With conservation and “green” living so important in today’s new housing structures, it’s important to remember that in addition to making sure our homes are airtight to keep out noxious fumes, we must also provide a method to prevent the growth of deadly mold.

In recent years, homes have been built to be more energy efficient than ever before. To do this, structures must be built with airtight designs, windows that have better seals, and insulating materials that are intended to use less electricity and gas. The result is fewer drafts, as well as lower heating and cooling costs for the homeowner. Unfortunately, the same efficiency also retains contaminants that can be dangerous to the people living in the house.

That is why it is so important to install decent ventilation. When quality vents are maintained, whether they have been retrofitted or incorporated into new plans, many common household problems can be controlled, if not largely eliminated.

All homes, to some degree, have biological contaminants, such as mold, viruses, and bacteria. These include dust mites, pet dander, and other hazardous debris that can affect the health of residents as well as the building itself.

Most of these contaminants tend to thrive in humid environments, most commonly bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms. However, faulty gutters, faulty waterproofing in foundations or attics, and even human respiration can also lead to mold and mildew growth.

The best way to prevent this problem and improve indoor air quality is obviously to reduce or eliminate as many pollutants as possible. In addition to installing proper ventilation, it must also be used! This is pretty simple. With a flick of the switch as you enter the room, the fan turns on and should stay on for at least 20 minutes after the water source has been turned off.

As an example: When you go into the bathroom for your morning shower or bath, turn on the fan. Let it act while you finish your morning grooming procedures and tidy up your bedroom before heading out to start the day. Turn it off before you go out. If it’s the laundry room, turn the unit on before starting the first load and leave it on until the last load has been removed and put away from the dryer.

Other steps to take to improve the air quality inside your home: Remove paints, cleaning solvents, and other chemicals and store them in a garage or, better yet, a freestanding shed. If you do something to store them in an attached garage, make sure there is a tight seal between it and the house. Use cleaning products that have a low level of toxicity.

Continuous ventilation is also available today. All of this means that the unit is installed throughout the entire structure of the home and is on a timer that includes a sensor. When the sensor is told that there is a certain amount of humidity in the environment, it turns itself on.

Fortunately, there are also many companies that have taken the need to adjust noise pollution just as seriously as they have taken the need to control the need for clean air. Today’s units are incredibly quiet.

Ideally, in today’s “environmentally conscious” society, we can all enjoy the comforts of clean, fresh air and energy-efficient homes.