Room ventilation is important for maintaining the health of the occupants of the house

Every house and building must have a good ventilation system. If not, the dirty air will only continue to rotate in the room so that it will have a very negative impact on the breathing of every occupant. Indeed, what does a good ventilation system look like?

Types of ventilation that are commonly applied in a house or building

The ventilation system is a system of air exchange from outside to inside and vice versa which aims to control indoor air quality. The existence of an air exchange system can remove pollutants that settle in the room so that it provides healthy air for us to breathe.

Ventilation is a system that must be in every building. Even though it looks shiny clean, every house will produce dirty air, whether it's from a mixture of dust flakes or from vehicle fumes outside the room.

There are generally 3 types of ventilation systems that are most commonly used by residential or office buildings.

1. Natural

The natural ventilation system that must be present in every building is the windows that can be opened and closed and the air holes that are usually at the top of each door. This opening is used to push out the air in the room and enter clean air from outside.

In addition to windows and openings, certain buildings and residences may also have chimneys on their roofs to allow for maximum air exchange.

The shape and how much natural ventilation in your home will depend on your needs, the climate of the area, and the design of your building.

2. Machines

If using natural ventilation is not enough, you can install a machine to allow air exchange in the house. The engine vent is usually a fan, air conditioner (air conditioning), or exhaust fan.

These machines aim to accelerate the circulation of air in the room by sucking large amounts of air in the room at the same time to be discharged outside. At the same time, this machine will draw fresh air from outside and supply it to the room.

3. Mixed models or models hybrid

Sometimes some rooms, such as a kitchen or bathroom, need to use a different type of ventilation to maximize air exchange.

Usually, in addition to being paired with windows, the kitchen and bathroom will also be pairedexhaust fan. This tool serves to suck and exhaust the air in the room, and replace it with new ones.

The fast air exchange process allows the indoor air not to be too humid or stuffy for a long time. Exhaust fan must be installed in a room with one side facing the outside of the building through a wall or roof.

How do you know if the ventilation in your house is good?

To find out whether the residence or office building where you work is well ventilated, all the questions below must be answered with a "yes":

• Do you have the amount of ventilation you need? For example, 2 bedrooms, dining room, bathroom, kitchen, and family room must have at least 3 vents. It can be mixed or natural.
• Is your home odor free?
• Does every cooking room have a stove, wood stove, or grill have ventilation such as windows or exhaust fan?
• Is there any exhaust fan or air gaps in the walls of every bathroom?
• Is every exhaust fan works fine and air is exhausted outdoors? (not to the attic or garage of the house)

What are the consequences if the room is poorly ventilated?

Dirty air trapped in the house can affect the health of you and your family. According to the World Health Organization, poorly ventilated buildings can be a means of spreading infection with disease-causing germs, such as flu, tuberculosis and legionellosis.

Most of these infectious diseases are transmitted through the air. When a person is sick and coughs or sneezes uncovered, the germs will continue to fly in the air. Now, if the ventilation of the room is bad, the air that contains germs will remain in the same room so that it is easy for other healthy people to breathe. Even people who have been sick and have recovered can get the disease again if they still breathe the same air.

Recurrent disease transmission in the same building is often referred to as sick building syndrome (SBS). This risk is also not only prone to occur in office or residential buildings. Clinics and hospitals that are not well-ventilated are equally susceptible to spreading infection to workers, visitors and patients who are there. The spread of infection in the hospital is called hospital acquaired infection (HI)

Bad ventilation makes the house easy to mold

Not only that. If there is no exchange of fresh air, the room in the building may smell musty over time because it is kept damp. For example, from the smell of food, the smell of garbage, and the smell of animal feces that mix and continue to rotate in the room.

In addition, the air exchange system also indirectly regulates the level of humidity in the air. Home furniture such as wooden floors, wooden tables, and other wooden furniture are prone to absorb moisture that remains in your home. This excess moisture will continue to collect in the house and trigger the growth of mold and mildew in the room, which can affect the health of you and your family.

Moldy walls and floors are one of the most common sources of allergens in the home. Symptoms can include a runny nose, itchy eye irritation and redness, sneezing, and an itchy throat.

You may also be prone to recurring headaches or fever. Moldy house walls are one of the reasons why people in the house often get sick because the spores can weaken the immune system.

Here are some tips for better air circulation at home

• Use exhaust fan, or at least there is an outdoor air gap in the bathroom to remove moisture and gas odors from the house.
• Make sure your kitchen has exhaust fan which keeps the air out. Use a fan or open a window while cooking to remove smoke and odors in the air.
• Do not use the stove without ventilation. Install carbon monoxide detectors at several locations in your home.
• Take the washer or clothes dryer outside as well. Clean the vents regularly to ensure dust doesn't block the airflow.
• If you have a hobby of coloring with watercolors or using some chemicals in your home, add extra ventilation. Open a window and use a portable window fan to draw air out of the room.
• If the air in the room is still too humid, find a source of humidity that needs to be controlled. If that still doesn't solve the problem, use a dehumidifier. If you use a dehumidifier, make sure you clean it regularly.