Plastic windows were better for energy efficiency but did not let in fresh air as wood windows did, instead locking up humidity, dust, and odors. Mold, fogged windows, and stale air can impact comfort and health.
It’s all about the supply and exhaust ventilation. A balanced system is utilizing fresh air and exhausting stagnant air without wasting energy. Homeowners planning upgrades can also click here for mortgage solutions. This guide details common airflow complaints, the effects windows can have on them, and tangible remedies to avoid expensive damages while keeping your unit healthy and energy-efficient.
Airflow Problems
Plastic windows shut out natural drafts that once blew fresh air through the apartments. Kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms can fill with moisture, odors, and dust in the absence of airflow. For example, in a 1,000 sq. ft.
New York shit-box, 30 minutes of cooking could raise kitchen humidity by 20–25%, which is enough to fog windows and encourage mildew. Showers can raise humidity to 70–75% in 10 minutes; thus, people leave moisture on the tiles, which turns into mold.
Insufficient airflow also allows pollutants like VOCs from cleaning products and off-gassing furniture to accumulate. In as little as a week, residents frequently perceive stale air and persistent odors.
Mechanical responses, like running a fan, can be effective in dehumidifying a room, but many apartments are built without adequate exhaust. Not even ceiling fans or open doors will completely remedy stationary air trapped in tightly sealed spaces. Options to improve ventilation in an apartment with plastic windows:
- Install supply and exhaust valves to allow controlled airflow.
- Use window breezers that let in fresh air without fully opening the window.
- Operate exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms during and after use.
- Open windows periodically to flush out stale air when weather permits.
- Consider air purifiers to reduce VOCs and indoor pollutants.
Awareness of airflow problems helps prioritize ventilation upgrades and prevents long-term damage to walls, floors, and furniture.
Pressure Imbalance
It is well known that sealed apartments cause pressure differences, having their impact on comfort and energy. Negative pressure draws air through cracks and gaps, driving up heating costs, while positive pressure holds contaminants in place.
Oftentimes, in Chicago apartments there is a lack of consideration put into the placement of exhaust fans, which could be causing up to a 30-40% reduction in airflow and making smell build-up worse. Balanced fans or small vents are enough to recommend equilibrium and keep your structure from being destroyed by water damage.
Window Sealing Impact
Today’s plastic windows fit more tightly and insulate better, all the more so with increased use of insulation from the expanding home-energy market, but they reduce airflow dramatically. Leaks of air that once brought in 100 cfm per window may be reduced to 20–30 cfm.
It means droplets appear on the inside of windows in Boston apartments, which on colder mornings become frost-dotted sills. Without ventilation, indoor pollutants build up and accumulate, including in the form of carbon dioxide and cooking fumes. Residents can have the bathroom windows wide open, but that defeats energy savings, especially in winter, with heating up 10-15%.
Ventilation Solutions
It’s suitable for drying and deodorizing purposes, as the fans remove moisture and odors efficiently. A 50 CFM bath fan can remove 10–12 gallons of water every day from showering in a two-bedroom apartment. Smart fans with humidity sensors activate automatically, keeping indoor humidity at 50–55%.
A 300 CFM kitchen range hood removes smoke and oils better than some other models when venting outside. Manual-fan outcomes are often poor because tenants don’t remember to use them. Correctly positioned exhaust avoids negative pressure, finish damage, and mold issues.
The fresh but cold air introduced by trickle vents or, more efficiently, HRVs (heat recovery ventilators), is used to refresh the stuffy indoor air. On average, about 65–75% of energy within indoor air exchanged with cold ambient air outside is conserved in HRVs, and they are recommended for future use.
In Minneapolis, HRVs reduced winter heating costs for an apartment by $150 to $200 with constant airflow. Small inlets such as those found in bedrooms or living rooms minimize buildup of stale air and CO₂ spikes above 1,000 ppm. Supply air systems are the lifeblood of a healthy indoor environment, especially in airtight apartments.
Maintenance Expenses
[Filters preserve the flow of air and the quality of indoor air. A 20×20 MERV 8 filter is $10–15 and lasts for 3 months. Skipped replacements can reduce airflow 30-40% and make fans work harder and shorten the system life. In Philadelphia apartments, residents experienced more humidity and lingering odors after six months with no filter changes. Regularly replacing also prevents dust accumulation in ducts and helps maintain system efficiency.
System Cleaning
Grease and dust build up in ducts and exhaust fans over time. Having a 2-bedroom apartment’s system cleaned once every 1–2 years demands $150 to $200, but can save the furnace from efficiency downgrade and spreading mold. Failure to maintain can leave you with a bill for repairs that runs well over $1,000—possibly even reaching several thousand if moisture damage or mold removal is part of the remedy.
Basic measures like cleaning fan blades, vacuuming intake vents, and inspecting duct connections enhance performance and longevity. Regular maintenance will keep the ventilation supplying fresh air and protect your investment in your home.
