Rising building standards along with advancing technology and construction practices have made the average home progressively more airtight in recent decades.
That’s been a great development in terms of energy efficiency and reducing home heating and cooling costs, but a tight home is at risk of developing poor indoor air quality.
Indoor air quality can be five time more polluted than outdoor air. That’s why it’s important to circulate your home’s air as often as reasonably possible.
“One of the easiest and most effective things to do is to use your exhaust fans whenever you’re cooking, doing laundry or showering,” said Clark Public Utilities Energy Services Supervisor DuWayne Dunham. “They’ll help rid your home of any excess moisture and help prevent the growth of mold or mildew.”
The fans are small but mighty. They’ll suck the moisture and pollutants out of your house and prevent them from dissipating into the rest of the home–so long as they’re working properly.
Like all other appliances in your home, it’s important to keep an eye on your fans to make sure they’re actually working, not just making noise. Like all home appliances, sometimes they need a little maintenance, such as a routine cleaning.
To test your fan, hold one square of toilet paper beneath it. If the fan holds it in place, it’s working. If it can’t, the fan may be clogged or malfunctioning. To protect your home and your health you’ll need to repair or replace it. If you do have to buy a new one, make sure you size it appropriately to the room it’ll be used in.
The Home Ventilation Institute has different exhaust recommendations, depending on the room and position of the fan.
For example, the institute recommends a fan that moves at least 1 cubic foot of air per minute for bathrooms of 100 square feet or less, and an absolute minimum of 50 cfm. In bathrooms over 100 square feet, the institute recommends adding capacity for every fixture: 50 for a toilet, 50 for a shower, 50 for a bathtub and 100 for a jetted tub.
If your kitchen features a counter- or island-mounted range, you’ll need an overhead fan rated at 150 cfm per lineal foot, but no less than 50 cfm per foot.
“It’s not enough just to have fans, you have to remember to use them,” Dunham said. “Make it a habit to turn it on as soon as you start cooking or start the washing machine. Also, try to run it for an hour after you’ve finished showering.”
Beyond exhaust fans, there are a number of other things a person can do to improve their indoor air quality.
Regularly replacing your home’s furnace filter with those of a high minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) rating will go a long way toward keeping indoor air fresh.
If your home doesn’t have central air that’s no problem. Just make sure to open the windows from time to time to allow a breeze to come through–especially after cooking, showering or using chemical cleaners.
No matter what kind of home you live in, vacuuming often–especially with a filter-equipped vacuum cleaner–will help reduce allergens and improve air quality.
Finally, make sure your foundation vents are always unblocked. Those vents are there to circulate air beneath the house. Blocking them will trap moisture and, potentially, dangerous radon gas beneath your home.
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
