Air Quality
Homeowners are often not aware of the invisible and extremely important component to their comfort and health:
AIR QUALITY. The air you are inhaling in many instances, in your own home, has in it pollutants, gases (radon, carbon monoxide, etc.) and mold toxins, more detrimental to your health than the air outside, resulting in the Sick Home Syndrome. What is happening in most cases is that when windows and doors are closed, the house cannot breathe and rid itself of these elements.
Sick Home Syndrome Air quality ranks high on the list of government environmental concerns. The air in many homes contains harmful pollutants that are invisible, odorless and not readily detected. These substances can be more detrimental than the air outside and can cause health problems such as irritated eyes and nose, headaches, dizziness, tiredness, infections and respiratory diseases.
Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems in homes. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the home. High temperature and humidity levels can also increase concentrations of some pollutants.
If too little outdoor air enters a home, pollutants can accumulate to levels that can pose health and comfort problems. Unless they are built with special mechanical means of ventilation, homes that are designed and constructed to minimize the amount of outdoor air that can “leak” into and out of the home may have higher pollutant levels than other homes.
In a process known as infiltration, outdoor air flows into the house through openings, joints, and cracks in walls, floors, and ceilings, and around windows and doors. In natural ventilation, air moves through opened windows and doors. The rate at which outdoor air replaces indoor air is described as the air exchange rate. When there is little infiltration, natural ventilation, or mechanical ventilation, the air exchange rate is low and pollutant levels can increase.