n average, Canadians spend 90% of their time indoors, mostly at home, especially in the case of children and the elderly. A home not working efficiently could be compromising indoor air quality and costing more than it should.
Your home needs to breathe properly. Inadequate outside air in your home could lead to numerous problems harmful to your health. One third of Canadians have some allergy, lung disease or environmental sensitivity. Good air quality at home is especially important.
Each day 10 to 50 litres of moisture are released into the average home. Over a heating season, that adds up to 2,000 - 10,000 litres of moisture! CMHC has found almost 30% of new homes have poor ventilation so that moisture will do serious damage to your home.
It can soak into your roof sheathing, outside walls and insulation resulting in damage to the house. Moist air is also ideal for mould, bacteria and dust mites. If your family is exposed to moulds, you might notice sneezing, skin irritation or even asthma.
Signs of poor ventilation are:
Poor ventilation also leads to a build-up of toxins from synthetic fabrics, household products and improperly maintained or vented cooking stoves, fire-places and furnaces.
You will also notice cold floors, ice dams on the roof and drafts, leading to high heating bills.
EnviroCentre, a non-profit community enterprise, can help you make your home more efficient, improve indoor air quality, ensure you are comfortable in the winter and reduce your utility bills.
Since 1998, EnviroCentre has helped over 300 homeowners find an average of $400/year in savings. Their Home Comfort Service will study your home from basement to attic, measuring ventilation, locating drafts and identifying energy efficient alternatives.
The Home Comfort Service is available for $150 (houses 2,500 sq. feet or less in the National Capital Region) and includes an EnerGuide for Houses assessment, currently supported by the federal government.
For information on this service to save money on bills and improve indoor air quality, contact EnviroCentre, 244-5624 or surf to www.envirocentre.ca