April 3, 2021 Published by Alan Fitzsimons

You focus on eating healthy and living healthy, but when was the last time you thought about breathing healthy?

The average Australian spends 90% of their time indoors.

It’s easy to assume sitting at home is your safe space, and that you’re protected from environmental factors outside your front door. But did you know the air inside your Victorian home is typically 2x – 5x WORSE than the air outdoors?

The cleanliness of the air in your home comes down to Indoor Air Quality (AIQ) which refers to the air in and around your home – and how that air affects your health. Some people may be more vulnerable to air pollution, while long-term exposure to poor air quality can lead to severe health problems ranging from lung problems to cancer.

It can be confronting to learn the air you breathe day and night may be harming your health, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones. Air purifiers and filters can be built into your home’s heating and cooling system, giving you a home ventilation system with complete control over your indoor climate AND air quality.

Read on to discover 4 surprising benefits of your own home ventilation system, plus a simple guide to help you choose the right level of filtration for you.

1.  Healthier air

 The average Australian adult breathes 13,000 litres of air each day.

That’s a lot of breath in and out. If the air you’re breathing is full of contaminates – known as particulates, microorganisms, and volatile organic compounds (VOC) – you can run into health problems ranging from:

• Asthma
• Allergies
• Chronic Bronchitis
• Sinus Problems
• Common Colds
• Influenza
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Fatigue
• Eye, Nose & Throat Irritation

A home ventilation system as part of your heating or cooling set-up cleans your air using highly efficient filtration to trap particles, neutralise microorganisms, and eliminate VOCs.

The result? Healthier air and healthier lungs.

2.  Stop germs and sickness from spreading

The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 showed us all how important it is to protect our lungs against germs and sickness.

Air purifiers help to stop the spread of airborne microorganisms that cause flus and colds. So if you’re concerned you’ll catch your child’s cold and be forced to take time off work, a ventilation system built into your AC or heat recovery ventilation system can help you stay fit and healthy.

With the right HEPA air purifier (this refers to a type of filter that traps small particles) it’s possible to neutralise up to 99.97% of airborne germs, so you can sleep soundly knowing your health is being looked after.

3.  Remove triggers for asthma attacks

Your home is packed full of potential asthma attack triggers – these are known as particulate matter. Just .3 to 10 microns in size (the average human hair is 50 microns wide for comparison), you won’t be able to spot these triggers…but your lungs will notice them. Even if you don’t suffer from asthma, your guests and family might.

Asthma triggers may include:

• Dirt
• Dust
• Dry skin cells
• Household cleaners
• Air-freshener sprays
• Smoke from cooking, cosmetics or hairspray

A home ventilation system removes these dangerous particles from the air, stopping them from being inhaled by asthmatics. A home ventilation system using HEPA air filters is designed to reduce indoor pollution and protect against breathing problems.

4.  Save your money

If you care about the air quality in your home, you’ll want to make sure each room has been ventilated fully. Portable air purifiers are common and affordable, but these only target one room at a time.

To effectively purify the air in EVERY room is going to cost thousands of dollars in multiple purifier units.

The solution? Whole house air purifiers inside your air conditioning unit or heat recovery ventilation system.

The long-term result of an efficient air purifier keeps money in your pocket, rather than paying for the extra electricity costs and filter replacement of smaller portable units. Additionally, an efficient heat recovery ventilation system has a summer by-pass mode that brings in cool air from outside when the conditions are right. This reduces the load on your air-conditioning unit and keeps more money where it belongs (i.e. in your pocket).

How to choose the right home ventilation system for you

When considering the air quality in your home, there are a few factors that need to be considered.

The modern Australian home is becoming more and more airtight, meaning fresh air needs to be introduced through open windows or mechanical ventilation. A fresh breeze from an open window feels great on the face, but with vehicle emissions, pollutants, and smoke from regular seasonal bushfires, you could be putting your health at risk.

Choosing the right home ventilation system will come down to your heating and cooling needs, as well as the level of protection against dangerous particles you’re looking to achieve.

The most efficient solution is heat recovery ventilation (HRV).

An HRV system removes stale, damp air from wet areas in your home while bringing in filtered fresh air for you to breathe. Since both supply and exhaust pass through a heat exchanger in the HRV unit, approximately 90% of the energy from your home can be retained.

In short, your own HRV system lets fresh air into your home without letting this fresh air affect the inside temperature. You can enjoy a warm space in winter without the air inside becoming stale, full of CO2, and bad for your health. While in the summer months you’ll have full, filtered fresh air brought into your home in the knowledge it’s not only making your house healthier but saving you money in air conditioning running costs too.

The importance of filters

Inside each HRV unit lives a bank of filters that remove particles from the air. Under ISO standards these filters are divided into 4 groups:

• PM1
• 5
• PM10
• PM Coarse

These refer to the particle sizes each filter is designed to capture. Filters can be selected based on how clean your air needs to be. This is beneficial because it allows you to protect against you, or your family’s, unique health concerns. For example, some models in our recommended Stiebel Eltron range are Asthma Council approved when used with low specification filters.

What if I need a higher level of air filtration?

For higher levels of air filtration, we recommend an Airsmart Indoor Environment System.

Airsmart Indoor Environment Systems offer a complete solution to heat and cool your home with the optional upgrade to provide filtered fresh air.

Upgrade Option #1 – Add a UV HEPA filter to sterilise the air

Upgrade Option #2 – Add heat recovery ventilation

The system is a fully sealed, high-velocity duct system that pumps conditioned air under pressure through small ductwork to small, aesthetically pleasing outlets.

Each outlet face offers zero restriction of air and blows a straight jet of filtered and conditioned air into the corners of your room. And thanks to Airsmart’s Air Purification module, which incorporates a HEPA filter and UBV light, 99.9% of contaminants are removed from the air.

Nothing is more important than your health. With innovative technology allowing you to control the temperature of your Melbourne home, as well as control the air quality, you can breathe easy knowing you’re protected.

Looking to improve the quality of air in your home? Request a FREE design brief to heat, cool, and purify the air in your home.