Creating air manipulation within your home has many benefits. Manipulating the flow of air regulates temperature extremes, freshens the air you breathe in, and keeps your house fresh from pollutants, dust, and allergens. While air circulation may seem like an afterthought when it comes to household maintenance, it’s actually very important and useful.
Near the thermal equator of Earth there is an area, which could also be like your living room, known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone where the northeast and southeast trade winds meet. It may sound like a pretty breezy place on earth, but it’s actually calm and windless which is why sailors or aquatic swashbucklers call it the doldrums. This area can becalm sailing ships for weeks, which wasn’t so good for 18th-century journeymen.
Your living room or kitchen could be the doldrums of your home. No air circulation or inadequate ventilation to provide a consistent flow of air can turn your environment into a hot oven. But lucky for you, creating good airflow in your home can be quite simple.
4 Ways to Improve Air Circulation:
Cross Ventilation
You can avoid stagnant air by creating circulation using your windows and entrances. Opening a window on one side of your home that has a clear channel to another doorway or window on the opposite side of that room will create a basic jetstream. This tactic utilizes your home as if it were a system of corridors and doorways. Channeling wind from the outside by opening a few opposite windows will harness a natural current. You’ll get fresh air from the outside and push out the old air.
Dehumidifiers and Humidifiers
Everyone has their preference in humidity when it comes to their home. Whether you’re a Rainforest or Mojave Desert type of family, the amount of moisture in the air can be used to your advantage. Regulating the moisture within your home will control your air quality and improve air circulation. Dehumidifiers and humidifiers can help mitigate moisture when the air is not always perfectly balanced. Both of these systems aid in air circulation creating a healthy balance.
Rearranging Your Furniture
Believe it or not your favorite lazy spot or easy chair may be misplaced. If you have furniture blocking open areas, or sitting in front of vents, this will affect the natural flow of air throughout your home. How many times have you seen a vent behind a piece of furniture or somewhere surrounded by shelving inside a home because the furniture looked better than an open pathway for airflow? While some homes may not have the most aesthetically pleasing spatial setups, thinking about your home as a system of corridors and doorways helps with furniture placement. You would be amazed what a little rearranging can do for air circulation.
Fans
Some people prefer stale popcorn or stale Oreos over the fresh version. Probably not so much when it comes to the air you breathe. That’s why creating your own wind has to be one of the most satisfying things you can do in your home. Feeling the breeze off of your ceiling fan like it’s a helicopter or standing in front of that humming oscillating fan makes you feel like Jack or Rose on the Titanic. Using fans can accelerate the flow of air if properly placed to drive air from one room to the next. Bigger rooms with high ceilings are best regulated with ceiling fans, but with long hallways and multiple bedrooms, any floor fans or oscillating fans can make a wonder of a difference. Sticking your head in the freezer for a few seconds feels amazing, but it’s just a temporary fix and it enhances your desire for ice cream.
Improving your home’s air circulation has many health benefits as well. Poor air circulation can damage health conditions. You should always try to avoid stagnant air which can collect allergens from the outside, pets, or pollutants that continue to circulate inside. Airflow helps regulate temperatures, protects you from mold, removes impurities, and creates a healthier and fresher environment. Here are some healthy benefits of improving your home’s air circulation:
Air Impurity Control
Spending your time in a musty atmosphere can expose you to bacteria, pollutants, excess moisture and other dust that lingers in the air. There’s enough of that in the Los Angeles City limits, so why not come home to a healthy environment?
Reduced Temperatures
Big families are fun, but they create a lot of body heat in one area. The human body gives off natural heat by itself, but by keeping the airflow consistent, your family will enjoy a cooler environment in smaller spaces. More germs can travel through the hot and humid air.
Condensation Regulation
Damp conditions can lead to allergic reactions and respiratory problems. Avoid these health obstacles and prevent mold with good air circulation.
Well-Being Benefits
Fresh air makes you happier, helps your digestive system, keeps your immune system stronger and keeps your lungs fresh. The better the air circulation within your home the better life will be on a daily basis.
Comfort
When you’re comfortable, everything is just better. Proper air circulation always makes for a very comfortable environment. Don’t be mid-century during this smarthome era and get caught in your own doldrums.