Did you know your living spaces are alive and breathing, just like you?
They deal with all kinds of moisture, provide you fresh air, and protect you from pollutants.
WARNING: An untrained builder will often build without a controlled ventilation system. Why is this important? Look at it this way: The human body relies on a controlled respiratory system to ensure our survival, regulating the breaths we take to provide essential oxygen and remove harmful carbon dioxide. Similarly, our homes demand the same level of control through proper ventilation. Without it, our houses have the potential to descend into chaos, becoming stagnant prisons that suffocate us with trapped pollutants, excess moisture, and foul odors, creating a breeding ground for discomfort, compromised air quality, and potential health risks. And let's not forget the financial and resale repercussions that accompany such neglect, leading to regret and a significant decline in value. It's a perilous spiral that threatens both our well-being and the sanctity of our dwellings.
Let’s dive into this fascinating ecosystem of your home!
Imagine the moisture in your home as an unseen ocean.
It’s created by your daily activities like cooking, bathing, and even breathing!
But guess what, your home itself also contributes to this ocean, especially when it’s newly built.
Additionally, your house is like a sponge, soaking up moisture from the surrounding soil.
And remember those rainy days?
That’s when your home can potentially gulp down gallons of water from leaks or other ingress points.
This ocean needs to be controlled.
Why?
Because an excess of it can cause all sorts of issues, from health concerns to damage to the house itself.
So how do you keep the tide in check?
Enter the superheroes of your home: the Ventilation Squad! (Actually, we just made this up name, but pay attention – whatever you want to call them, they do the trick.)
The Ventilation Squad is your home’s team of invisible custodians working round the clock to keep your air fresh.
Their mission? To expel stale and polluted air and bring in a breath of freshness.
This squad has different heroes, each with their unique strengths.
You have Natural Ventilation, the gentle giants who rely on windows and cracks to allow airflow.
Then there’s the Spot Ventilation, quick-response units operating in kitchens and bathrooms to swiftly tackle high moisture areas.
Balanced Ventilation, the strategists, ensure both the removal of stale air and the supply of fresh air.
Depending on the season, Exhaust Ventilation or Supply Ventilation can take the lead, helping to keep your home comfortable during the cold or hot months.
Now, each member of the Ventilation Squad uses a different tactic: neutral, negative, or positive pressure. Think of it like martial arts styles, each with their benefits and challenges.
The trick is to balance these styles to prevent problems like backdrafting (unwanted flow of combustion gases) or unwanted moisture movement.
To help this team, there’s the Filtration Force, guardians of your air quality. These stalwarts protect you from harmful particles like dust, pollen, and mold. Choosing the right member of this force depends on several things: the types of particles you want to deal with, the existing filtration system in place, the sources of these particles, and how clean you want your air.
It’s like selecting a superhero squad tailored to your home’s needs.
Always remember: the efficiency, lifespan, and cost are essential factors to consider when selecting your Filtration Force.
Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?
Your house is not just a building, but a complex, living system that’s working hard to keep you safe and comfortable.
Oh! One more must-know!
WARNING: An untrained builder will often builds without a controlled ventilation system.
Why is this important?
Look at it this way: The human body has a controlled respiratory system that regulates breathing to ensure adequate oxygen supply and removal of carbon dioxide. Without this, our bodies would spiral into our bodies would descend into anarchy, our cells would suffocate and we would be plunged into the depths of physiological turmoil, jeopardizing our very survival. Our houses react in much the same way. A good home requires controlled ventilation to regulate the amount and quality of air we breathe, a controlled ventilation system is necessary for homes, too. If we were to let it “breathe” without a good system, the chaos could be detrimental! Our home could become a stagnant prison, trapping pollutants, excess moisture, and foul odors, turning it into a breeding ground for discomfort, poor air quality, and potential health hazards. Not to mention the financial downfalls and resale issues that come with that, creating a perfect storm of regret and diminished value.
So, remember that every superhero may need a sidekick. For any severe or complicated issues, you should always seek the advice of certified high-performance builders who are experts in they area of Building Science.
If you are about to build or do a remodel, please be kind to yourself, your animals and your home and hire certified high-performance builders to do the job.
There’s a world of information available out there, right?!