Are you thinking about remodeling your outdated kitchen? While the focus probably will be on style and function, you should also consider indoor air quality.
Think about cooking in your kitchen. As you cook, simmer and boil, moisture is being release into the air. The microwave also takes moisture from your food and shoots it back into your kitchen. Along with the moisture comes odors.
Proper ventilation in your kitchen is important. You want a range hood that vents directly to the outside of your home. Try to avoid recirculating systems as they just cycle the same air back into the room without removing the moisture.
You also want to ensure your vent is the correct size for your kitchen. It should be able to handle at least 100 cubic feet of air per minute.
You may also want to take this opportunity to improve air-sealing in your kitchen. Sealing off electrical, plumbing and ventilation penetrations where they’re accessible can keep the moisture from getting into your walls and help improve your indoor air quality.
Think about your new flooring; is the floor you are putting down water resistant. Make sure water can’t seep through and penetrate your sub flooring. Avoid carpeting rooms where water outlets are present.
When choosing paint, caulks and adhesives, choose low VOC (volatile organic compounds) products. You may also want to consider the varnishes that are used on your kitchen cabinets and flooring. This will improve your indoor air quality by reducing the chemicals you’re breathing on a daily basis.
An easy thing you may consider adding with your remodel are houseplants. Houseplants do add moisture to your air but they also help filter out chemicals and odors.
For more information on improving indoor air quality in your home or any of your home comfort needs, contact the experts at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide quality HVAC services to Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about optimizing your indoor air quality and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area