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Use scientific methods to measure air flow and quality (CO2), and humidity. You want around 50% humidity and CO2 to be below 700 ppm. CO2 doesn't directly measu
by z3t4 8y ago
Use scientific methods to measure air flow and quality (CO2), and humidity. You want around 50% humidity and CO2 to be below 700 ppm. CO2 doesn't directly measure air quality, only how often that air is changed. The more like outside (around 300 ppm) the better. 35% or lower humidity will effect your your skin and mucous membrane. A dried out mucous membrane makes it easier to catch a cold. And dried out skin leads to cracks and itching. But too high humidity 80% + is also bad. If the temperature between outside and inside differs more then 7 degrees C, it's enough to effect the humidity, for example if it's cold outside, the cold air expand, leading to less relative water. You can get a humidifier or dehumidifier to control humidity, and use ventilation to control air ventilation. Then there's also temperature, you want around 20-23 C to be comfortable, but I guess you already figured that one =)
- refurb 8y agofor example if it's cold outside, the cold air expand, leading to less relative water. Isn’t it more about the ability of warmer air to hold more water versus the expansion of colder air? Relative humidity is percentage of water (versus saturation) at that temperature. If you have 50% humidity at 50F, and heat the air to 70F, that becomes 27% relative humidity.[1] [1]https://www.lenntech.com/calculators/humidity/relative-humidity.htm https://www.lenntech.com/calculators/humidity/relative-humid...
- z3t4 8y agoI think it's both.
- the_jeremy 8y agoI recently bought a CO2 monitor, and found that my girlfriend's apartment is regularly over 1200 ppm. Is there anything I can do about this issue? We can't just open the windows as it currently ~40F outside.
- trobertson 8y agoYou could get a bunch of plants. They probably won't solve the problem outright, but they are a good first step.
- kilotaras 8y agoTake a look at heat recovery ventilation. The simplest options are installed into basically a hole in the wall.
- z3t4 8y agoFirst check if existing ventilation works. In (old) apartments, leaky doors and windows works as intake, and air go out from toilets and kitchen ventilation. Hold a toilet paper tissue at the outtake in the toilet or kitchen, the air flow should be big enough so that the paper get stuck. If it doesn't - try opening the door or windows. If it helped to open the door, or window, you can install window ventilation, which is basically a hole with an adjustable opening. If opening the window doesn't help you need to move the air mechanically by installing a fan in the kitchen outtake and/or the toilet. A fan might solve the problem for you, but might push the air (and smell) into someone else's apartment ... so it's best to work with the rest of the house, and do a whole house solution, sometimes it's as easy as cleaning the ventilation channel, as birds love buildings nests in them because warm air make it cosy.
- distances 8y agoYou probably have ventilation, but opening the windows is the ventilation procedure in large parts of the world. In lots of buildings even in Europe you simply do that every day, no matter if it's -20 C or +40 C. Massive waste of heat in the winter at least.
- sah2ed 8y agoThis is a very well written comment. It made me curious: what kind of training would one receive to be able to know what to scientifically check for in a building? Building biologist? Thanks!