3-Step Clean Air Plan

Step 2. Ventilate

It is very important to regularly exchange indoor air with clean air from outside. This is done in three ways—with natural ventilation (opening windows and doors), infiltration (leaking in through openings in the building envelope), and mechanical ventilation (using an air exchanger).

New Homes

Buildings today are designed and constructed to minimize the amount of air that can 'leak' into and out of them through the building envelope. While this practice increases energy efficiency and lowers heating and cooling costs, the issue of adequate ventilation comes into question.

Unless a proper mechanical ventilation system is incorporated into the building system as a whole, the tightly sealed building envelope retains and simply re-circulates the stale, polluted indoor air.

The periodic 'airing out' of your home by opening the windows is highly recommended to further exhaust any buildup of carbon dioxide and other indoor air pollutants.

Older Homes

Most older homes will have accumulated some mold over the years, especially if there has not been consistent and sufficient ventilation. Mold loves to grow in warm, damp environments. Moisture from bathing, cooking, air conditioning, humidifying, and a damp climate can all be conducive to mold growth. Removal of the mold is essential, and then adequate ventilation to prevent re-occurence of mold buildup.

Humidity Levels

Controlling the humidity levels in your home is an important factor in preventing the growth of biological pollutants such as dust mites, mold and bacteria. A normal indoor humidity level between 30% and 55% in the winter and 30% and 70% in the summer is usually ideal.

Combustion Appliances

Important safety procedures and guidelines for combustion appliances in your home:

• • For proper operation of most combustion appliances and their venting system, the air pressure in the house should be greater than that outside. If not, the vented appliances could release combustion pollutants into the house rather than outdoors. (If you suspect that you have this problem you may need the help of a qualified person to solve it.)
• • Make sure that your combustion appliance has the vent properly connected, that nothing is blocking the vent and that there are no holes or cracks in the vent.
• • Make sure your gas space heater or kerosene heater is vented properly. These appliances need a sufficient supply of air for proper combustion and to minimize the production of indoor air pollutants including carbon monoxide.
• • Always use a hood fan exhausted to the outside when cooking, and be sure that enough air is coming into the house while the appliance is in use. (If needed, slightly open a door or window, especially if other appliances are in use.)
• • Open a wood burning stove's damper when adding wood. This allows more air into the stove which helps the wood burn properly and prevents pollutants from being drawn back into the house instead of going up the chimney.
  
  Visible smoke or a constant smoky odor inside the home when using a wood burning stove is a sign that the stove is not working properly. Smoke and soot are signs that the stove is releasing pollutants into the indoor air.
• • Do NOT vent gas clothes dryers or water heaters into the house for heating.
• • NEVER burn charcoal inside homes, trailers, tents, or other enclosures. The carbon monoxide can kill you.