Homes today are tightly sealed, and Lake Zurich, IL homes are no exception. Chicago winters are bone-chillingly cold, and with heating costs at an all-time high, a tightly-sealed home is an energy-efficient home. The only problem is a lack of fresh air. Here’s how proper ventilation can keep your indoor air healthy, even during the winter.
Do You Have Sick Building Syndrome (SBS)?
SBS is a condition that affects people who spend time in buildings with insufficient ventilation. Symptoms include headaches, nausea, dizziness, sinus congestion, eye, nose and throat irritation, fatigue, respiratory problems, sneezing, allergies and skin rashes. Those who suffer from SBS typically feel better after leaving a “sick” building. However, some contaminants can cause serious or fatal conditions like heart disease and cancer that don’t appear until later.
How Sealed Buildings Become Sick Buildings
A lack of fresh air allows contaminants to reach high concentrations in sealed buildings. Contaminants include:
- Dirty HVAC equipment
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- Dust and dust mites
- Dander
- Microbes
- Gases, odors and vapors
- Household cleaners
- Secondhand smoke
- Carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide
- Fiberglass
- Asbestos
- Lead
What’s the Best Protection Against SBS?
Lake Zurich, IL homeowners can open windows to remove stale air, but heated air goes out the window as well, and after you close the windows, contaminants begin to collect in your living space once again. A better solution is to incorporate a whole-house ventilator into your HVAC.
How Do Whole-house Ventilators Work?
Mechanical whole-house ventilators remove stuffy indoor air and replace it with fresh air from outside. Heat recovery ventilators do this with minimal energy loss and without straining your HVAC equipment. Less expensive mechanical ventilators are less effective and can increase your energy costs.
To learn more about how a heat recovery ventilator can improve indoor air quality in your Lake Zurich, IL home, visit Martin Enterprises Heating & Air Conditioning or call (847) 719-8442.
