Installing the right windows will allow you to enjoy passive ventilation. It’s a matter of choosing the right combination of operable and inoperable replacement windows. With passive ventilation, you can lower the temperature in your home without relying too much on air conditioning.
Indoor Air Quality
The indoor air quality of the average American home is worse than the quality of the air surrounding the property outside. This is due to trapped indoor air that typically contains airborne particles or pollutants, including smoke and odors from cooking, tobacco smoke, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from paints and others.
Trapped indoor air can be replaced by fresh air if at least some of your windows are operable. Opening the windows on opposite sides of a room allows the breeze to blow into the room and push the stale air out.
Doing this for at least 30 minutes a day will go a long way in improving your indoor air quality. This is good for your health and it can also improve your mood.
Climate Considerations
It’s typically possible to install operable replacement windows on any home. However, the type of climate in your area helps determine how much time you can open your windows for passive ventilation. If you have extremely unpredictable weather, you’ll probably have to depend more on mechanical ventilation. Still, it is important to have operable windows in every room both for passive ventilation and for safety.
Outdoor Air Considerations
In some locations, outdoor air has extremely high levels of pollution. If you live in such an area, it is not advisable to open your windows because you’ll be exposing your indoor environment to airborne toxins. Mechanical ventilation filters the air that enters your home, so it’s best to depend on it rather than open your windows, which do not offer any filtration at all.
If the outdoor air in your area is safe but you have concerns about insects, talk to your contractor about installing bug screens on at least some of your operable windows.
While it is not applicable to every case, using your windows to ventilate your home is generally a good idea. Make sure that the outdoor air is safe and that everyone in your household is on board.
Talk to us at Renewal by Andersen® of Northwest Ohio if you have more questions about passive ventilation using your windows. We offer some of the best replacement windows on the market. Call us now at (419) 931-6970, or contact us here. We’re ready to help you in Bowling Green, Perrysburg and Sylvania, OH.
