How poor air ventilation design can cause indoor odour problems? Find out here the common cause and solutions.

In addition to general moisture build-up created from washing, bathing, cooking and breathing, a large concoction of other pollutants and contaminants is present within the indoor air in our homes and at work. This is having a detrimental effect on our health and the fabric of our homes.

The effects of this poor air quality can lead to a number of ailments such as headaches, fatigue and respiratory illnesses. Even more harrowing, the World Health Organisation has recently published that the air we breathe in has become polluted with a mixture of cancer causing substances with 6 million people dying annually from exposure to indoor air and outdoor air pollution.

If you are having a problem with allergies then there’s a good chance there could be mould growing somewhere in your home. When you have mould growing hidden away in your house, often a mouldy smell might be the only clue that it’s there. Don’t ignore mould odours if you can’t see any mould.

If you can see mould growth, even if it’s only small, you should take action immediately. Small mould patches can spread and the fact that there is any mould shows that the conditions in your home are right for mould to grow.

Odour Problems

Mould smells are not necessarily dangerous but they indicate a problem. Don’t rely on odours alone to decide whether or not there is a mould problem in a building.

The problem mould may be present but not smelly. Single individual mould species may produce different mouldy musty odours. It would be no surprise to find that a variety of odours in a building may be coming from lots of other odour sources not just from mould problems. There can be potentially dangerous odours, such as heating appliance flue gases or chemicals such as pesticides that may have been improperly applied.

As there are no simple economical “catch-all” tests for chemicals or gases that cover every possible hazard, it would be be particularly useful to know something about the history of the building to help point to directions of investigation. Tests can be useful but are not a substitute for a careful visual inspection and history-taking. Where has there been a building moisture problem, roof leak, plumbing leak, sewer backup, or other moisture source, these areas need to be investigated by visual inspection.

Odour Solutions

The solution is correct ventilation. It’s staggering to realise how many indoor air pollutants can be lurking in our homes, which cause us to suffer from all kinds of side effects. Homevent has a solution for every kind of home, whether it be an apartment, flat, bungalow, house or castle! With our wide range of energy efficient and innovative ventilation systems, you can be assured that not only will your indoor air quality be dramatically improved, but so will your health and your heating bills.

Air pollution isn’t just a problem found outdoors, as we continue to make improvements to our homes to ensure they are energy efficient we are also affecting the quality of the air that we inhale. According to the World Health Organisation, over 4.3 million people die each year from the exposure to indoor air pollution. By sealing up our homes we are breathing in a concoction of indoor air pollutants.

Ventilation systems can move odours from a remote source into an area where people complain. Remember to check these air movement pathways, such as stairwells, elevator shafts, duct systems, and natural convection when looking for the source of a building odour complaint. If this is done, correct ventilation may be one way of solving the odour problem.

If you find you have an odour problem, call Homevent to come and assess your home/building, identify and provide the correct solution to the problem. Call Homevent now for a free in-home assessment.