According to the World Health Organization, we now spend over 80% of our time at home, making it crucial to take care of indoor air quality. Fungi and other microbiological agents can develop in our homes without us realizing it, so it’s important not to let poor indoor air quality create the ideal conditions for these microorganisms to grow.
In the past, air conditioning systems and simple ventilation holes in walls were used to help with air circulation. However, they are not enough to ensure a well-ventilated and clean air environment.
There are several reasons for this.
Firstly, the filtration in these systems is limited. Even though air conditioning systems may have basic filters, they are not always effective in removing fine particles and pollutants from the air. Secondly, controlled air exchange does not occur with simple ventilation holes.
Moreover, humidity control is generally not available in basic air conditioning units or ventilation holes. Lastly, energy efficiency is crucial.
While air conditioning systems and basic ventilation holes can provide some level of air circulation, they may not offer the same level of effectiveness, control, and energy efficiency as more advanced ventilation systems.
What if you could enjoy fresh and clean air in your home without the need to open the windows or wait for air conditioning and small holes to work?
By investing in a comprehensive ventilation system tailored to the specific needs of the house – expect spending close to €2,500 on a property with 70m2 for example – we can ensure a consistently well-ventilated and clean air environment.
The installation of ventilation systems that expel stale air and provide fresh, clean, and pure air, as well as ensuring suitable humidity in the air we breathe, is becoming increasingly important in new constructions and renovations. Certifications already require this issue to be guaranteed in new constructions.
Mechanical ventilation systems often come equipped with higher-quality filters that can capture a wider range of contaminants, providing cleaner air, and allowing controlled rates of air exchange. This means they can regulate the flow of fresh air into the house while expelling stale air, ensuring a consistent supply of clean air without relying on the natural circulation of air, which can be inconsistent and may not adequately remove pollutants.
Produced by a variety of brands nowadays, ranging from simple solutions like Siber to more complex ones like Vaillant or Brofer, Mechanical Controlled Ventilation Systems (VMC) regulate the entry and exit of air according to specific parameters such as humidity and temperature and may or may not have associated heat recovery.
These systems control pollutants through filters in their composition that can be replaced or cleaned, returning fresh air to our homes, and bringing advantages such as greater well-being, better rest, improved concentration, fewer respiratory diseases, fewer bacteria, etc. They also reduce costs for improving the interior temperature of your home.
These systems are usually installed to extract moist air in kitchens and bathrooms, combined with the inflow of fresh filtered air in dry rooms such as living rooms and bedrooms, thanks to controlled mechanical ventilation. They operate at little more than the cost of keeping a light bulb on and recover about 95% of thermal energy. Insulation materials for floors, ceilings, and walls can further improve these savings.
With this system, in winter, the cold air from outside passes without mixing with the warm stale air that is expelled from the interior, thus blowing clean, ambient air into the house. In summer, the same process occurs but in reverse, and on summer nights, what we call automatic bypass happens, when the outside air is hotter than the indoor air, causing the air in the house to be renewed in a filtered and healthy way.
These systems are easy to assemble and install quickly and can even be placed discreetly in an attic or above kitchen cabinets. Some of these systems can also be controlled through an app, allowing you to monitor the humidity and CO2 levels in the air you breathe.
Clean air is fundamental to our health, well-being, and overall survival, affects human health, and even the planet. Air pollution can harm entire ecosystems, disrupting balances and biodiversity and contributing to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to global warming and its associated impacts.
In conclusion, poor indoor air quality can result from a variety of factors, including inadequate ventilation, indoor smoking, use of household chemicals, and allergens such as dust mites and mold. This can lead to a range of health problems, from allergies and respiratory irritation to more serious conditions like lung cancer.
Therefore, ensuring clean and healthy air should be a top priority for individuals, communities, and governments. Implementing policies and practices to reduce air pollution, investing in cleaner technologies and renewable energy sources, and raising awareness about the importance of air quality and its impact on human health and the environment are crucial steps.
We must recognize the critical role of clean air in protecting our health, preserving ecosystems, and creating a healthier and more sustainable world for present and future generations.
Isa Conceição is the CEO of Soren – Renewable Energy Solutions, based in Almancil. She assists individual customers and small businesses seeking renewable energy solutions across Portugal. +351 910 030 423 | info@soren.pt | www.soren.pt
