Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a major component of a healthy home. People are spending more time indoors these days. Before the pandemic, people spent 90% of their time indoors. Imagine what the number is right now! With 42% of the labor force currently working from home, people are cooking more, cleaning more, exercising more, and home schooling more. That’s a lot of moisture, carbon dioxide, off gassing, cleaning fumes, and particles floating around in the air. Making healthy home options a standard and increasing healthy home technology will make homes very attractive to buyers of all demographics.
The energy efficient home has become the standard and now the healthy home is a key differentiator for builders. There are many ways that home builders today have improved on the homes of the past: low VOC paints, formaldehyde-free flooring and cabinets, and low VOC woods are some of the most listed examples in surveys of home builders. However, ventilation and IAQ is sometimes overlooked as a critical component of the healthy home.
Here are three ways to ensure good indoor air quality for home buyers.
- Install a properly sized and featured bath fan. Make sure the fan moves enough CFM for the size of the room. And, make sure the fan has features the homeowner will use, such as the ability to continuously protect against bacteria, mold, mildew and fungi growth.
- Provide proper kitchen ventilation with a range hood that is ducted outside. Be sure to install a hood that moves the correct CFM for the size of range (width and depth must be considered).
- Incorporate an H/ERV or supply fan into the mechanical system to bring fresh air into the home. Brining fresh air in dilutes pollutants in the air, provides fresh air to replace vented air, and helps maintain comfortable temperature and humidity levels.
Between home buyer demand and ever-advancing codes and standards, a home’s indoor air quality has become one of the single most important factors in the makeup of a healthy home. Are you ready to meet demand?
