result in a noticeable reduction in cooling load. In a home with poor ceiling insulation, heat transfer through ceilings may account for 30 percent or more of the total cooling cost. With a well-insulated ceiling, this source of heat may account for only 12 to 15 percent of the total cooling cost. Thus, high attic ventilation rates are most important for poorly insulated ceilings. A poorly insulated ceiling is one whose "R" rating is less than 14 or one with fewer than 4 inches of fiberglass, rockwool or cellulose insulation.Winter attic ventilation needs to be sufficient enough to remove moisture vapor moving from the living area to the attic. Usually, ventilation that is considered adequate for summer cooling is more than adequate for winter ventilation. Winter rates need not be more than approximately about a tenth of the summer rate.
You can calculate the required summer ventilation rate by determining the volume of attic space and dividing by 2. This will be the cfm (cubic feet per minute) of ventilation air needed. The volume is determined approximately for a rectangular house by multiplying the height from the ceiling to the peak/ridge (H) times the width of the house (W) times the length (L) and dividing by 2 -- ( H x W x L / 2 ). For a gable roof, this will be reasonably accurate. For a hip roof house, the volume will be overestimated but adequate.
