Suggestions from Ellen
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Effective insulation and sensible ventilation
Although they are often mentioned in a single breath, insulation and ventilation are two different things. People refer to the loss of heat through seams and gaps as "natural ventilation" or "unintended ventilation". It is a good thing to insulate the home, but at the same time it is important to provide proper ventilation for a comfortable and healthy indoor climate.
- Keep the ventilation grids above the windows open. Is it very cold out with a strong wind? If so, close the grids no more than half-way.
- Regularly clean the grids. That can be done with a vacuum-cleaner. Remember to clean the inside, too. Spider webs and leaves can affect the ventilation capacity.
- Check whether the ventilation grids in the outer wall are still open. These grids keep your crawl space and cavity walls dry.
- Have you finished cooking? Leave the extractor hood on for another fifteen minutes in order to discharge the excess humidity in your kitchen.
- Check the filter in your extractor hood. Its capacity is reduced by soiling. Replace the plastic filters in good time. If you have metal filters, clean them regularly with soapy water or put them in the dish washer.
- After a shower leave the ventilator on for another fifteen minutes or open a window for a while.
- Are there smokers in your home? If so, provide extra ventilation.
If possible, choose a newly built home or if you are renovating your existing home opt for a ventilation system that you can adapt to your fresh air requirement. A system with heat extraction is preferable as the heat from the discharged air is used to heat the fresh air.
- Does your home have mechanical ventilation? If so, have it cleaned periodically, when your central heating system is checked for instance. Dirt and grease can accumulate in the ventilator.