Today's modern people spend at least two thirds of their lives indoors. The indoor air therefore plays an important role, although hardly anyone thinks about its quality in everyday life. In fact, this is influenced by many factors, including odors, bacteria or cigarette smoke - most negative influences can be quickly eliminated with proper ventilation, but if you really want to be surrounded by a pleasant and, above all, healthy indoor climate, you should pay attention to a few things in this regard pay attention to other important points. These include, among other things, the humidity, the proportion of various substances such as carbon dioxide or oxygen in the air or the cooling of the walls. All of this and more ensures that people feel more or less comfortable in their surroundings, which can manifest itself in a variety of ways.
Indoor climate to feel good – the air quality and how it is composed
Air quality contributes significantly to improving physical and mental performance, but to achieve this it should contain a certain concentration of various substances. We speak of clean air when:
– 78% nitrogen
– 21% oxygen
– 0.03% carbon dioxide
0.93% Edelgase
are included. However, as soon as humans, animals or plants intervene in this structure, the composition changes. For example, they release moisture and carbon dioxide into the air or absorb the oxygen content. Ventilation can do a lot to balance out these influences.
When ventilating, the main thing to ensure is that there is shock ventilation, so the windows should be opened completely and this should be done several times a day. This ensures a complete exchange of air. 5 to 15 minutes are enough, although longer times are recommended, especially in the warmer months. Alternatively, so-called cross ventilation can be used, in which both the windows and the doors are completely open and a draft is created. This is also a very effective method of ventilation, but the ventilation time can be shortened accordingly. Furthermore, industry experts such as:The crewIt is recommended that, especially in summer, ventilation should only be carried out in the morning or evening, as the air, which is usually very heated during the day, does not otherwise provide any cooling. There is only one exception for the basement: it should not be ventilated at all in hot temperatures, as the hot outside air often condenses on the cold walls and mold can form very quickly.
Indoor climate to feel good – Not recommended: tilt ventilation
Despite everything, many people prefer to use tilt ventilation because it is simply easier. However, the air exchange takes much longer and is around 30 to 60 minutes - more than enough time to allow the walls and floors to cool down and thus cause higher heating costs, especially in winter. This also promotes the development of mold.
Ventilation is also so important because otherwise mold could quickly form. Although these are present almost everywhere in the air, only high humidity provides them with a breeding ground for germination. Anyone who doesn't take action can sooner or later suffer from the resulting mold - and allergy sufferers in particular can be further weakened.
Indoor climate to feel good – the moisture content in the rooms
To ensure that mold doesn't stand a chance, you should always keep an eye on the moisture content of the apartment. Because this can change significantly over the course of the day due to many everyday processes. The different sources of moisture (for example as water vapor) are particularly important in this regard and influence the indoor air. Depending on how many such sources there are in the household, up to 12 liters of water can come together.
Ideally, the moisture content of the room air should be around 40 to 60 percent. Anything that goes beyond this can lead to mold infestation and respiratory diseases, especially in winter - but air that is too dry also poses a long-term health risk. A so-called hygrometer can be used to find out when a critical value has been reached. It measures the humidity and reports when room ventilation is required.
Indoor climate to feel good – house plants for the indoor climate
A walk in the forest is associated with pure relaxation and the sight of a flowering meadow is also appreciated by many people. However, plants not only create a positive feeling in the middle of nature, they can also demonstrably increase well-being within the four walls of your home. Lush greenery improves the active indoor climate by cooling the air on the one hand and binding dust on the other. In addition, plants are known to produce oxygen and remove carbon dioxide from the air. But the psychological effect of a green environment should not be underestimated either, because the sight of healthy, green plants is actually good for you - at least that's what the so-called attention-recovery theory says, according to which looking at plants provides a balance to strenuous work or high concentration represents and promotes recovery.
Which plants help the indoor climate to feel good?
Ideally, robust house plants should be placed, including, for example, single leaf, cobbler's palm or arched hemp, which are also often used in the office. If you think you don't have a green thumb or want to save yourself strenuous watering work, you can also use water storage vessels, granules orHydroponic systemsfall back.
Houseplants also increase the humidity in the room because they constantly evaporate. This pays off, especially in summer, because then you noticeably lower the room temperature. Plants with particularly large leaves are considered to be very good, natural air humidifiers, including, for example, linden tree or nest fern. Cyprus grass is also a very effective room humidifier. These release around 97 percent of the irrigation water they absorb back into the room air. On particularly sunny days, large plants can convert several liters of water. Another advantage over technical humidifiers: the water evaporated by plants is completely germ-free.
Interesting studies on the effects of houseplants
Plants against pollutants
The University of Technology in Sydney found that plants can greatly reduce the concentration of pollutants in the air. These usually come from the wall color, the building materials, the furniture or carpets. According to the researchers, plants such as ivy, dragon tree or spider plant can reduce indoor air pollution by 50 to 70 percent. The following applies: the more plants, the greater the success.
Plants and their psychological effects
Plants need to be cared for and cared for; they offer people a meaningful activity that is also rewarded. In addition, their absence often leads to poor conditions, which is particularly evident at work. The poor indoor climate can lead to fatigue, headaches and irritation. According to theUniversity of WürzburgIt has also been sufficiently proven that plants also have an emotional and psychological effect: employees in green offices, for example, appreciate the aesthetic added value, are less stressed, feel more comfortable and are psychologically more stable.
Are plants in the bedroom harmful?
The well-intentioned advice persists not to put too many plants in the bedroom, because at night they are supposed to “take the air away” from the resident. In fact, this assumption is not made out of thin air, because plants cannot carry out photosynthesis in the dark, but they still need oxygen. As a result, no one can suffocate, no matter how many plants there are in the room, but a certain loss of air quality is noticeable and manifests itself in discomfort in some people.
An ecological facility for a healthy indoor climate that makes you feel good?
In addition to regular ventilation and the provision of indoor climate-promoting plants, it is also possible to improve the indoor air using so-called eco-furniture. This trend is relatively new, but it is worthwhile both for your own premises and for the environment itself. Furniture made of special wood is used, so the furnishings themselves become a health factor.
The first eco-furniture was already available in the 80s, when harmful wood preservatives and formaldehyde were deliberately avoided during production. At that time, these increasingly promoted respiratory diseases. From now on, the wood should be sourced primarily from local forests and processed carefully. A positive side effect: production resulted in little waste and small amounts of CO2. However, ecological furniture is a sensible investment not only because of its natural and environmentally friendly origin, but also because of its special capabilities. Because natural wood orSolid woodautomatically absorbs liquid when the air humidity is high and releases it again when the air is dry. It regulates the room climate automatically and since there are no harmful paints on the furniture and they have also been treated in such a way that they prevent dirt particles from penetrating, this is completely harmless. Corresponding eco-furniture can be identified using various symbols, including the ÖkoControl seal or the FSC seal.
Even away from the furniture, you can ensure that the furnishings are as free of pollutants as possible. For example, when renovating and painting, attention is paid to whether the paints and varnishes contain harmful substances or which substances (e.g. adhesives) are used in the floor covering. Pests such as house dust mites, cockroaches or moths can also pose a danger, especially for allergy sufferers; their spread is promoted by moisture, similar to mold. There are many options for prevention and control, and there is a detailed guide hereEnvironmental InstituteeV put together.
The bedroom – if you ventilate regularly, you have a healthy indoor climate
