What are the signs of poor ventilation in the house?

We humans need access to clean air to feel good. That's why it's important to have a functioning and efficient ventilation system. Unfortunately, it's not always easy to notice if your home has poor ventilation.

The reason for this is that those living in the household tend to get used to the poor indoor air. This can result in a number of health problems that many people associate with something completely different than poor ventilation and air.

 

To help you gain a better understanding of the subject, while also making you aware of how to avoid common pitfalls, we will devote the rest of this guide to discussing poor ventilation in detail. So keep reading so you don’t miss out on important information!

 

The air in a home must be continuously replaced.

The home's ventilation system is designed to bring in enough outdoor air, while keeping out other types of substances that are hazardous to health. Furthermore, ventilation also needs to prevent pollutants from spreading from one space to another.

 

If the air quality in the toilet is worse than the air in other rooms in the home, the ventilation system is responsible for preventing the spread of polluted air. In order for you to breathe fresh and clean air, the following points also need to be met:

 

• The right type of ventilation system.
• Thoughtful choice of building materials.
• Moisture-proof building materials.

 

The outdoor air flow should be at least 0.35 liters per second for each square meter of living space. If no one is home, you can reduce the flow to 0.10 liters per second per square meter. This will help you save energy without affecting the ventilation too much.

Your health is affected more than you realize by poor ventilation

Indoor air quality is affected by many different factors. Some of these are candles, scented candles, tobacco smoke, building materials, furniture, cooking odors, perfume, cleaning products, pets - to name a few.

 

Below we have compiled a clear table with estimates based on health reports and guidance from the Public Health Agency of Sweden on how poor ventilation can affect the health of you and others in the household:

 

Health problems	Proportion affected (estimate)	Description
Respiratory and breathing problems	20-30%	Irritation and inflammation of the respiratory tract, especially in allergies or asthma.
Irritation of mucous membranes	15-25%	Eyes and nose may feel dry or itchy.
Headache	10-20%	Often related to poor air circulation and high levels of carbon dioxide.
Abnormal fatigue	25-40%	Occurs when poor ventilation affects the balance of oxygen and air quality.
Difficulty concentrating	15-30%	Poor air quality can reduce oxygenation of the brain and lead to fatigue.
Increased susceptibility to infection	10-15%	Poor ventilation can spread bacteria and viruses into the air.
Rash	5-10%	Can be caused by poor air or high humidity.

How do you recognize poor ventilation?

There are a number of methods to find out if you have properly functioning ventilation. It is important to note, however, that older houses are significantly more likely to suffer from poor air quality due to poor ventilation than new buildings.

In many cases , owners of older homes have had forced ventilation installed that may not be working optimally. This gives a false sense of security, something you need to be extra vigilant about.

 

But how do you determine whether your ventilation is doing the job or not? To answer this question, you can use two simple, yet very powerful methods, which we will explain next.

Method 1: Check and examine the supply air flow

The first method involves walking around your bedroom and living room(s). Pay attention to whether there are vents installed in windows and/or walls that allow air to circulate freely in the house - without obstruction.

 

Then, place your hand gently against the ventilator and feel if the lift moves, or if it is completely still. Then use a lighter to light in front of the valve to find out which direction the flame is leaning.

 

The flame moves into the house	The flame doesn't move at all.
If the flame moves into the room, it is a good sign. More specifically, it means that the air is flowing in without obstacles, which also means that you are continuously getting new and fresh air.	If the flame does not move at all, you have found out why you have bad air in your home. Note that you need to repeat this process for all rooms where the valves are installed.

Method 2: Review and analyze the exhaust air flow

The second method involves testing the exhaust air flow. In order for air to enter the home, the existing air in the home must also find its way out. If that doesn't work, it doesn't matter how many vents you have installed.

 

Move over to the bathroom and/or laundry room. Then identify a round valve (usually white). Tear off a small piece of toilet paper and place it against the valve. Then examine if one of these outcomes is met:

 

Toilet paper gets stuck	Toilet paper falls
If the toilet paper sticks right away, it means you have stable exhaust air in your home. This also means that the ventilation is working properly.	If the toilet paper instead falls straight down to the floor, it is important to fix the problem, as poor ventilation will sooner or later lead to moisture and mold damage!

If you have poor ventilation, it is important to contact a ventilation company . We at Airmove can investigate the problem and suggest a solution that suits you. Remember that poor ventilation can lead to moisture and mold, which in the long run causes costly damage to the home.

What can be done about poor ventilation?

First of all, we recommend that you install one of our products . We offer a wide range of ventilation solutions at market prices. You can also do some things yourself - both before and after installing Airmove's ventilation products. Below we briefly describe some of these measures:

 

• Ventilate regularly . Outdoor air is almost always of better quality than that found indoors.

• Check the fresh air valve . Regardless of whether you have installed a fresh air valve from Airmove or another supplier, it is important to keep these open and clean.

• Ventilate properly . Air should be able to circulate freely in the home. Vents in thresholds, as well as air vents in interior doors and interior walls, significantly improve ventilation.

Free advice from Airmove's specialists

We offer free guidance on ventilation in self-contained houses and heating . You can choose to be contacted via phone and video call or visit your home. During the meeting, we will go through the ventilation system in your home and give tips on how it can be improved. If desired, we can also provide a price proposal to solve any problems.

 

Carbon dioxide levels reveal whether ventilation is sufficient

The amount of air pollutants present in the air after purification through a filter must then be transported away by ventilation. To eliminate pollutants, a higher airflow is necessary than is required to meet the occupants' oxygen needs.

 

To check whether the ventilation is sufficient, you can measure the carbon dioxide content. This is especially true for homes with a small area. For larger homes, pollutants emitted by building materials are of greater importance. In these cases, the carbon dioxide content is not as good an indication.

 

Before checking your home's air quality by measuring carbon dioxide levels, it is important to keep the following points in mind:

 

• Use measuring equipment that is adapted to measure carbon dioxide.
• Measure continuously and record all values.
• Keep track of the measurements throughout the period.
• Place the measuring probe at breathing height, at least 2 m from the nearest person.
• Perform the measurement during normal times or until the carbon dioxide level stabilizes.
• Measure the carbon dioxide level outdoors at some point.
• Document other factors that may affect the result, such as number of people, ventilation and temperature.