Walked into a room and immediately felt a wave of discomfort wash over you? Chances are the room was lacking airflow.

Learning how air moves through your home or office can improve your life, your health and your wallet. Read on to learn more about ventilation and how it impacts you.

The Basics of Airflow 

Airflow is defined as moving air from one point to another. This can be as simple as feeling a cool breeze from an open window or hot air rising from your oven. Inside your home or office, airflow is responsible for directing fresh air to you and stale air away from you.

For this reason, proper airflow is more than just air moving in a space. It’s a constant cycle of fresh air replacing stale air. Good airflow means removing unwanted pollutants from the air, regulating temperature and controlling humidity.

Benefits of Fresh Air

Your body is constantly consuming oxygen and producing carbon dioxide. When you’re inside an enclosed room with little to no ventilation, carbon dioxide concentrations rise as oxygen concentrations fall. 

In return you may become sluggish, experience headaches, and have difficulty focusing. Your body goes through this process quicker than you think, especially in small rooms with multiple occupants.

That’s why ventilation is important for your mental and physical performance. Some studies have shown that ventilation can decrease your cognitive abilities by up to 50%. Literally breathe easy or you might start thinking slower.

Not to mention how air movement can cool your body off. NHS Heater Shop noted that when your body temperature rises, you sweat to try and cool down. If there is no airflow, sweat doesn’t properly evaporate from your skin and you feel sticky even at normal temperatures.

The Invisible Dangers of Stale Air

When your home or office has poor ventilation, you become susceptible to pollutants you can’t see. Indoor air is more likely to contain mold, allergens and bacteria.

How?

Simply put, you breathe it out, cook with it, and wash with it. When there is nowhere for it to go, moisture from your breath, showering, cleaning, and cooking accumulate.

As a result, this makes the perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow. Not only does mold give your home that funky smell, but it can cause allergies, asthma and other breathing complications.

Pollutants also grow with poor ventilation. Cooking releases particles and gases into the air. Cleaning products emit volatile organic compounds. Paints, furniture, and carpets all give off gases inside your home. In fact, indoor air pollution can be 2 to 5 times worse than outdoor air pollution.

Because of this, your body may be affected without even knowing it. If you notice yourself having headaches, dry skin, irritated eyes, and coughing frequently, check the air quality in your home. Children and elderly are also at a higher risk since their lungs are more sensitive.

Natural Ways to Ventilate

Natural ventilation simply uses Mother Nature and physics to cool your home. Warm air naturally rises because it has lower density than cooler air. Therefore, hot air will tend to escape out of your home through higher openings while cooler air takes its place by entering through lower openings.

Cross ventilation is one of the best ways to naturally cool your home. By allowing air to pass through your home, you can use natural wind pressure to your advantage. Wind blowing against your home creates positive pressure. The other side of your home experiences negative pressure. Air will naturally flow from a high pressure area to a low pressure area.

Take advantage of this by opening windows on opposite sides of your home. Not only will it pull air through the home, but it will cool your home by allowing hot air to escape.

Another trick is called the “Stack Effect”. The stack effect works by creating vertical airflow in your home. The greater the height of your home, the better it works.

Warm air rises and exits through the highest point of your home. As the warm air leaves, it pulls fresh cooler air into the home through the lowest point. As a result, you have created a natural ventilation system that requires no electricity.

Mechanical Ventilation

If natural ventilation doesn’t do the trick. Don’t fret. There are mechanical solutions to help ventilate your home. Bathroom and range fans remove unwanted moisture from the air and eliminate odors. This prevents moisture laden air from creating mold.

Many homes today use whole-house ventilation systems. Heat recovery ventilators work by replacing inside air with fresh outdoor air. Additionally they transfer heat from one system to another. Essentially you can get fresh air without losing your heating or cooling costs.

Air conditioning units can also serve as a ventilation method. Yes, you heard that right. While your AC unit is sucking the moisture from the air, it can also be pulling fresh outdoor air into your home. Just make sure your AC is on the correct setting.

Ventilating Seasonally

Ventilation isn’t a “one size fits all” approach. Different seasons require different strategies. Summer months you’ll want to purge hot air from your home and bring in cooler air from outside at night and in the mornings.

As a result, leave your windows open at night to allow your home to cool off. During the day, keep your windows closed to trap the cool air inside. You’ll want to do the opposite for winter time. While it’s still important to ventilate your home, you don’t want to send your heating dollars out the window.

Instead, open your windows for 5-10 minutes several times a day. This allows you to ventilate your home without cooling your walls and furniture.

You also want to keep an eye on humidity levels during the winter. Cold air doesn’t hold moisture like warm air does. As a result, you may have to add moisture back into the air using a humidifier.

Easy Ways to Increase Airflow

Take note of what could be restricting airflow around your home. Heavy curtains, closed doors, and furniture in front of vents can limit air circulation. Sometimes rearranging the furniture is all you need to help improve airflow.

Fans can be your friend. When used correctly, fans can help boost natural airflow. Counterclockwise in the summer and clockwise in the winter. Not sure which way your fan goes? Place your finger near the ceiling. If you feel a breeze, the fan is blowing air downwards. If not, the fan is pulling air upwards.

Consider your daily habits and see where you can improve ventilation. Turn on your exhaust fans while cooking and for 20 minutes after bathing. Keep your bedroom door a crack during the night to allow air to flow in and out. These simple changes can make a big impact.

FAQ’s

How do I know if a room in my home has poor airflow?

Trust your instincts—literally. Your body can sense poor airflow before any thermometer or device can. If your room feels stuffy or smells slightly “off” and you notice that you feel tired or get headaches when spending time in that room, it might have poor airflow. Condensation on windows, difficulty removing odors from your home after cooking, or feeling sticky without direct heat are other signs.

Why does poor ventilation matter? Is it bad for my health or is it just annoying?

It is actually both. Uncomfortable is just the beginning. When airflow in your home is poor, your indoor air may become overloaded with carbon dioxide (the stuff you exhale), mold, and other indoor pollutants. This buildup can cause headaches, allergies, asthma symptoms, and even difficulty concentrating. Children and elderly individuals can experience symptoms even quicker.

Does cracking my windows really help? 

Yes! Especially if you crack windows on both sides of your home. Not only will it allow fresh air to flow through, but it also forces stale air out of your home. Cracking open your windows for just a few minutes at a time can help refresh your home and eliminate excess moisture. It’s an extremely inexpensive way to improve your home’s airflow.

What is natural ventilation versus mechanical ventilation? 

Natural ventilation is the wind, open windows, and warm air rises transferring air throughout your home. Mechanical ventilation uses fans, air conditioners, and other whole-house systems to help facilitate airflow. Most homes use some combination. If you don’t feel like you have adequate airflow from natural forces, an engineered system can help. The EPA especially recommends using mechanical ventilation in your bathrooms and kitchen.

Is air conditioning considered ventilation? 

Not exactly. Air conditioners help by removing extra moisture from the air and forcing interior air out of your home. However, they don’t always introduce fresh outdoor air into your home unless you have a system set up to do so. So while running your air conditioner can help, you should still ventilate naturally or use other forms of ventilation.

What are some inexpensive/no-cost ways to improve ventilation?

Start by moving your furniture off of vents, keeping your doors open, and using exhaust fans when needed. Exhaust fans are great for pulling air out of the house while you cook on the stove or shower. Using your ceiling fan can help push air around your home. Be sure you’re pushing the air upward in the summer and downward in the winter. You can also try simply letting air pass naturally throughout your home—sometimes that’s all it takes!

Final Words 

Ventilation is often overlooked but is crucial to your comfort, health and preserving your home. You don’t need to break the bank on fancy ventilation systems. By understanding how ventilation works and where it may be lacking you can make a world of difference.

Notice how air flows throughout your home. Do you feel rooms become stuffy? Do you see moisture building up on walls? By noticing these clues, you can find ways to improve ventilation. And trust us, most solutions are free.