Poor ventilation is a big cause for respiratory illnesses including asthma and pneumonia. A poorly ventilated house encourages dampness and growth of mold spores which have adverse effects on your health.  Good ventilation keeps fresh air flowing, in which replenishes oxygen levels in the house. The air going out carries out air pollutants including harmful gases like radon and formaldehyde. Good ventilation also reduces odours in the house which can come from smoking, cooking, pets, and other day-to-day bacteria.

You can tell if your house has a ventilation problem with the presence of chipping paint, blistering, peeling and warping of wood. The house will have a constant musty smell. Recurring respiratory allergies with the residents is also a sign that you need to improve your ventilation. The question always remains, how do I improve the ventilation of my roof and home?

Proper Insulation & Ventilation

Building experts find it hard having the right balance between an airtight house and a leaking house. Older homes are likely to leak too much, while modern designs that focus on energy efficiency may be built too airtight.

If you suspect your house is either leaking or too airtight, you can have a ventilation expert from 4 Weather perform a ventilation inspection of the house. Identifying points of leakage or the ventilation outlets are needed to rectify problems. A good ventilation expert will also design or modify the ventilation system for the house to ensure that proper airflow is achieved.

Install a Ventilation System

A ventilation system eliminates pollutants, stale air and excess moisture from the house.  It can be useful where natural ventilation is not possible like the attic and/or the basement. Ventilation systems include whole house fans, eaves, vents, soffit vents, rotary fans and overhead fans.  

Install Spot Ventilation

If specific areas are having a ventilation problem, this can be solved using spot ventilation. For example, exhaust fans can be installed in the kitchen to vent out odors and excess moisture caused by cooking. If there is an indoor fireplace, it is important to have exhaust vents to take out the carbon monoxide. It is also important to install a system where the house vacuums and clothes dryers dump their moisture outside the house.

Cleaning The HVAC System

Clogged air filters are one of the main causes of a poor ventilation system. The clogged filters will be letting in lower volumes of air. There is an extra disadvantage as the ventilation system works harder, ultimately raising your energy bills.

If you have a ventilation problem, the best thing is to contact a ventilation expert so that you can design a proper ventilation system that will ensure that all areas in the home are adequately ventilated while keeping your energy costs low.