home ventilation – why is it important?
What is Ventilation?
Ventilation is the flow of outdoor air into a building, either controlled by wind (natural ventilation) or with the assistance of ceiling fans and other air-movement controls (mechanical ventilation). Good airflow in a space is important for many factors including maintaining healthy oxygen levels and allowing CO2, odours, and other airborne pollutants to freely leave the space. Airflow is also important to maintaining comfortable temperatures and humidity levels to settle.
Ventilation is so important that it is a requirement of all buildings to have ventilation abilities in every habitable room according to the NCC. Understandably so, as it allows oxygen to enter the room no matter the conditions. Ventilation is typically encouraged through windows and doors, though it also exists in vents, exhaust fans, skylights and fireplaces. Ventilation is also important between rooms. Gaps around doors, vents, windows, plug points, etc. all also contribute to this.
The recent COVID-19 epidemic also reinforced the importance of good ventilation in enclosed spaces. Portable air cleaners and purifiers became almost essential in many indoor working, educational, and recreational environments. this of course was for the clearing of germs in the air, and air clarity became even more important.
What is Airtightness?
Air tightness on the other hand is the intentional blockage of outdoor air into a building. Air-tightness can be important for maintaining comfortable interior living temperatures while also reducing heat loss during winter months or air-conditioned air in cooler months.
All homes need to be designed dynamically to allow states of both airtightness and good ventilation. This is something needed for the variation throughout the year (seasonally) or throughout the day as the outdoor air varies.