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How To Ventilate Your Home




Yum

September 12, 2016 by Andrea Fabry 10 Comments

Do you know how to ventilate your home? How often do you open a window or sense the need for fresh air? According to researchers, very few people are aware of the need for ventilation, and many have zero perception of the relationship between indoor air quality and health.

open-a-window-for-your-health

Since the energy crisis in the 1970s our buildings are increasingly airtight, reducing access to fresh air. This has taken a toll on our health, according to Dr. Tim Sharpe of the Glasgow School of Art.

Poor indoor air quality, particularly in bedrooms, is hard for people to detect. There are clear links between poor ventilation and ill-health, so people need to be aware of the buildup of CO2 and other pollutants in their homes and their potential impact on health.

Sharpe and a team of researchers surveyed 200 homeowners and found the following:

  • 83% of Mechanical Extract Systems were underperforming,
 with 42% below Building Regulations requirements for moisture control
  • 63% of trickle vents were kept closed
  • Only 20% of people leave bedroom windows open at night
  • 82% of people had received no advice on ventilation
  • There was no perception of Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

Because of Sharpe’s research, all new buildings in Scotland must now be equipped with CO2 sensors to give residents an indication of how well their homes are being ventilated.

I purchased a CO2 monitor this summer (found here) and watched the levels vary dramatically depending on ventilation. Summer is the time of year when our house is closed up much of the time. Thus our levels, measured in parts per million, were higher than desired. (Optimal levels range from 350 ppm to 1,000 ppm.)

Our levels varied from 1,100 to the mid-300s depending on time of day and access to fresh air. Most of the time they hovered in the 800 range. The CO2 equaled outside air after a monsoon, as seen below.

What happens to levels of CO2 when we open a window in our home? Learn more about the importance of ventilation when it comes to the health of your indoor environment!

It’s important to note that while CO2 levels do not give you specifics regarding toxic mold or other contaminants, high CO2 levels do keep bad company and can indicate an unhealthy indoor environment.

How to Ventilate Your Home

  1. Be more aware of the need for fresh air.
  2. Take note of the presence of chemicals in the home. Chemicals such as formaldehyde used in building materials will off-gas and impact IAQ. Choose chemical-free household products when possible.
  3. Watch moisture. Be aware of water leaks. Ideal humidity levels range from 40-50%. (For more on mold growth, see A Beginner’s Guide to Toxic Mold.)
  4. Keep trickle vents (common in Europe) or windows open when cooking or showering.
  5. Open windows at night.
  6. Dry laundry near an open window. (See Dr. Sharpe’s previous study Environmental Assessment of Domestic Laundering.)
  7. Make sure you understand how the ventilation system of your property works. Clean vents regularly. Here’s a before and after of one of our larger vents.

healthy-indoor-air-can-make-a-big-difference-when-it-comes-to-the-health-of-its-occupants-learn-more-about-proper-ventilation-in-the-home

Dr. Tim Sharpe discusses his research and offers more practical information in this edition of The Connecting Place.

Ventilation is equally important in office settings and schools. Check out these previous posts for more specifics.

  • Air Quality in the Classroom
  • Tips for a Healthier Workspace

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Filed Under: House, Microbes & Mold, microbes and mold, Mold, Mold and Microbes, Natural Living, Unseen Reality Tagged With: building, carbon dioxide, dioxide, Dr. Tim Sharpe, Glasgow School of Art, IAQ, indoor air quality, mold, night, quality, toxic mold, trickle, ventilation, vents, window, windows

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Comments

  1. Marge says

    September 12, 2016 at 12:07 pm

    Hello, Andrea! I hadn’t heard of home CO2 monitors before. Very interesting! This is really an important topic because we spend so much of our lives indoors. I live in an area that has long, hot and humid summers and lots of pollen in the spring, so our windows are rarely open from April to October. I know it’s not good, but it’s miserable with the windows open. We do regularly change the filters in the air conditioning system, anyway. Fortunately, we’ll be moving to a much better climate next month. I’m looking forward to having the windows open a lot more there. 🙂

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      September 12, 2016 at 12:36 pm

      I hope the move goes smoothly for you, Marge. Nice to hear from you!

      Reply
  2. Lana Christian says

    September 12, 2016 at 2:37 pm

    While I understand the wisdom of keeping windows open at night, nighttime and early AM are when the dew point is highest–and thus, introducing mold into the house would seem to be a problem. Because my health has been severely adversely affected by mold, how would you manage the risk/benefit ratio of open windows vs. introduction of “marker molds”?

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      September 12, 2016 at 5:20 pm

      That’s an excellent question, Lana. I would be curious about the CO2 levels with the window open vs. window closed. We live in a dry climate so I can’t really compare. If the air is cool and still muggy my guess is it would still be beneficial. I think you have to see how you feel through trial and error.

      Reply
  3. Deb Gatz says

    October 29, 2016 at 6:33 am

    Andrea, I know my question isn’t relevant to the mold issues discussed above, but I’m wondering if there are health concerns about using ultrasonic pest and insect removers in the home. Would technology like this cause any problems? Thank you.

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      October 31, 2016 at 8:36 am

      This is one of those trade-off questions. The benefit of pest control in this manner can outweigh the potential for dirty electricity which I understand can be an issue with these. The use of them is probably better than harsh chemicals.

      Reply
  4. Deb Gatz says

    November 10, 2016 at 6:07 pm

    You’ve given me something to look up – I have never heard of “dirty electricity “. Thanks, Andrea!

    Reply
  5. Ralna Cunningham says

    November 17, 2016 at 2:57 pm

    Hi, I am working on learning more on the topics you post about, and may need to get your advice as a building biologist. I just got a CO2 meter as well, same brand! Can’t figure out how to contact you directly though.

    Reply
    • Andrea Fabry says

      November 18, 2016 at 10:13 am

      Raina, You can email me directly at andrea@it-takes-time.com

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Humans Need Nature – emiscah rose says:
    April 16, 2019 at 10:44 am

    […] My ultimate goal for years now, has been to intertwine nature back into my life on a daily basis. And not just by placing myself in a natural environment outside. But by creating a home that is as close to nature as we can get. There are many, many ways to accomplish this. If you are fortunate enough to build your home from the ground up, there are architectural techniques that may be applied to enhance the homes connection to nature. Placement of windows and doors, the use of curves instead of corners, and house placement on the land, may create an alignment with the ebbs and flows of the earth. Using sustainable and natural materials such as ethically harvested wood, brick, and clay are extremely beneficial. Low VOC paints and natural flooring are important as well. And so is building with proper ventilation. […]

    Reply

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MEET ANDREA

I am a certified Building Biology Advocate, a former journalist, mother of nine, and avid CrossFitter who likes to think outside the box. After our family's health crisis in 2008, I learned to ask questions about what's in our food, our water, and our air. I hope to empower you as you seek to live safely in a complex world. Thankfully, small steps lead to big changes. Let's travel this road together, one step at a time.

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10 Things I’ve Learned (The Hard Way)

1. The answer may be right in front of you.
2. Time is often the best medicine.
3. Speak kindly to yourself.
4. The air we breathe matters.
5. It's better to know than not know.
6. Relinquishment is a balm for the soul.
7. Symptoms will instruct if we listen.
8. Sometimes you're the expert.
9. Allow hindsight to move you forward.
10. The next step is enough.

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