Do you avoid ventilation due to fine and yellow dust in spring and fall, summer air conditioning, and winter cold winds? These days, many people think that air purifiers, which have become an essential appliance in every home, can replace ventilation. However, air purifiers cannot improve air quality as effectively as opening a window for ventilation, and they have limitations. Let’s explore how to ventilate properly and how often to do it for effective results.
Indoor pollutants cause allergic rhinitis
Various indoor pollutants can cause allergic rhinitis, which 15-20% of Koreans experience. When exposed to allergens, symptoms such as clear nasal discharge, sneezing, and itching occur, along with a burning sensation in the eyes. Severe cases can even affect sleep, highlighting the importance of ventilation.
Condensation can occur
Not ventilating due to cold weather can lead to condensation throughout the house. Condensation occurs due to severe indoor and outdoor temperature differences, causing water droplets to form on walls, windows, ceilings, etc., leading to mold growth in bathrooms, window frames, wallpapers, etc. The mold in various places in the house can cause different respiratory diseases, such as allergic rhinitis, asthma, and skin diseases.
Ideal ventilation frequency
You should ventilate your home thrice daily, for 30 minutes each morning, noon, and evening. It is best to open the windows for ventilation between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. when air movement is active. A winding path is created if you open windows facing each other, and ventilation is better.
Importance of ventilation in heated spaces
In places like offices, schools, and academies where heating devices are used, you must put more effort into indoor ventilation. If you close the windows and use the heater for a long time, pollutants and viruses that have entered from the heater or outside will continue to circulate, potentially spreading to many people. It would be best to ventilate the interior frequently before and after operating the heater and even while it is operating. If there is no ventilation system, ensure frequent natural ventilation.
Should we ventilate even when there is fine dust?
Ventilation is necessary even on days with severe fine dust. If you keep the windows closed and do not ventilate for a long time, the concentration of indoor fine dust can increase. This is because pollutants such as carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, and volatile organic compounds can accumulate. Open the windows at least three times a day and ventilate the indoor air when the concentration of fine dust is not high. It is better to avoid late evening or early morning hours when atmospheric pollutants are stagnant.
Ventilation is essential even in cold weather
Even in the cold winter, you must briefly ventilate the indoor air. If you keep the windows closed just because it’s winter, indoor air quality will drop. Due to the temperature difference between the inside and outside, condensation can occur, leading to mold growth on wallpaper or in bathrooms. Maintaining a suitable temperature and humidity for a pleasant indoor environment is also important. The temperature should be between 18-21°C, and the humidity should be 40-60%.
Efficient use of air purifiers
While air purifiers help remove fine dust, you should not unquestioningly trust the refined dust concentration displayed on the air purifier. This is because the error rate of air purifiers can be 50-80%. If you close the windows and only operate the air purifier, the effect decreases, and it takes a long time to eliminate pollutants. If the pollution level is high, it takes even longer. While air purifiers filter indoor pollutants, ventilation discharges pollutants outside the house. Therefore, frequent ventilation is essential even when using air purifiers.
Vehicle Interiors Are Not Safe, Either
Vehicle interiors are also not safe from fine dust. It is also important to regularly replace the air conditioner filter to keep the air inside the vehicle more refreshing. If the fine dust is severe during driving, it is better to operate the air conditioner or heater in the internal circulation mode to prevent the entry of outside air.
Enclosed spaces increase COVID-19 infection risk
Past COVID-19 outbreaks often occurred in enclosed, crowded spaces like clubs, logistics centers, churches, and gyms. These facilities have the commonality of being enclosed and overcrowded spaces. Especially if it’s challenging to wear a mask in an enclosed space, the possibility of a COVID-19 infection cannot be ruled out. Therefore, you should avoid places where ventilation is poor and there are many people, and even if you have to attend, you should refrain from actions that can cause a lot of droplets.
Ventilate after using gas stoves
Reports indicate that in the United States, the indoor air quality of homes using city gas can be as harmful as secondhand smoke. If natural gas leaks from gas ranges and ovens, the benzene levels in the air may surpass the 8-hour exposure limit of 0.94ppbv recommended by the California Environmental Health Hazard Assessment Office. Therefore, it is advised that homes using city gas ventilate their spaces after using gas ranges to minimize the risk of exposure to harmful emissions.
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