Infographic: Ventilation and indoor air quality

What is ventilation?

Ventilation is the movement of air into or out of homes. It can be used to improve indoor air quality by removing pollutants from the home and by bringing in fresh air.

Natural ventilation

The air circulates through:

• Open windows
• Open doors
• Chimneys
• Vents
• Cracks

Mechanical ventilation

The air flow is created by the use of:

• Fans
• Ducts
• Kitchen and bathroom fans
• Forced air furnaces
• Heat-recovery ventilators (HRV)
• Energy-recovery ventilators (ERV)

Signs that ventilation is too low

• High humidity
• Mould
• Odours
• Stuffiness

Signs that ventilation is too high

• Higher heating (or cooling) bills
• Dry air
• Drafts and discomfort

Using ventilation to improve indoor air quality

• Opening windows
• Using bathroom fan
• Setting your mechanical ventilation system to a higher setting or letting it run longer
• Installing a fresh air duct into your forced-air furnace
• Using your HRV or an ERV
• Using your furnace fan or, if necessary, a separate fan to distribute air
• Using your range hood on the highest setting while cooking

For more information on ventilation, please visit www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/air-quality.html or contact us at: hc.air.sc@canada.ca