If your home is well and truly airtight, it can be easy to keep the place nice and warm. Airtight homes are easier to heat up and also to keep the hot air in, making it much simpler to retain heat and keep everyone inside well-heated during the winter. However, airtight homes can then create two new problems: trapped air and excessive warmth. How can you better regulate airflow in airtight homes?
The best way to do this? Invest in some vents for windows. Window vents are a great solution for adding a bit of extra airflow into the house and ensuring that the air does not become stale. While airtightness is better than porous household construction that lets in a lot of wind, it can make rooms a little too humid or a little too uncomfortable. For more insight into how vents for windows can help this, we reached out to Lock & Key York for some advice โ what did the experts tell us?
Airtight Homes: Great For Heat, Bad For Airflow
In the UK, we are all increasingly used to those biting cold winters that leave us reaching for the blanket โ or the thermostat. However, in airtight homes and buildings, itโs much easier to keep the heat in. You often find yourself using a fraction of the energy you would in an airtight home.
That energy saving is a great year-end benefit, as your energy costs are easier to manage. That said, you do need to have at least some kind of ventilation. And while you could just open your windows, that defeats the benefits of being airtight. Instead, going for some vents for windows โ trickle vents, namely โ can be the best way to help you improve airflow and air quality without impacting much else.
Trapped indoor air can become a more serious problem than you might think. For one, it means you are constantly regurgitating the same old air, meaning that over time, the air in your home starts to feel dank and damp. Speaking of damp, the airtightness of your building also means that you start to face issues like dampness and humidity in the air โ that can, ironically, lead to dampness and mould!
Airtight homes are great, but the impact of always having a lack of airflow can soon become a serious issue. If you want to avoid that kind of issue, itโs best to invest in some vents for windows. Added ventilation can be great for making sure you can avoid these issues whilst still benefiting from the improved energy efficiency. Letโs take a look at how some window vents can make this difference.
How Window Vents Improve Circulation In Airtight Spaces
Now, it might be that you are only dealing with airtight rooms as opposed to the whole building. Regardless of the case, installing trickle vents in any airtight room is a very wise choice. Why?
Controlled Airflow Controls Humidity
This is especially true of rooms that have high humidity risk, such as washing and drying rooms. These rooms can become victims of mould and dampness because the air gets so damp and heavy. Over time, that lingers and eventually leads to your room and its furniture and fittings becoming damp. Eventually, this turns to mould, leaving you with a pretty serious problem you need to deal with later.
Airflow is not easy to get right; opening the window can often feel counterproductive, or it might not be possible in some rooms. By having trickle vents fitted, you can make sure that there is a gradual flow of air. Over time, the room’s airflow is replaced by the same damp, humid air that was hanging around with fresh, cool air from outside. As this is done gradually, though, you avoid temperature spikes.
Minimising Stale Smells & Atmospheres
Another problem with many airtight rooms and homes is the presence of stale, uncomfortable air. If you only have the same air flowing around for days on end, eventually it can start to smell a little.
We know, it sounds odd โ but itโs true. Stale air is a common problem in airtight properties. It can leave the room feeling less comfortable to sit in, and it can also lead to lingering smells that become really unpleasant to take in each day. Over time, that can lead to you feeling unwell or just not feeling happy sitting in that atmosphere.
Well, vents for windows help you to slowly get rid of that stale air and replace it gradually. You no longer have to crank open the window and let all of that built-up heat escape. Instead, you bring in a slow but consistent flow of air into the room, making it more pleasant to sit in for longer periods.
Minimising Pollution
There is also the benefit that, with vents for windows, you can make your rooms less likely to have pollutants in the air. That could be pollution from cleaning products or even things like paint.
However, sometimes, the main benefit of trickle vents is clearing the air of contaminants that linger. That could be especially true in airtight homes where someone has had a sickness bug or a viral infection. By using window vents, you can help them breathe in clean, clear air without having to resort to using open windows, which can eventually create staleness and dampness in the air.
Getting rid of pollutants and contaminants in the air is very important, yet in airtight buildings, itโs not always easy. By fitting trickle vents to your windows, you can simplify this often complex process.
Maintain Healthy Environments Without Cooling The Place Down
In airtight properties, it can be tough to get fresh air into each room โ especially in rooms with little space for windows. Or rooms with windows where the windows cannot open, and only let in light.
Well, with some vents for windows fitted and installed in place, you can maintain a much healthier environment overall, all without having to open up the windows and make the room temperature plummet!
