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To help improve air ventilation, here are the key points and tricks which you should follow:
- Open windows and doors: Allow fresh air in, but prioritise safety if opening them is risky.
- Use fans: Place a fan near an open window to push air outside, or use ceiling fans to circulate air.
- Filter the air: Change HVAC filters regularly and consider using a portable HEPA air cleaner.
- Run exhaust fans: Turn on bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans during and after use.
- Limit visitors: Reduce the number of people and time spent indoors to minimize potential virus presence.
Remember, these are general guidelines, and specific strategies may vary depending on your situation.
How do I improve ventilation in my house?
In today’s fast-paced world, our homes have become more than just living spaces—they’re our sanctuaries, our havens of comfort and relaxation. With concerns about airborne contaminants and virus transmission looming large, improving ventilation in our homes has never been more important.
Bring as much fresh air into your home as possible
Bringing in fresh air from outside helps to minimise virus particles from gathering inside your home and improve ventilation.
- If it’s safe, open doors and windows as much as possible to let in fresh air from outside. While it is preferable to open them completely, even a slightly broken window can assist.
- If possible, open many doors and windows to enable more fresh air to enter
- If it is hazardous for you or others to open windows and doors, do not do so. For example, because of the presence of young children and pets, risk of falling, triggering asthma symptoms, and high levels of outdoor air pollution.
- If opening windows or doors is dangerous, try alternate methods of lowering virus particles in the air.
- Fans may transport virus particles in the air from within your house to outdoors. If you have a window exhaust fan, consider utilising it.
If your home has a central heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system with air ducts that run throughout the house, do the following to help trap virus particles:
- When you have visitors, set the HVAC fan to “on” rather than “auto” in houses where a thermostat may regulate the fan operation. This enables the fan to continue even when the heating or air conditioning system is turned off
- Use pleated filters with external symbols, which are more energy-efficient than standard furnace filters and are available at hardware shops. If feasible, they should be fitted by a professional in the HVAC system at the start. If that is not an option, carefully follow the manufacturer’s directions to change the filter.
- Check that the filter fits correctly in the device.
- Replace your filter every three months or as directed by the manufacturer.
HEPA Technology to improve ventilation
To improve ventilation, consider employing a portable high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) cleaner if you don’t have an HVAC system or just want more filtering. They are the most effective filters on the market for catching particles expelled by individuals when breathing, talking, singing, coughing, and sneezing.
When selecting a HEPA cleaner, choose the appropriate size for the space(s). One method is to choose a HEPA filter fan system with a Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) equal to or greater than the square footage of the room in which it will be utilised.
Turn on the exhaust fan in your bathroom and kitchen
Another way to improve ventilation is through exhaust fans vent outdoors above your cooktop and in your bathroom can assist in transporting air outside. Although some stove exhaust fans do not expel the air to the outside, they can enhance air movement and discourage virus particles from congregating in one location.
- Keep the exhaust fans running for an hour after your visitors have left to assist in eliminating any virus particles that may have gotten into the air.
Use fans to improve ventilation
- Place a fan as close to an open window as feasible that is blowing outside. By moving air outdoors, this aids in the removal of virus particles from your home. Fans may promote airflow even when no windows are open.
- Whether or not the windows are open, use ceiling fans to enhance air movement in the home.
Limit the number of visitors in your home and the time spent inside
The more individuals that enter your home and stay for an extended period of time, the more virus particles might collect, so another way to improve ventilation is per below.
- Keep the number of guests in your house to a minimum.
- Try gathering and spending more time with one another in larger rooms or spaces where you can remain at least 6 feet apart.
- While visitors are at your house, ensure everyone wears a mask. This covers both tourists and those who dwell in your house regularly.
- Visits should be as brief as possible.
