How do I insulate my house without suffocating it?

Insulating your house to keep out drafts and reduce your energy bill is a good idea! But a home also needs fresh air to evacuate moisture and pollutants that inevitably accumulate inside.There is just way of bringing in this fresh air: ventilation.

What happens if there is not enough ventilation?

A house that is too tightly sealed and not ventilated enough accumulates damp from breathing, plants, cooking or doing the laundry.You can see condensation form around the windows, behind certain pieces of furniture and on the coldest walls of the house.

These are unmistakable signs and ultimately your home will deteriorate. Mould stains appear, unpleasant odours are released, the wallpaper peels and paint and plaster lift away.

In addition, the house is responsible for indoor pollutants that are bad for health, which you must be careful to evacuate: carbon dioxide from breathing, solvents from paints, glues, cleaning products, tobacco smoke, soot from candles, mould spores, dust, animal smells, ammonia, etc.

How do I ventilate my house properly without cooling it?

Here are some good tips to ventilate your home properly which are easy to put in place:

• Open the windows for a maximum of fifteen minutes per day throughout the year, preferably before 10 a.m. and after 9 p.m.
• Have an air extractor installed in damp rooms (kitchen, bathroom and WC).
• Fit new windows with ventilation grilles.
• Every three months, clean the filters in your mechanical ventilation system.Vacuum the inlets as soon as they get dirty.
• Do not dry clothes inside but rather use a naturally ventilated area (attic, extension, garage, cellar) or a tumble dryer.