Ventilation louvres are ideal for external walls, partitions in offices and classrooms or in doors to plant rooms, stores, computer rooms, changing facilities and manufacturing areas where ventilation is needed. By using the natural forces of wind and temperature differences, passive airflow can be created through these intentional openings. The natural ventilation airflow created by ventilation louvres improves indoor air quality, energy efficiency and reduces the need for expensive mechanical ventilation systems.
Why is Indoor Air Quality Important?
Did you know it’s estimated we now spend a huge 90% of our time indoors? From homes and offices to schools and restaurants, most of our modern lives are lived inside buildings.
Modern buildings are also increasingly airtight, which is excellent for energy efficiency, but while building envelope integrity is important, ventilation is equally essential to creating healthy, energy-efficient indoor spaces.
What are Ventilation Louvres?
Inside air can be much worse quality than outside air, so it’s essential to exchange or replace the air in your indoor spaces with sufficient ventilation. Ventilation helps minimise areas where stale air or pollutants may accumulate and removes any excess moisture.
Ventilation louvres or ventilation grills are used to facilitate the flow of air into and out of enclosed spaces. They can be fitted in walls, doors or ceilings and provide a robust, covered opening that allows for the passage of air. It’s important to consider the size and placement of your louvre grills to ensure effective airflow in your space.
What are the Benefits of a Ventilation Louvre?
A well-ventilated space not only ensures comfort but has also been linked to improved concentration and sleep quality and reduced sick days. The removal of stale air and the introduction of fresh air into a building also removes excess CO2 and moisture, along with VOCs and air containing virus particles.
- Moisture causes Mould
Did you know the average person adds around ten glasses of water to the air every day through daily activities, such as cooking and washing? The estimated 2.5kgs of moisture produced then settles on cool surfaces, such as walls and windows as condensation, quickly leading to dampness and mould growth. And while mould and mildew are unsightly, it’s also home to fungi-feeding mites. Even more worryingly, mould aggravates respiratory conditions and allergies and can damage your health.
- Unhealthy VOCs
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are found in many commercial and household products, from paints and varnishes to cleaning products and air fresheners and can cause short- and long-term health problems. Found in much higher concentrations indoors, VOCs are responsible for headaches and eye, nose, and throat irritation, but some are also known to cause cancer in animals and humans.
- A Build-up of CO2
Breathing in too much C02 isn’t good for you. The build-up of C02 inside a building without adequate ventilation can cause a lack of concentration, tiredness, or in high levels seizures, delirium, difficulty breathing or even respiratory failure.
Adequate air movement in your indoor space created with ventilation louvres or other forms of ventilation is essential to dissipate any nasty, health-threatening particles floating around in your working or living environment.
Need Better Air Quality in Your Building?
Our range of non-fire-rated and fire-rated ventilation louvres is available various shapes and sizes to suit your needs. Our L-700-RX louvre looks great, eliminates the need to drill holes through your door, has a 55% free area and is available in various stock sizes, saving you time and money. Our FDLS louvre system can be used on doors from 29mm to any thickness, has a 50% free area and can be fitted with our intumescent fire block, making it fire-rated and suitable to use in fire doors to rooms that need ventilation.
Find out more about our ventilation louvres or extensive range of high-quality door hardware, today.