UK
ventilation manufacturer EnviroVent has praised the NICE (National Institute of
Health & Care Excellence) draft guidance on reducing indoor air pollution
and improving air quality in homes.
The
guidance ‘Indoor Air Quality at Home’ is aimed at audiences including health
practitioners, public health professionals, architects, property landlords,
housing associations and members of the public.
The
guidelines recommend that homes should have adequate ventilation – whether that
be through opening windows or via mechanical ventilation or extract fans to
kitchen and bathrooms. They also recommend that checks are carried out to
ensure that ventilation units are working properly and have not become
blocked.
Rebecca
McLean, Marketing and Product Director at Envirovent, said: “It is very
positive news that the NICE guidance advises using ventilation in homes,
wherever possible, to improve indoor air quality. Condensation and mould has
become a bigger issue in recent times due to improved insulation and air
tightness of properties and, if left unchecked, this can lead to health issues
for occupants.”
When it
comes to factors that negatively affect indoor air quality, the guidelines
recommend the use of low emissions materials to reduce people’s exposure to
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), which can be polluting to the indoor
atmosphere and harmful to health. They also recommend that landlords and
householders identify problems such as mould and damp and action is taken to
eradicate them. The guidance identifies that the most effective long-term
solution is a ventilation system.
The draft
guidance confirms the critical role that ventilation plays in removing
pollutants and improving indoor air quality. Households are recommended to
increase ventilation by using extractor fans in bathrooms and kitchens when
carrying out activities such as cooking, or when using open fires, candles, gas
heaters, cleaning products, household sprays, as well as air drying clothes in
the home.
The
guidelines outline how some people are particularly vulnerable to ill health as
a result of exposure to poor indoor air quality, including infants, pregnant
women, the disabled and elderly. In addition to this, housing conditions that
put people at increased risk of exposure to poor indoor air include living near
high levels of outdoor air pollution and overcrowded properties with inadequate
ventilation.
NICE
identifies that poor Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) costs the UK over 240,000 healthy
life years per annum, with 45% lost to cardiovascular diseases, 23% to asthma
and allergies and 15% to lung cancer.
It
therefore urges close co-operation between local authorities and existing
health and social care providers who visit homes to identify poor indoor air
quality and if this is found then a property should be referred for housing
assessment.
Rebecca
McLean continues: “Homes with poor indoor air quality can be breeding grounds
for mould, which can worsen asthma and other respiratory conditions.
Research has shown that indoor air can be many times more toxic than the air
outside. An effective ventilation system can reduce problems with mould
and condensation and the harmful effect of toxins from chemicals in furniture
and aerosols used, creating a much healthier living environment.”
For
architects and builders, the NICE guidance recommends adopting a whole house
approach to heating and ventilation to optimise indoor air quality and to
reduce exposure to pollutants. It also recommends a balanced approach to
ventilation, insulation and heating to achieve a good level of IAQ.
There are
a wide range of health-related conditions that can arise from exposure to poor
indoor air quality. If householders experience this, then having a home’s
indoor air quality tested could be the start of solving the problem and
improving occupants’ health.
EnviroVent
offers a full range of MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) systems
for new build properties as well as Positive Input Ventilation systems and
Extract Fans for retrofitting into existing properties.
In addition, the company offers Home Health Checks in
association with Airtopia to identify specific pollutants and allergens in the
home. This involves a full Indoor Air Quality test, plus detailed laboratory
tests and a bespoke report.
