A lot of factors impact indoor air quality.
There are sources of contamination in nearly every room in the house.
Cooking, cleaning, pesticides and personal hygiene products can be a problem. Smoking, pets, humidity and even carpets and furnishings contribute to pollution. Because of the steady increase in energy costs, new homes are built as tight as possible. Insulation, weather stripping, caulk, windows and doors are all designed to prevent heated or cooled air from escaping. However, these well-sealed homes suffer a lack of fresh air. Ventilation is vital to healthy air quality. Otherwise, contaminants such as dust, bacteria, viruses and mold spores become trapped inside the home and continually recirculated. They are then inhaled by occupants and cause health concerns. Headaches, sore throat, congestion, sneezing, coughing, sleep problems and aggravated symptoms of allergies and asthma can be blamed on poor air quality. Since it’s rarely possible to open a window and welcome in fresh air, the heating and cooling industry has come up with an alternative. Ventilation systems work to introduce fresh air into the home and pull out stale air. There are heat recovery systems that use the outgoing air to preheat the incoming air and reduce the workload of the heating system. During the summer, ventilation systems help to get rid of excess humidity, lessening demands on the air conditioner. The installation of a ventilation system typically pays for itself in energy savings. Plus, the living environment is cleaner, healthier and far more comfortable. The ventilation system installs into the existing heating/cooling system, operates silently and requires only minimal maintenance.