How can cold weather affect indoor air quality?

December 6th, 2021

Air quality and pollution levels are directly related to weather conditions. Indeed, the air we breathe depends on several parameters such as the urban or natural environment, the presence of a factory nearby or the formation of heat islands. In addition, the weather also has an impact on the issue. As winter is coming in Quebec, this blog post will answer the following question, how can cold weather affect indoor air quality?

Elements that influence air quality

Several elements influence air quality. For example, the wind determines the dispersion of air pollutants. Also, rain helps to significantly reduce the concentrations of pollutants in the air we breathe. Conversely, a high-pressure situation with stagnant air masses leads to an increase in the concentration of pollutants. This is the phenomenon that occurs during the cold and dry weather of winter. It then produces air pollution peaks.

Thermal inversion

Cold and dry weather also influences pollutant concentrations. This phenomenon is called “thermal inversion”. It happens regularly in winter and causes seasonal pollution peaks. It can be explained as follows: in normal weather, the air temperature decreases with altitude, so the warm air, which is loaded with pollutants, disperses vertically. In winter, it is the opposite, the ground temperature decreases significantly during the night and the pollutants are then blocked by this warmer air mass at altitude which is commonly called inversion layer. At this time, the polluting particles accumulate, reach higher concentrations and can harm our health.

Heating

The winter season is also a time when the house is heated and it is a major source of pollutant emissions, especially in the case of residential wood heating. It is therefore important to ensure that your heating system complies with environmental standards. If it is not, it is necessary to modernize its heating system. For example, if we want to heat our home with wood, closed fireplaces emit less pollution than open fireplaces.

More time indoors

In winter, we also spend more time indoors. In addition, we don’t open the windows much. Opening windows can be costly in terms of energy loss and makes it difficult to manage humidity levels. It is for these reasons that it is important to have an effective ventilation. Mechanical ventilation is an important tool to bring fresh air. It improves indoor air quality.

If you are concerned about the air quality in your home or business, call on the experts. With state-of-the-art equipment and following standard air sampling procedures, they will be able to detect the following signs: bad odors, mold or other visible contaminants, excess dust, etc. Their services will allow you to breathe more easily and spend a more serene winter.