With summer rolling in soon, you should start thinking of ways to make your home cooler and more comfortable during the warm season–but without relying too much on your air conditioning. One good idea is to integrate passive ventilation into your home’s design. But what exactly is passive ventilation, and how do you get the most out of it? Universal Roofing & Exteriors, the premier roof repair company in the area, shares more of what you need to know here.
What is Passive Ventilation?
As its name suggests, passive ventilation refers to a non-mechanical method of bringing cool, fresh air into your home, while letting warm, stale air out. You probably already know just how beneficial increased access to natural ventilation can be. For starters, it helps prevent warm, moisture-laden air from building up inside your home and this, in turn, reduces the potential for mold growth and mildew. Not only that, but it also makes a huge difference to indoor air quality, allowing you to avoid a number of health risks associated with mold spores and other harmful particles in the air.
Passive ventilation offers the added benefit of keeping your home cool and comfortable without having to switch on any type of equipment. It does so naturally–which means greater savings–and with little effort. You just need to have the necessary components in place. Roofing vents, doors, and louvers can help with passive ventilation, but using windows is probably the simplest way.
Effective Passive Ventilation Using Windows
To make the most of passive ventilation using windows, you should consider the following:
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The area of windows that should open to the outside should be at least five percent of the floor area for each living space–or more for areas that generate excess moisture, such as bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens.
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South and east-facing windows should be opened because they’re better at letting in cool air from early in the day. To keep the air moving, make sure to open the north and west-facing windows on the upper levels of your home.
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You can cross-ventilate by opening windows on opposite sides of your home.
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Have casement windows installed because their sashes can be opened wide, or angled to better direct fresh, cool air into your home.
Aside from drone roof inspections, Universal Roofing & Exteriors offers high-quality window replacement services. With our top-tier vinyl windows from Jeld-Wen®, we’ll make sure you can incorporate effective passive ventilation into your home’s design. We proudly serve the areas in and around Indianapolis, Zionsville, and Fishers, IN. Call us today at (317) 257-0779 or fill out this contact form to schedule your consultation.
