The Many Ways Windows Can Affect Indoor Air Quality

Improved indoor air quality is one of the advantages of buying better window systems. If you don’t understand how they can keep the air your family breathes clean and healthy, let Renewal by Andersen® of Milwaukee explain further.

Lead Air Pollution

If your current windows were manufactured before 1978, they may contain lead-based paint. This heavy metal was added to a finishing substance for better durability, stronger moisture resistance and faster drying time.

Lead, however, was found to be toxic. Exposure to lead can affect cognitive functions, cause behavioral problems and decrease IQ. Lead poisoning can also result in acute health conditions, including paralysis, anemia and vomiting.

Lead paint is only detrimental to human health when it begins to chip, turn into dust particles and is inhaled. Removing fixtures with lead paint requires specialized skills and tools to rid your house of this hazard effectively.

Ventilation

Any experienced windows contractor, like Renewal by Andersen of Milwaukee, would agree that proper ventilation is key to good indoor air quality. Usually, inside air is less healthy than outside, so it’s best to have a means of ventilation to get rid of invisible, odor-less pollutants.

Operating windows, such as casement, sliding and double-hung units, are excellent ventilators. Their efficiency, of course, depends on their location and size, but they can purify the air your family breathes naturally.

Furthermore, opening windows will keep your inside air dry by expelling high levels of moisture caused by excessive indoor humidity. This phenomenon allows mold to thrive, so installing operating windows in every room matters to discourage it from proliferating.

Off-Gassing

It refers to the process of releasing toxins through evaporation from construction elements. Although all building materials emit chemicals over time, products from a recipient of the Scientific Certification Systems Indoor Advantage Gold™ certification are your safest bets.

Renewal by Andersen of Milwaukee and Andersen Corporation, our parent company, are the only window brands to earn this coveted designation. In other words, our doors and windows are responsibly manufactured and meet the strictest indoor air emission standard in the United States.

Learn more about the green qualities of our products. Call us at (262) 522-3034 today to arrange your FREE in-home consultation in Milwaukee, WI, or any neighboring Wisconsin community.