Opening the window will let the virus in? Or is unventilated indoor air pollution more harmful? How can ventilation be better?

Date: 2022-06-02 Categories: Industry News Hits: 1137


      In the measures to block the spread of the new coronavirus, in addition to wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and doing a good job of disinfection, opening windows for ventilation is also an indispensable and effective way.

      Many friends will also have questions about this: If there is a virus in the air, wouldn't the window be opened for ventilation to let the virus run into the home? Especially when there are still suspected cases in isolation in the community. But without windows, if the indoor air is polluted, will it cause more serious damage to our health?

So, should you open windows for ventilation?

01 The so-called "aerosol transmission", can the virus "float in" from the window?

We must first be clear that aerosol transmission ≠ air transmission.

Aerosol transmission refers to the nuclei composed of proteins and pathogens left behind by droplets losing moisture during the air suspension process, forming droplet nuclei, which can float to a distance in the form of aerosols, causing long-distance transmission.

Experiments show that aerosol transmission must meet three conditions at the same time: airtight, long time, and high virus concentration. Otherwise the possibility of aerosol infection is extremely low.

In a ventilated environment, there is generally no new coronavirus in the air.

02 What is indoor air pollution and where does it come from?

The World Health Organization has already listed "indoor air pollution" as one of the top ten threats to human health.

Indoor air pollution refers to the presence of substances that are harmful to human health in the air in closed spaces (such as residences, schools, offices, shopping malls, etc.), and the concentration has exceeded the national standard and reached the level of harm to human health. (For specific indoor pollution sources, please refer to our previous articles)

Therefore, ventilation is not only to prevent the new crown virus, but the harmful substances floating in the indoor air are also an important reason for our daily ventilation.

03 Neighbors are isolated at home, can they still open windows for ventilation? Yes, but with relative ventilation.

If the isolated neighbor is far from your home, opening the window is not a big problem.

If the isolated neighbors are close to their home (such as going up and down the stairs), and if they live in a residential area with small building spacing or high residential density, it is recommended to stagger the peak ventilation, and the staggered peak time interval is greater than 2 hours.

However, if the community or building you are in is a clustered disease area, it is recommended to open less windows, and try to choose a time when there is less movement of people for ventilation time.

04 When returning to the south from the south, do you open the windows for ventilation, or close the windows to prevent moisture?

Choose a relatively dry period to open the window.

It is best to close the doors and windows during the two periods with the highest humidity, from 6:00 am to 9:00 am and from 20:00 pm to 2:00 am the next day.

During the high temperature and relatively dry period between 12 and 16 o'clock, especially when the sun is high, it is recommended to open the windows briefly for ventilation.

05 If there is smog, can you still open the windows for ventilation? If the air quality is severe and heavily polluted, it is not recommended to open windows for ventilation.

When the smog is not too serious, it is also necessary to reduce the frequency of opening windows.

And it is best to open the windows smaller when there are screen windows, use a humidifier and air purifier indoors, or put a basin of water on the heating, which is conducive to "purifying" the air and reducing particulate matter in the air.

06 Can the ventilation function of air conditioners replace opening windows for ventilation? cannot.

At present, the "ventilation" of most air conditioners on the market is actually just like an electric fan, which blows air into the room to allow the indoor air to flow, and does not exchange and circulate with the outdoor air.

Even if some air conditioners really have the function of "ventilation", they only realize the circulation of indoor and outdoor air through a pipe. This ventilation efficiency is far lower than direct window ventilation.

In addition, when using air conditioners, pay attention to the centralized central air conditioner with "return air" (recycling of indoor air), which is not recommended, because the indoor air will be circulated in different places and rooms, increasing the Risk of cross infection.

07 "Open windows for ventilation", the best way and the best time period

The best way: To achieve the best effect by opening the windows for ventilation, it is also very particular about it. We should open the two vents that are farthest apart in the room, let the air pass through the whole room, and truly achieve "in and out" in order to achieve the effect of opening windows for ventilation and dispersing viruses.

The best time period: 8:00 to 11:00, 13:00 to 16:00.

During these two prime time periods, when the concentration of air pollutants is relatively low, we can properly open windows for ventilation. 10 am and 3 pm are the prime window opening times during prime time.

Open the windows three times a day, each time greater than 15 minutes, is the standard for healthy ventilation. Of course, we should pay attention to keep warm and not catch a cold, especially for families with the elderly and children.

However, sometimes we still have to reduce the opening of windows for ventilation. For example, in the special circumstances mentioned above - hazy days, in the climate of returning to the south, or cases of clustered diseases in the community, we must open fewer windows.

 #room air purifier home#air cleaner air purifier#pm2.5 air purifier home#air purifier with hepa filter#oem air purifier