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Everyone understands outdoor air pollution and the effects that smoke, smog and dust can have on our respiratory systems – but there is also harm in the effects of indoor pollution that can be just as bad for our health, and especially for the health of our children.

Children are more vulnerable to poor air quality indoors. Some examples of pollutants within our four walls include that of cleaning products, paints, chemicals within furniture, particulate matter from wood burners and open fireplaces, as well as dreaded mould spores.

When a home has a lack of efficient ventilation, poor indoor air quality can lead to headaches, dizziness, coughing and sneezing, runny noses, suffering with difficulty breathing, dry skin, throat and eyes. It may be more difficult to spot these early symptoms in small children, especially infants. But, over time, air pollution can be extremely harmful to health, leading to breathing issues, allergies, asthma and chronic lung disease.

How does indoor air pollution affect a child’s health?

Air pollution even has an impact on pregnancy and on the health of the baby. The developing lungs of the unborn baby are susceptible to the effects of air pollutants and it is possible to cause health issues for the baby once it is born. If you have noticed that you feel unwell when you’re inside your home, you should have your home tested for air pollutants and the overall air quality.

When a premature baby is born, it is usually more at risk of respiratory issues than a child who was born full term, as its lungs are likely under-developed. Good indoor air quality is even more important to these little babies. Polluted air can also cause respiratory problems such as croup, which can also be harmful to young children and babies; which quite often results in trips to the hospital emergency room.

When children are exposed to toxins in the air through poor ventilation over a long period of time, they can develop respiratory issues such as asthma or bronchitis. Children who contract bronchitis regularly are more likely to suffer from asthma as they grow up.

What about mould?

One of the telltale signs of ineffective ventilation is condensation on your windows. Excessive moisture and dampness within the home can lead to mould growth. Not only is mould ugly, smells putrid, and damages soft furnishings, it is also a leading cause of respiratory and skin conditions, such as asthma and eczema, and very harmful to a child’s health. The impact of mould spores on health is significant and this is why the air quality and ventilation inside a house should be checked.

How can I improve the air quality and reduce toxins within my home?

Check what ingredients are contained within cleaning products before you buy them. It is better to use products that are scented with essential oils rather than chemicals. Scented candles, unless scented naturally and similar items, such as wax melts can also be problematic. Sourcing cleaning products which are environmentally-friendly is the way to go. These will work in exactly the same way as regular cleaning products, but without causing damage to a person’s health.

When drying washing indoors, ensure your machine is ducted to vent the hot moist air outside. Otherwise condensation can build up and cause humidity levels to rise due to excess moisture. Bathrooms should also be well ventilated for an efficient ventilation system in order to remove hot moist air when showering.

It is a good idea to have the air quality of your home tested, even more importantly if you have children. You can do this yourself with an air quality monitor or you can have a professional do a survey. It is also a great idea to have a professional such as Zephyr Ventilations do a ventilation assessment of your home. Our team can work out the right systems for your individual property and family needs. An effective ventilation system will improve air quality and prevent future mould infestation through keeping condensation and air moisture under control

Many homes suffer with problems caused by condensation and mould and may not realise the harm this is doing to themselves, their children and even their pets! Good quality indoor air is giving your family the best chance of improving their health. A competent effective ventilation system will reduce the concentration of VOC levels, moisture and mould, with many positive health benefits.

Roof Ventilation

In summer your roof can reach temperatures exceeding 50 degrees Celsius. If you are using your air conditioning system to combat the heat of summer it will be fighting this heat build up. By installing a roof ventilation system we can expel this air and the immediate impact is in reducing the amount of air conditioning your property will require which means you will spend less money and help the environment while keeping cool and comfortable.

Roof ventilation is a great way to reduce the heat in your home during the summer months and removes moisture during the winter months, which is the main cause of mould. During the winter months we all lock down our houses to keep the warmth in our homes but this also means we keep in the moisture content that we produce. The average person creates over 20 litres of moisture and as the moisture and heat rises into the space between the ceiling and roof, it creates the perfect environment for mould to form. Mould can be extremely dangerous, especially to young children and the elderly and the majority of people who have roof ventilation installed notice an immediate benefit once installation is complete.

Why does a roof space become so hot and humid?

The air in your roof space is a build up of not just the natural ventilation occurring throughout your home but also air extracted from your bathroom, shower and kitchen – especially range hoods or extractor fans over your cooker.

A variety of highly efficient roof ventilation fans and ‘whirlybirds’ can be used to extract the hot or moisture rich air from your roof space and create natural ventilation throughout your property and there are significant advantages in doing this. Hot, humid air in your roof space provides the perfect environment for mould as previously stated so removing this has measurable health benefits. Additionally, it can cause damage to the structure of your home by speeding up decay of the building materials. Both timber and metals are susceptible to decay or corrosion from this type of environment and adequate roof ventilation will help protect the longevity of your home, meaning you save money on expensive repairs later on down the line.

Sub floor Ventilation

Mould lives in dark moist environments with no air flow. A sub floor ventilation system in your Brisbane, Melbourne or Sydney home is a great way to combat this situation. By extracting air from a subfloor crawl space we are actually preventing that moist, damp, mouldy air from penetrating upwards into your home. The extraction process is actually pulling fresh air from outside in through the vents on the walls of your subfloor. The airflow being created then promotes drying. At Zephyr, we design our sub floor ventilation systems on a case by case situation with the aim is to achieve cross ventilation through every part of the sub floor area.

Bathroom Ventilation

Bathrooms and laundries need to be well ventilated. Showers, clothes dryers and washing machines all add moisture to the atmosphere in your home. If this moisture is not expelled it will have a direct impact on the air quality in your home.

It’s important to understand that baths, showers, washing machines and clothes dryers produce large volumes of moisture that if left without efficient ventilation would create hot humid air in your home which would quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria and mould. We’ve all seen homes that have been affected in this way and you should aim for preventative rather than corrective measures.

Mould can be extremely dangerous, especially to the elderly or young children and if you already have mould in your home you should immediately call our sister company Mouldpro for your mould removal and it’s important you don’t try and dry out the area before the mould is removed as you could spread it further throughout your home. One of our company’s most common callouts is for removal of mould from bathroom ceilings or walls. It’s far better to make sure you have the right ventilation for your bathroom in the first place.

Laundry and bathroom ventilation, for Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney homes, usually consists of extractor fans, ducts and external louvres. It’s important that you have a system that can cope with the amount of moisture that your home produces. If after being used your bathroom represents a steam room there’s a good chance that you don’t have the right type of ventilation system for your home and your needs.

Heat Recovery and Energy Recovery Ventilation

A heat recovery ventilation system exchanges fresh air from outside your property and uses the heat of the indoor air to heat the outside air as it comes in. Great during winter, though during the summer you would need the heat to be exchanged the other way around. An Energy Recovery Ventilation system does exactly this.

Once installed an Energy Recovery Ventilation unit can introduce fresh air from outside into your home. At the same time these ventilators expel the stale indoor air. With its inbuilt, highly efficient heat exchanger, it can recover 70% of the heat from the outgoing air and transfer it to the incoming fresh air. This means you get the benefits of security, no windows open, don’t lose heat and you still get fresh air into your home. Units can be ceiling or wall mounted and with inner air filters that are professionally designed to remove the pollutants of the incoming air, you will receive fresh and clean air at all times.

Which ventilation system is right for your property?

At Zephyr Ventilation we begin by examining your home and then making the appropriate recommendations for the design of a ventilation system to meet all of your specific ventilation needs. Give us a call today.