THE BENEFITS
OF FRESH AIR
VENTILATION
Revitalizing cooling fresh air & expelling airborne pollutants like dust and odors.
The Health Benefits Of Fresh Air Ventilation
Venting skylights let in the beauty of natural light and the revitalizing effect of fresh air. Allowing you to cool your home with the gentle breeze, while expelling dust, built up heat and humidity, and cooking odours.
- Unhealthy polluted air accumulates in your home, collecting on the upper floor where the bedrooms typically are.
- Indoor air quality is typically 2-5 times more polluted than outdoors, containing harmful CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) and MVOCs (Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds) .
Fresh air helps create a healthy home.
- Opening a venting skylight you can feel the gentle cross breeze – naturally cooling your home.
- As we become more aware of the impact of poor indoor air quality, it has become popular to frequently flush your home with fresh air to remove airborne pollutants and toxins.
- The primary cause of stale air is a lack of ventilation. When air does not circulate and is confined in a room, pollutants, and carbon dioxide accumulate.
- Venting skylights create a sense of connection with the outdoors, open your venting skylight and enjoy the view and breath in the fresh air.
- Read more about interior air quality at the Government of Canada website
Reduce airborne pollutants like dust.
- Stale air isn’t just unpleasant, it is unhealthy. Stale and stuffy air starts to smell because of a buildup of contaminates as well as humidity in the air. The balance of airborne contaminants to oxygen starts to increase because of a lack of fresh air. These pollutants are mostly biological by-products, such as exhaled carbon dioxide, and microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs), and dust.
- MVOCs are carbon based molecules with a very low odor threshold, meaning even the smallest microbial colonies can start to cause a room to smell. These MVOCs are caused by the growth of bacteria and fungi and are responsible for the strong, distinct musty odors that we associate with stale air.
Excessive CO2, bacteria and fungi in the air can affect your health.
- Airborne bacteria and fungi can create ammonia, sulfurous compounds, and a broad range of other VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) metabolic waste products that can affect the smell of a room.
- Some studies have linked chronic MVOC (Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds) exposure to eye, nose and throat irritation, coughing, wheezing, fatigue, headaches and other symptoms typically associated with sick building syndrome.
- Canadians are spending more time in their homes than at any time in history. This means that interior air quality is more important than ever.
- It is far safer to open a top floor venting skylight than a ground floor window or door. Lower floor windows and doors can easily be accessed by an intruder.
Venting skylights
- Modern materials, parts and technology have made the ultimate venting skylight possible. Models are available from Columbia and FAKRO.
- Columbia venting skylights are available with manual opening, or 3 motor and remote control options. Available in double or triple glazing, glass or acrylic dome. Specify ENERGY STAR® certified double or triple glass.
- FAKRO electric and solar powered venting skylights have Z-Wave Smart Home integration. FAKRO also offers a manual venting model. ENERGY STAR® certified when paired with FAKRO’s ELA-T Thermo flashing.
Top, centre roof windows
- Tilt and turn roof windows will enhance your home, making it a more comfortable liveable environment. The ultimate convenience of easy access to clean the outside pane.
- Tilt and turn roof windows by FAKRO allow you to lift the window unit horizontally above your head, for even more view and leave space.
- The FTP-V and FPP-V models include the innovative V4OP automatic air inlet that lets in fresh air when the window is closed and includes an advanced filtering system.
- FAKRO’s unique balcony window doesn’t just let in light and fresh air but allows you to step onto a balcony to enjoy the view.
- Enjoy the view, light, fresh air and access to your sloped roof with FAKRO’s Roof Access Window.
Flat roof venting skylight
- FAKRO manufactures a series of three outstanding quality venting flat roof skylights.
- Manual, electric, and solar.
- The electric and solar feature Z-Wave Smart Home technology.
- Available in energy efficient triple or more economical double glazing LoE energy efficient glass
- Designed for residential and commercial flat roof installations.
- FAKRO manufactures a high quality flat roof skylight, providing light, ventilation and access to a flat roof.
- Air quality isn’t just an issue at home, Canadian workplaces are prone to poor air quality. Unhealthy workplace air quality can seriously impact employees’ health and productivity.
The dual EFFECT of venting skylights
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Expelling built up heat and humidity in your home
- Heat, humidity, cooking odors and airborne particles like dust that have collected on the lower and upper floor of your home will travel upward with the rising hot air.
- The natural “chimney effect” caused by the open venting skylight draws out the hot contaminated air from home.
- During the hot summer months, naturally releases the built up heat and humidity, while saving money on your air conditioning bill.
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Let in a refreshing cool cross breeze – revitalizes your home
- As gentle cross breeze travel over your roof, the open venting skylight will draw it in. Once the house is cool you can close the skylight.
- A venting skylight can be connected to your thermostat to open and close based on specific interior temperature settings.
- On the electric and solar models, the built in rain sensor will automatically close the skylight.
Features of venting skylights
Reduce air conditioning costs in the summer
- As fuel costs and summer temperatures rise air conditioning becomes more expensive.
- Reduce the cost by using venting skylights to naturally cool your home. Let cooler evening air regulate the temperature in your home.
- An over reliance on air conditioning can lead to “sick building syndrome”.
Expel humidity from the bathroom
- Humidity from bathing, washing clothes, and human bodies can dramatically change the environment in your home, building up condensation on all surfaces.
- A high level of interior humidity can cause mould on softer surfaces like drywall and condensation on hard surfaces like glass.
- Expel humidity with a venting skylight, replacing it with fresh clean air.
Enjoy cooking, not the Lingering smell
- Cooking not only produces humidity but can fill your home with a lingering unwelcome smell. We all know that kitchen exhaust hoods can only handle so much, and soon your entire home smells of garlic, fried meat, or seafood.
- Venting skylights in a kitchen or upper floor will remove the odors replacing them with fresh air.
Release airborne impurities from your home
- A home that is sealed tight against our northern climate is often full of dust, CO2, fungal spores, bacteria, and paint and carpet off gassing.
- Many people buy expensive and energy consuming air purifiers that produce less than satisfactory results.
- Nothing refreshes a home as well as a venting skylight, especially if it is Smart Home controlled or automatically opens and closes using a preset thermostat or schedule.
Fresh air is invigorating for the entire family
- Hot humid air filling your home can reduce your energy level and make you lethargic, leaving your family sweating on the couch.
- Hot evenings hamper your ability to get a good night’s sleep, leaving you tired and unproductive.
- Fresh air is revitalizing, filling your family with energy and helping you all to get a great night’s sleep. Enjoy a cooling gentle breeze.
Sleep better with fresh air
- Every year there is more medical evidence of the importance of a good night’s sleep.
- We all know the struggle to fall asleep on hot humid evenings – forcing us to rely on expensive air conditioning to keep the house comfortable. A cool room is essential for a good night’s sleep.
- With venting skylights, you can fall asleep enveloped in relaxing healthy fresh cool air. Set the skylight to close at a specific time.
Columbia and FAKRO venting skylights are ENERGY STAR® certified
- Venting skylights help reduce your reliance on air conditioning by letting in a cool cross breeze – reducing your energy costs.
- Venting skylights come with efficient ENERGY STAR certified glass, that reduces heat gain in the summer and will save on heating bills in the winter.
- Reduce your reliance on continually rising energy costs.
Controlled via manual, remote control or Smart Home technology
- Venting skylights come in manual, electric and solar powered options with a range of control systems.
- Columbia offers 3 types of motor and remote control systems for our high quality electric venting skylight. From a wall switch, to a remote control, and a remote control with a thermostat controlled option.
- FAKRO’s premium European venting skylights come in manual, electric, or solar powered options. The powered models feature a remote control, wall keyboard (optional), and Z-Wave Smart Home integration.
Work out while breathing fresh air
- Home gyms have grown in popularity over the last decade, but few of us consider air quality as we complete 5 kilometres on the treadmill, do 30 minutes of yoga, or finish a session with weights.
- Working out in a room filled with cool fresh air is an invigorating experience that will transform your home exercise routine. Not to mention the luxury of bright, clear daylight streaming in from the venting skylights above.
Bring the outside indoors
- All of us love a connection to nature, with a venting skylight you not only get a better view, but you can breathe in the outdoors.
- Take in the smell of the forest, the ocean, or freshly mowed grass.
- Enjoy the beauty of daylight streaming into your room, moving across your walls and floor, changing throughout the day. Bring the outside in with a venting skylight.