To increase room pressure, increase supply airflow. To decrease room pressure, increase return or exhaust airflow. Or you can take the opposite steps in the referenced pressure room. When a room's pressure is stated with reference to outdoors, a few steps may be added to the testing.
What are the common causes of poor air flow in a room? Dust, debris, and allergens accumulate in air ducts and filters. Dust, pollen, pet dander, and other allergens harbor in rugs, carpets, and windows. Airborne particles are not captured by HEPA filters.
By using ceiling fans, or portable fans for trouble spots, you can keep the air moving and avoid stuffy air and that stale smell. If your stale air problems are caused by moisture, a dehumidifier can help by taking that moisture right out of the air in any room that's giving you trouble.
If it's safe to do so, open doors and windows as much as you can to bring in fresh, outdoor air. While it's better to open them widely, even having a window cracked open slightly can help. If you can, open multiple doors and windows to allow more fresh air to move inside.
Scents and chemicals in your bedroom can affect your air quality. Even pleasant scents, like candles, plug-ins, essential oils, and potpourri, can cause asthma symptoms. New furniture, especially mattresses, can have a strong scent. This is called offgassing.
Lots of things can cause your blower to have trouble, especially if it gets too dirty. A fan clogged by dirt, a stuck wheel, broken motor, or a loose fan belt are all common problems that reduce the amount of airflow you feel coming from your vents. How to fix: Call an AC tech to examine and fix the blower.
Common issues like leaks, disconnections, or obstructions within the ducts disrupt the flow of cooled air, causing rooms farther from the HVAC unit to suffer the most. In some cases, inadequate insulation of ducts can allow heat to infiltrate, further exacerbating the problem.
CO2 levels that are higher than 1150 ppm will typically occur in bedrooms that are not fitted with a ventilation system and where windows and doors are closed. Above 2600 ppm: Insufficient ventilation—both sleep quality and next-day performance are adversely affected.
Indoor air pollution is usually caused by the accumulation of contaminants from various sources inside a home. Emissions from fireplaces, stoves, cigarettes, cleaning products, newer building materials, and chemicals stored in the home can cause indoor air problems.
Tips for Sealing Air Leaks
Caulk and seal air leaks where plumbing, ducting, or electrical wiring comes through walls, floors, ceilings, and soffits over cabinets. Install foam gaskets behind outlet and switch plates on walls. Inspect dirty spots on any visual insulation for air leaks and mold.
As mentioned in a previous paragraph, room pressurization is achieved by controlling supply, return, and exhaust airflow. By supplying more air than is being returned or exhausted, a room becomes positively pressurized to its surroundings.
The second way of changing air pressure is by the addition or subtraction of heat. Adding heat to a container can transfer energy to air molecules. Heated molecules move with increased velocity, striking the container's boundary with greater force, which is observed as an increase in pressure.
One of the most common causes for poor airflow is a blocked vent. To properly heat or cool your home, the air needs to be unobstructed. To see if there are any blocked vents, look by the baseboards or on the ceiling. Furniture, bedding, and the vent damper could all be possible obstacles to the vent.
If your HVAC system is blocked up or clogged somewhere, your AC won't send enough cool air through the vents when it's running. A fan problem can also cause this issue. Or, you can end up with that problem if you don't address the circulation issues. It's not always easy to realize a circulation problem in the summer.
Cool the home by running the air conditioner, opening windows on a cool day or using ceiling fans. Cool air sinks, suppressing air molecules and increasing air pressure. Warmer air rises, lowering air pressure.
Indoor pollution sources that release gases or particles into the air are the primary cause of indoor air quality problems. Inadequate ventilation can increase indoor pollutant levels by not bringing in enough outdoor air to dilute emissions from indoor sources and by not carrying indoor air pollutants out of the area.