Description

Reducing the high levels of indoor moisture found in many New Zealand homes is a great start to creating a healthy home. In this overview, we look at some of the ways to do this.

High levels of indoor moisture are one of the major contributors to unhealthy homes. Indicators include condensation on windows and hard surfaces such as mirrors and tiles, mould and mildew growth on ceilings, walls and curtains and a musty, stale smell.

It can be both harmful to health and damaging to interior spaces and can be challenging to manage effectively – indoor moisture is produced constantly and from many sources.

Scope

This article covers:

• Sources of indoor moisture
• Ventilation
• Passive ventilation
  • Cross-flow ventilation and stack ventilation
  • Trickle ventilation
  • Infiltration
• Mechanical ventilation
• Whole-house ventilation systems
  • Balanced systems
  • Supply systems
  • Solar ventilation air preheating systems
• Improving ventilation during renovations