Cold Snap? Your Home’s Ventilation Systems Keep You Breathing Healthy All Winter

Winter weather happens almost overnight. Rapid changes in temperature or a dramatic difference between warm indoor temperatures and the frigid outdoors can prove problematic. 

When cold temperatures dip below freezing, it’s important to check your home’s ventilation systems to be certain that your family’s air is healthy. 

Chances are, you take your home’s ventilation for granted. Heck, we all do. We know that our home’s structure has things like insulation to help conserve heat energy. We know that dampness, moisture and warmth can lead to mold growth. But in winter, that’s not a problem, right?

Wrong. Western North Carolina homes are at risk for molds and mustiness anytime of the year. You can learn more about that here in “6 Mold Myths to Shovel to the Curb This Winter.”

6 critical functions to check during the winter 

In winter, humidity can get trapped within our insulated, snug abodes. We first see it as steam, dampness, or condensation. Then, air pollutants generated by everyday activities get in on the action. Smoke, cooking, pets, crackling fires, bacteria, radon gas, molds, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can compromise the cleanliness and healthiness of our home’s air.  Here are “7 Secrets for Indoor Air Quality In Winter.”

When your home’s air quality is compromised, it can negatively affect your family’s healthiness for years to come. Poor indoor air quality offers a haven for “The Humble Dust Mite,” sparks allergic reactions and respiratory issues, and leads to diagnoses, such as asthma, bronchitis, lung disease, cancer, and more. Sustaining healthiness after a serious diagnosis depends in large part on the air quality in the home.

As a first line of defense, replacing air filters in the heating unit and running a dehumidifier are good strategies. In this time of COVID, air quality has become a critical component to immune health and wellness. However, if the front line defenses are needed in your home, chances are you want to double check 6 critical functions in your home’s ventilation system.

Stale air out … fresh air in 

A good source of clean air is critical to reducing COVID-19 risk indoors. Know where your indoor air is exhausting from and that the incoming air is sourced from an area with acceptable air quality. 

Furnace flue

Even if your furnace runs off natural gas, your vent exhaust is critical to your home’s healthiness. The combustion releases water vapor, corrosive soot, and carbon monoxide into the air. It’s recommended to have the flue checked each fall. If you don’t know the last time your furnace was maintained, then it’s time.

Chimney vents

Checking to make sure a flue draws is pretty simple. Twist a piece of newsprint, open the flue, light the paper, and hold it in the chimney seat to see if the flue pulls air upward. If  it doesn’t, there’s a problem. Whether starlings are nesting in the chimney cap, or there’s build up from years of use, a house full of smoke is a pretty clear indication that you’ll need to contact a professional. Burning fires can emit toxic gasses, smoke, soot, creosote, particulates, and other harmful substances into your home’s air. The range of symptoms can be from nausea and fatigue to mental health issues, cancer, or death. It’s worth it to make certain the chimney is clean and swept.

Kitchen exhaust

Believe it or not, daily cooking can create air pollutants, especially when using gas stoves or cooking on ranges without external exhaust hoods. Carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulates that result from cooking in conditions like these are comparable to the emissions from coal-fired plants. That’s a lot of toxicity in a small space. Check your vents and filters, or consider adding a good quality vent hood if there is none.

Bath exhaust 

Humidity, moisture and warmth are mold’s best friend. So run the bath exhaust while showering. Then, when finished, towel-dry the shower stall, and turn off the bath fan when you leave the room. A good bath exhaust also helps control odors, reduces fumes from cleaning, and helps keep air clean. Check it monthly for dust that clogs the fan.

Plumbing air vent stack

The goal for plumbing air vents is neutrality. We certainly don’t want to see evidence of suction that could force dangerous gasses into the home, pushing, burbling, or clogging sinks, dishwashers, washing machines, or resulting in bath-to-kitchen poo transfer. Plus, sewage gasses are dangerous. If you notice the water’s not draining properly, and it’s not a common clog, call a professional licensed plumber for help.

When the team at A Healthier Home performs a home examination, this is only one aspect of the systems of your home that we consider. Consider checking this list against your home’s ventilation system needs. If something doesn’t look right, it probably isn’t.

We can help.