Ventilate
Ventilation is the process of exchanging or replacing air in any space to provide high indoor air quality. This involves temperature control, oxygen replenishment, and removal of moisture, odors, smoke, heat, dust, airborne bacteria, carbon dioxide, and other gases. Ventilation includes both the exchange of air with the outside as well as circulation of air within the building. It is one of the most important factors for maintaining acceptable indoor air quality in buildings.
Methods of ventilation[edit | edit source]
Ventilation is divided into two types: mechanical/forced and natural ventilation.
Mechanical ventilation is used to control indoor air quality. Excess humidity, odors, and contaminants can often be controlled via dilution or replacement with outside air. However, in humid climates much energy is required to remove excess moisture from ventilation air.
Natural ventilation is the ventilation of a building with outside air without using fans or other mechanical systems. It can be achieved with openable windows or trickle vents when the spaces to ventilate are small and the architecture permits. In more complex schemes, warm air in the building can be allowed to rise and flow out upper openings to the outside (Stack effect), causing cool outside air to be drawn into the building naturally through openings in the lower areas.
Ventilation rates[edit | edit source]
Ventilation rates are important for indoor air quality. The design of effective ventilation systems is complex because each building has its own unique layout and occupancy. The amount of ventilation required depends on the design of the building, the type of work being performed, the number of occupants, and the amount of equipment in use.
Health aspects[edit | edit source]
Poorly ventilated or overly humid spaces may increase the risk of respiratory illness. In particular, damp and moldy environments can cause respiratory symptoms and conditions such as asthma. Ventilation might be one of the most important factors in preventing the transmission of airborne illnesses such as tuberculosis.
See also[edit | edit source]
| Ventilate Resources | |
|---|---|
|
 |
Search WikiMD
Ad.Tired of being Overweight? Try W8MD's physician weight loss program.
Semaglutide (Ozempic / Wegovy and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro / Zepbound) available.
Advertise on WikiMD
|
WikiMD's Wellness Encyclopedia |
| Let Food Be Thy Medicine Medicine Thy Food - Hippocrates |
Translate this page: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
தமிழ்,
తెలుగు,
Urdu,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
বাংলা
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
Greek,
português do Brasil,
polski,
română,
русский,
Nederlands,
norsk,
svenska,
suomi,
Italian
Middle Eastern & African
عربى,
Turkish,
Persian,
Hebrew,
Afrikaans,
isiZulu,
Kiswahili,
Other
Bulgarian,
Hungarian,
Czech,
Swedish,
മലയാളം,
मराठी,
ਪੰਜਾਬੀ,
ગુજરાતી,
Portuguese,
Ukrainian
Medical Disclaimer: WikiMD is not a substitute for professional medical advice. The information on WikiMD is provided as an information resource only, may be incorrect, outdated or misleading, and is not to be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes. Please consult your health care provider before making any healthcare decisions or for guidance about a specific medical condition. WikiMD expressly disclaims responsibility, and shall have no liability, for any damages, loss, injury, or liability whatsoever suffered as a result of your reliance on the information contained in this site. By visiting this site you agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, which may from time to time be changed or supplemented by WikiMD. If you do not agree to the foregoing terms and conditions, you should not enter or use this site. See full disclaimer.
Credits:Most images are courtesy of Wikimedia commons, and templates Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY SA or similar.
Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
