Home Airflow and Family Health
Home Airflow Has An Extremely Important Role In Keeping Us Safe.
As advanced as Housebuilding and Education is in 2022 there are still serious Questions about Home Health to be answered.
We aim to cover 3 key areas below to address the critical needs of family's in the safe space we like to call home.
- Are Family's Unknowingly Contributing To Illness In Family members. ?
- Where Airflow Concerns Originate In Our Homes ?
- What Can We Do To Protect Our Family ?
Are family's unknowingly contributing to illness in family members.
The below is. not aimed to shock, rather is aimed at identifying some of the main concerns of airflow management that may impact the health of you and your family at home, where the majority of us spend significant amounts of time, therefore limiting exposure is critical.
Awareness of health has been thrust into the spotlight more in recent times due to ongoing global airborne health concerns such as Covid 19, there has been significant research conducted by worldwide and UK organisations to highlight and set standards, guideline and limits on exposure to individual elements, chemicals, dusts and so on.
Unfortunately known detrimental health links exist between many significant illness which have contributory factors related to air particles, new materials within the home and the like, it is clear that where homeowners have little or no understanding of the many factors affecting toxin introduction within the home, it is difficult for homeowners to effect change.
There is an increased acceptance from UK and Worldwide authorities based on evidence from studies that the causes or contributory factors of many illness may in fact be as a consequence and result of our own lifestyle's as much as factors out with our own control.
For example, it is clear that cigarette smoke together with secondary smoke and similar toxins in confined spaces are incredibly toxic as has been established and governments have slowly incorporated a health focussed approach within mainstream society, leading to smoking being steadily socially rebuked, along with laws to help safeguard the general public.
The point being that it has taken a significant amount of time to convince government, social groups, the general public and those who continue to have increased exposure willingly of the significant health concerns and to begin the revolution to remove such unhealthy elements from socially accepted norms.
Steering groups, Government health bodies and of course building standard reviews are helping to provide significant help to reduce contaminants exposure within our homes and setting guidelines for new build construction. with reference materials used in construction, testing and monitoring.
There remains huge gaps in the regulatory limits and potential health concerns where education of homeowners remains in the large unchallenged.
For example, warmer weather often brings with it the UK favourite BBQ, many of which run on fossil fuels such as charcoal / coals or wood, the emissions from burning these fuels release harmful toxins as well as contributing to an unhealthy local atmosphere, our own experience and monitoring has shown that air quality readings in such circumstances were recorded in the VERY UNHEALTHY range for many hours within a household in near proximity to such activity (BBQ) where windows and or doors have been left even slightly open, it should be noted that exposure to the emissions from such activity is a known carcinogenic and carries the risk of further health issues.
It is astoundingly clear that as a nation we have so much more that can be done to bring about a clearer understanding of the health effect's of what we do in our homes that affect our long term health, in both positive and negative aspects.
The Scottish and UK Government guidelines and standards relate to increasing movement of air within our homes to promote a number of positive factors to help reduce the known impact's of poor airflow.
The above is only one example of so many contributary factors in the guarding of your family, your home and your long term health is of course the highest priority.
Where Airflow Health Concerns Originate In homes.
In the construction of our home we would normally consider that all aspects are free from contaminants, however in reality the monitoring of such chemicals is just not carried out once the items reach your home, the materials obtained are often bound by various chemicals which take time to dissipate (Off Gas), the dissipation of these chemicals is to within your home, and dissipating through induced airflow, where you and your family may be in contact with the compounds, fabrics, carpets, flooring and so on.
Potentially inhaling, ingesting and being subject to the adverse long term health effects of such materials in the surrounding environment is considered unacceptable by us, whilst the immediate risks are more often than not low, long term effects should be taken into account.
TVOC's (Total Volatile Organic Compounds) a group of chemicals found in items such as fabrics, curtains, couches, carpets glued furniture or flooring, giving off that "NEW SMELL" that most people can relate to, however you should be aware that where you can smell the "New fabric / furniture or equivalent" this indicates that the levels of TVOC's are above the threshold limits, and may in fact be exposing you and your family to increased risk of harmful levels of toxins, which may lead to a further increased risk of developing serious health concerns.
Whilst the manufacturing industry is getting better at producing items with lower levels of TVOC's, there remains high concentrations in items manufactured generally in construction and provided to the end consumer (Homeowner).
The types of chemicals typically found as TVOC's are Benzene, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Xylene and many more, known to contribute to serious carcinogenic conditions, which can take upto 2 years to OFF GAS, which is the reduction of the elevated exposure of TVOC's to acceptable levels that are considered not to adversely affect long term health.
Airflow Quality Monitoring Airflow Quality Index has been developed to assist in providing an easy to understand quick glance look at whether your immediate environment is suitable in terms of exposure to PM 2.5 and PM10 particles in the air from dusts and similar which are known to be harmful in elevated concentrations.
Particles originate from a range of sources, although can be managed based on your location, for example should your home be be located on a new construction site, where construction activity is in full swing (i.e. your moving into a plot with other homes being built), such as road brush cleaning activity, the levels of PM2.5 PM10 can be so high that it is VERY UNHEALTHY within your household for periods of time (it should be noted that high levels of exposure over the short term limits long term health effect's), therefore consideration should be given to the individual circumstances and the period of time that the exposure is likely to be over.
Cooker extractor fans set above cooker hobs typically remove unwanted odour, oils and moisture from cooking and help improve the health of the occupants. Extractor fans are often not connected to the outside of the building, in that regard it should be noted that carbon filters wear out quickly, and whist the inference is that occupants will regularly replace such filters, the reality is often very different indeed.
The effect of a kitchen cooker hood not being connected together with an ineffective carbon filter raises a number of concerns, not least that the exposure to hydrocarbons, oils and moisture and so on which are expelled within the kitchen environment exposing the occupants and family members to unwanted airborne particles and excess moisture which is not removed as is intended over the long term causing damage to the building fabric.
Bathroom extractor fans require to turn over set amounts of air within a period of time that constitutes a necessary minimum flow rate in the particular room, the flow rate must be capable of replacing air within the room to prevent unwanted odour, although the more predominant factor is the general airflow requirement with removal of moisture which can be detrimental to building fabric, left unattended moisture is likely to result in condensation, corrosion of components and potential mould growth, it should be noted that with moisture comes the risk that areas become regularly and continuously damp or wet, leading to promoting bacteria growth and the substantial health effects from spores and or building fabric deterioration.
Trickle vents in windows and patio doors should be opened generally to promote air flow especially to areas that would otherwise not have airflow unless opened, such as in corners and tight areas behind curtains and the like.
Doors within your home and in particular to toilets , bathrooms and shower areas are considered within the design phase to aid with ventilation, therefore where practicable and ensuring privacy, doors should be opened as appropriate to help with airflow together with the removal of moisture.
HEPA air filters have evidenced reduction in high concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations which can significantly help those in vulnerable groups or those who wish to enjoy cleaner air. (low cost units can be just as effective as high cost units, it often pays to do the research without shelling out a fortune for equivalent performance)
Testing of air quality (such as purchase of low cost, accurate systems can provide indications of air quality, helping to shape the activities that we undertake in our home, it can help in identifying when to open doors and windows for increased airflow to reduce the incidence of higher particle levels)
Humidifiers often can raise other concerns such as Legionella risk and should generally be avoided where practicable as they are also known to raise PM10 levels considerably to potentially undesirable levels.
What Can We Do To Protect Our Family
It is of concern that the general public are exposed to such a range of chemicals, dusts and moisture with which the consequences and effects from those exposures whilst are real, can be managed with careful consideration and adopting a strategy of testing and or following simple steps to aid airflow as much as possible.
Education is paramount to enabling our communities to gain a working knowledge of the causes and in effect allow a considered approach to dealing with the multitude of health concerns from a variety of sources with reference airflow.
To Help Keep Your Home Healthy Follow These Simple Steps
Open Trickle Vents In Windows
Open Windows (Where Practicable)
Keep Doors Open Where Practicable (especially following high moisture events, such as showers)
Switch On Extractor Fans Within Bathrooms / Toilets (when needed and following use for a period to reduce moisture and increase airflow) (Check fans operating appropriately periodically)
Switch On Extractor Fans Within Kitchen (Especially during / following cooking) (check fans operating appropriately periodically)
Ensure The Flue Outlet from the Kitchen Extractor is Fully Connected To The Outside) - Not Currently A Requirement Under Scottish Building Standards (where it is not connected to the outside the carbon filters should be replaced regularly.) fan operation should be checked periodically.
Keep Furniture away from walls to promote airflow (reducing moisture being trapped by maintaining airflow from ceiling to floor) and in corners is critical to prevent mould growth).
Maintain the open gap below doors between flooring and door, i.e. do not block them, these are considered as part of the overall airflow strategy within the home.
Introduce air filtration systems such as HEPA (high efficiency particle air) which has been known to significantly reduce PM10 particles, it is not intended to remove or protect from virus or similar. Filters should be regularly maintained and replaced to prevent exactly that which it is introduced for and avoid mould and bacteria growth.
The proximity to outside factors, such as factory exhaust gases, prevailing wind direction, extractors from local restaurants or similar dust producing activity or facilities which may impact the fresh air intake, potentially altering the routes that should be explored for fresh circulating airflow in the home.
There is a risk that the levels for off gassing toxins, air quality and the ability to ascertain the airflow volumes and routes within your home are simply unknown.
With inadequate airflow follows that the potential for inducing various adverse health conditions exist in the long term, it is advisable to follow the steps as above to help in managing the day to day airflow of your home.
Carrying out some simple steps may prove to be highly beneficial to those who regularly observe the practice, however many of us have become accustomed to being indoor with little airflow for extended periods of time, potentially leading to increased moisture, increased particle count in the ranges of PM2.5 and PM10 together with increased hydrocarbons from cooking, indoor wood burners and so on.
Recognition of the causes of illness allow us to act on the factors contributing to the risk, in doing so reducing the potential effects coming to fruition ultimately providing a safer environment for our family, friends and even our pets.