Healthy room climate
Fresh air for an optimal living environment
The benefits at a glance
For well-being:
The objective is to enrich indoor air with oxygen, to protect against poor concentration and headaches – whether using active or passive systems, and even without opening windows.
Balanced humidity:
It should be possible to achieve low-pollutant window ventilation that prevents environmental pollution, mould and insect infestation in normal residential use.
Save energy:
Active and passive ventilation systems ensure that valuable energy is not wasted, whatever the temperature outside.
Why is ventilation so important?
Modern buildings in particular are very well-insulated so that as little heat as possible is lost when heating. This also means that no air exchange with the outside air can take place. Fresh outside air has a range of positive properties, not just for the building, but also your health. Fresh and healthy air improves your concentration and contributes to better physical wellbeing in general. Regular room ventilation also reduces the impurities and pollutants in the air. In a worst-case scenario, these can lead to diseases. Anyone who is not able to ventilate correctly, or forgets to do so, will have to deal with the formation of mould on the window and in the apartment. This cannot just be damaging to your health, it also takes a great amount of time and effort to remove. And it is often associated with high financial costs. Correct housing ventilation can prevent this moisture and save costs. Besides this, room ventilation is a preventive measures to combat the development or onset of allergies. If pollen, dust or cat hair remains in the room air for too long due to a lack of regular air exchange, the risk of an allergy attack for persons suffering from allergies is significantly higher.
With or without a ventilation system?
There are essentially two options to ensure a healthy room climate. Either you ventilate all rooms in the building in the traditional manner, by opening the windows, or you use a ventilation system that automatically regulates the air exchange. The benefit of manual ventilation is obvious: it’s free. But it also has a number of clear disadvantages. When the window is opened for ventilation, especially in winter, a considerable amount of heat is lost, which needs to be compensated by the heating system and generates associated costs. It is also difficult to estimate how often and how long windows need to be kept open to ensure optimal ventilation. What’s more, people often forget to promptly close the window, in which case a large amount of additional heating is required.
These problems are automatically eliminated by integrated window ventilation. Appropriate ventilation systems with heat recovery minimise heat loss. The window also no longer has to be opened for ventilation. Air exchange is fully automatic thanks to installed sensors. The premises are also regularly ventilated when you are not at home. Various models can even be controlled when you are out and about via WLAN. Closed windows also prevent insects from entering the building, particularly in the summer. Some models include a filter that filters harmful particles, such as pollen and dust, out of the air. In addition, window ventilation can improve soundproofing. All ventilation systems can be used in a new build or can even be installed in existing windows. The window ventilation can also be retrofitted. Another positive, particularly for owner-occupied houses or apartments, is that an integrated window ventilation system can increase the value of the property. This naturally also applies for commercial buildings.
Legal requirements of ventilation systems
The planner and the trades need to comply with legal regulations and limit values during a new build as well as for a refurbishment. These guarantee that no corners are cut in relation to the tightness of the window as well as the air exchange, and that a clean air quality is achieved. This is the responsibility of the relevant planners and trades. They are required to ensure a user-independent air exchange whenever at least one third of the existing windows or a third of the roof area is replaced as part of a refurbishment.
Our GEALAN-CAIRE® window ventilators
To improve your room air, we offer a range of different window ventilators that are suitable for use in different types of rooms. The GEALAN-CAIRE® flex is a passive ventilator that can be easily installed in an existing window. The precision technology used in the window rebate ventilator ensures optimal air exchange without having to open the window.
By contrast, the GEALAN-CAIRE® smart is an active ventilator. It has integrated sensors for temperature and humidity which it uses to guarantee an optimal room climate. It also ensures a high level of heat recovery so that as little energy as possible is lost. The smart model’s integrated filter removes pollen, dust and cat hair from the air, making it ideal for allergy sufferers. Another feature is the control via WLAN. This allows it to be switched on or off while you are out of the house.
The GEALAN-CAIRE® MIKrovent is another active ventilator. This ventilator impresses with a high heat recovery of up to 90–95 per cent. The two versions of the model are designed for different rooms: The MIKrovent 60 with an airflow of 60 cubic metres per hour is perfect for inner-city apartments. The MIKrovent 120 with double the air flow is ideal for loft apartments or large public rooms. And even these solutions are not just used for new buildings: the window ventilation can be retrofitted.
Correct ventilation: here’s how it works
Anyone wanting to ensure healthy room air without a ventilation system should be aware of a few things. The right strategy basically depends on the type of room it relates to. A permanently tilted window must be avoided, as, in this case, the heat loss is too high. Pollutants or a high level of heat or humidity should be removed by direct ventilation. This is particularly the case when cooking or showering. If you are drying the laundry in the apartment, a tilted window in the relevant room is recommended. Increased ventilation is also advisable if building moisture has been identified.
Otherwise the approach to ventilation depends on how the room is used. Ideally, bedrooms should be supplied with fresh air via a tilted window at night. If the weather is too cold, especially in winter, a short but intense window ventilation, where the windows are opened wide, should take place in the morning. To prevent humidity, all rooms should also regularly be intensively ventilated for a short period. This is particularly advisable in cases of poor air quality. Cellar rooms are a special case: as warm air hitting a generally cold cellar wall can lead to the formation of mould, cellar rooms should only be ventilated at night in summer. The time of ventilation is not important in winter. In the bathroom and kitchen, ventilation is advisable after cooking or showering.
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