In years past natural home ventilation solutions were a normal procedure with sub floor brick ventilation as well as ventilators in the walls of the home. Bathroom windows were always ventilated likewise bathrooms and toilets had access through the roof via ducting to the outside atmosphere and roof ventilation was the norm.
However, most homes are now built on a slab of concrete so no sub floor vents, ventilators in the walls have been discontinued to make way for energy star ratings. Bathrooms and kitchen steam is merely dumped into the roofspace and generally if any roof ventilation at all, it’s just one useless whirlybird – see Case Studies & Reports on this site – “Whirlybirds Don’t Work”.
So in general with the new 21st century star ratings mandating a tighter closed up house with excessive insulation and the costs of much needed natural air flow, we have the follow on problems of excessive heat buildup and major moisture problems of high humidity damage and condensation problems in winter and/or long rain periods.
SO THEREFORE WHAT ARE WE TO DO – INTRODUCE SOME FOREGONE HOME VENTILATION SOLUTIONS
Start by ducting bathrooms and kitchens via ducting through the roofspace to the outside atmosphere, furthermore vent clothes dryers and laundries to the outside atmosphere. By doing this, this will alleviate a lot of the moisture that would cause the ongoing problems of – damage to building materials in the roof, mould and mildew caused by moisture soaked insulation batts with follow on SBS (Sick Building Syndrome).
Ventilated bathroom windows are an added advantage, with a really effective roof ventilation system to keep the home cooler in summer and the roof cavity dry from humidity and condensation moisture for all seasons.
Due to the stringent mandated energy star ratings home ventilation systems are a dire necessity in today’s homes.