You can maximise the airflow inside your Melbourne home with the help of the following types of ventilation:
- Natural
- Mechanical
- Hybrid
You should also consider the window placement and style to optimise and enhance the workflow inside your home.
The weather in Melbourne shifts quickly from hot, dry spells to cool breezes.
That’s why using the right kind of ventilation can ensure that you enjoy a cooler temperature inside your home.
You can use specific types of windows to optimize the airflow inside your home, such as Louvre windows in Melbourne. This will help you enjoy quite a few advantages.
Continue reading to learn about these advantages, along with different methodologies to improve your ventilation.
Why Is Home Ventilation Important in Melbourne’s Climate?
Apart from the weather, Melbourne’s weather is impacted by factors like urban pollution, dust, and pollen. These contribute to an increase in the humidity of your home, as well as increased energy bills due to the excessive usage of coolers.
Apart from that, the temperature changes caused by seasonal extremes can pose serious challenges to your health. That’s why you need to optimise the ventilation inside your home.
This will ensure that you enjoy advantages like improved energy efficiency, increased comfort, and decreased humidity. Let’s now explore the different types of ventilation that you can opt for below.
What Are the Main Types of Home Ventilation?
You can opt for these types of ventilation for your home:
Natural Ventilation
It refers to the movement of air in and out of a building using thermal buoyancy and wind. Cross ventilation is a type of natural ventilation. This helps the breeze move through opposite openings in a building naturally.
For example, when you install Louvre windows in Melbourne homes, on opposite-facing walls, it circulates natural air inside.
This ensures that you do not need to depend on mechanical systems like ERV technology or HVAC vents to dehumidify your space.
Mechanical Ventilation
Mechanical ventilation is ideal if you want to cut down on the heating and cooling costs inside your home.
You can use exhaust fans to remove stagnant air from your bathrooms and kitchens. If you live in an airtight home, you can manage airflow with an ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator), a whole-house system.
ERV recovers energy from exhaust air. Take a look at how an ERV system functions in the image below:
Alt text: The ERV system converts warm air from outside to cold and stale air inside during the summer.
You can also consider installing ceiling and extractor fans if you need help with poor airflow.
Hybrid Ventilation
It refers to a combination of both mechanical and natural ventilation systems.
A combination of passive airflow with mechanical systems ensures that you use natural forces like thermal drafts, pressure differences, wind, along with other devices and fans to remove humidity promptly.
Let’s now take a look at what kind of ventilation you can use to maximise ventilation in your space in the table below.
| Factors | Natural Ventilation | Mechanical Ventilation | Hybrid Ventilation |
| Mechanism | Pressure differences are driven by the stack, wind, and a combination | Pressure differences are driven by the dynamic pressure of the blower or fan | Uses a combination of natural and mechanical ventilation |
| Cost to Build | Less | More | More |
| Suitability | For any type of building | Mostly for new buildings | For commercial spaces |
| Space for Ventilation Equipment | Not applicable | A little space is required | Small area required |
Table 1: Important points of differences between natural, mechanical, and hybrid ventilation.
How Can You Use Windows to Improve Ventilation?
You can utilise windows to improve the ventilation in your home in the following manner:
Window Placement
Proper placement of windows helps in cross-ventilation.
For example, you can place them on the side of your home that faces an enlarged and open space. Besides, you can place them in stairwells or near ceilings to maximize ventilation.
Similarly, opting for custom window installation in Melbourne buildings on opposite sides of the interiors will help in regulating airflow control. You can try to put adjustable slats and lower-level louvre windows as well to maximise the flow of fresh air.
Window Style
Casement windows offer excellent ventilation because they have a full opening for a strong breeze to enter effectively. These windows are also energy-efficient.
Awning windows help you enjoy a healthy flow of fresh air without any risk of rainwater intrusion.
You can also opt for louvre windows to increase the airflow and keep out water, especially during bad weather.
What Common Ventilation Mistakes Should You Avoid in Your Melbourne Property?
Do not commit these mistakes when thinking of maximizing ventilation in your home:
- Blocking airflow paths with furniture or wall partitions.
- Installing windows without considering the wind direction.
- Ignoring ventilation during winter, because stale air builds up inside your space.
- Using only exhaust fans without incoming air sources.
Wrapping Up
You deserve a comfy environment inside your home. To ensure this, you can start by installing the right types of windows.
For example, you can consider Louvre windows in Melbourne as they are perfect for bad weather and the humid climate the city faces. Apart from that, you can also consider using mechanical systems like ERV systems to push out humid air quickly.
Apart from that, you should also consider the placement of the windows, as this can significantly impact the ventilation in your home.
Start Maximizing Ventilation in Your Melbourne Home
You should ultimately consider your budget, the type of home you live in, and the weather in your part of the city before making up your mind.
Apart from that, you should also research companies that can supply you with the best types of ventilation-friendly windows for your home. This will help you enjoy a healthy return on your investment.
