As enjoyable as it is to have an arts and craft room inside your home, you could be putting your health at risk if it lacks proper ventilation. Many of the materials used for crafting hobbies contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are not only combustible, but can be dangerous to your health in enclosed spaces.
Fresh Air Option
Almost all hobby products that have VOCs or flammable gases instruct users to use them with plenty of ventilation. When it’s nice enough to have the windows open, it’s easy enough to pull out the fumes using a fan. During periods when temperatures are either too hot or cold to keep the windows open, though, this ventilation method will drive up your conditioning bills.
One of the best ways to remove the fumes and supply fresh air without affecting your heating or A/C bills is with an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) or heat recovery ventilator (HRV). These devices pull out the stale air and strip its energy. As they pull in fresh air, they put the heat or cold temperatures into the incoming air, which cuts the energy needed to heat or cool it. These ventilators come in different sizes and the fresh air can be routed into your craft room directly.
An Important Consideration
If your hobby room has a return vent for your HVAC system or is close to one, the fumes from the room could enter the HVAC system and harm the air quality throughout your home. A professional from Jackson & Sons can help you deal with this challenge, along with discussing ERVs, HRVs and ventilating fans.
Fortunately, there are ways to ventilate your craft room so that the inevitable unhealthy fumes don’t accumulate and damage your health. Ask a professional from Jackson & Sons to help you find safe and healthy solutions for ventilation.
