Stale air is a common problem in apartments. It can lead to unpleasant odors, stifling heat, and an overly stuffy atmosphere inside the home.
Several health risks are also associated with breathing in stale air, allergens, and house dust.
Therefore, it is important to understand why apartments get stuffy and what you can do about it.
Why Is My Apartment Stuffy?
When it comes to air quality, apartment life comes with its own set of obstacles. Poor air quality may result from a combination of factors, such as pollutants, lack of space, and inability to regulate air.
Some common causes of stuffy and humid apartments include faulty HVAC, water damage, mold and mildew, dirty vents, and poor apartment layout.
Furthermore, outside hot air may leak into the apartment, affecting the natural ventilation of your home. Read on to learn why your apartment may feel humid and stuffy.
Outdated or Faulty HVAC
A well-functioning HVAC system is meant to continuously expel stale air from your home while bringing in fresh air. It maintains a consistent airflow.
However, a defective HVAC system may not be able to maintain adequate ventilation. Therefore, if your apartment feels stuffy, the first thing you should do is check your HVAC system.
You may find that the air conditioner is not functioning well. This usually happens due to issues like dirty filters that need to be replaced. It may be time to schedule maintenance or get a new system.
Lack of Ventilation
Most apartments lack adequate ventilation due to a limited number of windows and vents.
Healthy air requires adequate ventilation to control temperature and avoid the accumulation of mold and dust. Humidity causes air to stagnate, which in turn traps dust.
Therefore, to keep your home comfortable, you should do anything you can to improve the airflow throughout the room.
Keeping your windows open as often as possible will help to increase airflow in your apartment. Cross-ventilation can also be achieved with the aid of ceiling fans or well-placed box fans.
Also read: Why Is My Apartment So Dusty
Thermal Boundary Issues
Your apartment’s air sealing abilities should be maximized to keep the inside air in, and the outside air out. It should also be able to control airflow, letting in cool air and expelling heated air as needed.
This is handled by the thermal boundary of the apartment. The roof, ceiling, and walls of your apartment form the thermal boundary, which separates the interior from the exterior.
These locations require insulation to ensure they are airtight. Otherwise, warm air from outside can enter your flat if its thermal boundary is compromised.
Since moving this heated air back outside is not easy, it collects in the apartment and moves slowly, making every area feel stuffy.
You may want to check your thermal boundary if you find that stuffy hot air gathers and remains in your apartment’s upper areas during the summer.
To solve this problem, you must update your insulation and air sealing. Keep in mind that hot air leaks also make your HVAC work overtime.
It will not only lead to excessive utility bills but will also cause the HVAC’s performance to deteriorate over time. Get in touch with your landlord if you have concerns about the thermal boundary in your flat.
Dirty or Stuffy Vents
How frequently do you schedule maintenance for your ventilation system? It’s possible that the vents and ducts are distributing the stale air in your residence.
Stuffiness in the apartment can be caused by a number of factors, including clogged air vents, air leaks, and the presence of dirt or dust in the ducting.
Having expert maintenance done on your ducts is a good idea if you haven’t had them checked or cleaned in a while.
You can also check your vents, ducts, and other airways for any obstructions like cloth and upholstery. You can do this by putting your hand in front of a vent when the HVAC system is running.
Verify that air is indeed emerging from their openings. Otherwise, you might want to seek professional help to clear your HVAC.
Mold and Mildew
Mold and mildew are sometimes the culprits behind that stuffy air and musty odor. This frequently happens in older apartments that have had persistent ventilation problems for a long time.
It’s important to act promptly if you discover mold or mildew growing in your apartment since it can cause serious health problems.
Breathing in mold spores can cause a wide variety of respiratory illnesses and make breathing difficult. It may be unsafe to live in an apartment with a mold problem.
A musty odor and visible mold or mildew growth on the walls or ceiling are all signs of a mold or mildew problem in your apartment.
Mold can be avoided in the bathroom by keeping it clean, dry, and ventilated as much as possible. Make sure there are no leaks in the laundry room’s water supply.
Water Damage
If the air in your apartment feels damp and stuffy, you need to check for water damage. A musty odor in the apartment is also a sign of water damage, which is the leading cause of mold growth.
In most cases, the air will have that musty, mildewy odor that comes with having just experienced water damage. The mildew will soon turn into mold, causing health problems for the residents.
Once the source of the moisture has been eliminated, it is imperative to further check that no other sources of moisture or water damage remain.
Make sure to install an exhaust fan in the restroom if the dampness seems to be coming from there. Also, remove wet items from the washer right away, and keep the dryer’s lint filter and vents clean.
A dehumidifier is also an excellent tool for controlling moisture levels in your apartment.
Poor Apartment Layout
Windowless bathrooms and/or combined laundry and bathroom spaces are prevalent in compact apartments.
It can be especially difficult to prevent humidity, mold, and mildew growth when multiple “wet rooms” are located in close proximity to one another.
Mold may grow in many places in a bathroom, some of which you may never see. This includes the grout between tiles, the drywall, and even the shower curtain.
Mold can also grow in a washing machine or dryer if they aren’t dried thoroughly after use. Therefore, it is best to look for apartments with private bathrooms and laundry rooms.
Check to see if each one has a window you can open. In addition, it is recommended that you install a fan in both your bathroom and your laundry room.
Volatile Organic Compounds and Combustion Toxin
Volatile organic compounds, such as acetone, benzene, and formaldehyde, are present in a wide variety of common household items.
They pose a threat to both your air quality and your health because they are released into the atmosphere as gases.
On the other hand, combustion pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide are present in apartments due to poor ventilation.
Gas stoves, home dryers, electric heaters, and fireplaces are just some of the appliances that emit these gases.
The volume of gas discharged varies depending on factors such as how effectively they were built and maintained and the sort of gas they consume.
The accumulation of these gases and toxins in the air can make it feel stale and stuffy over time, making it hard to breathe.
While these compounds are not totally avoidable, knowing their origin can help you take the necessary safety measures.
You can reduce exposure by using eco-friendly cleaning products and avoiding synthetic air fresheners and candles. Bringing in indoor plants like Boston ferns and palms may also help improve air quality.
If you can, open a window when you’re in the kitchen or drying clothes. All heating appliances should have access to the outside air. Use a fan if natural ventilation is not possible.
Smoke
Cigarette smoke has a habit of permeating fabrics and lingering in the air, making the environment unpleasant. Stale cigarette smoke odors can remain long after the source has been extinguished.
Smoke from cooking can also leave your apartment stuffy in the absence of proper ventilation. If you must light up a cigarette indoors, do it only near an open window that provides fresh air.
You can also boost airflow by leaving a box fan on after you’re done smoking or cooking. Make sure to point it in the correct direction, so the smoke goes outside rather than in.
Getting Rid of Stale Stuffy Air: Why It Matters?
The Environmental Protection Agency warns that indoor air can often be more contaminated than the air outside.
All the dust and pollutants in your apartment have a chance to accumulate in the restricted space, posing a greater health risk to you.
Health problems can develop rapidly when irritants are trapped due to poor ventilation. Coughing, sneezing, respiratory difficulties, and allergic reactions are just some of the symptoms.
While you may not have much control over the air pollution you’re subjected to outside, you can have some say over what’s going on inside your flat.
You may easily improve air quality and eliminate stuffiness in your apartment by regulating the humidity, maintaining a dry environment, and increasing ventilation.
You should also upgrade heating and cooling systems, together with improved ventilation and a well-planned layout, to eliminate stale air from your apartment.
Other articles you may also like:
- How Do I Stop My Clothes from Smelling Like Food in My Apartment?
- Why Is It More Humid in My Apartment Than Outside?
- Where Do Apartment Bathroom Vents Go?
- How to Dehumidify an Apartment? 8 Effective Ways!
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