To enjoy a healthy home in the Southwest, it is easier to build than to renovate. Materials, humidity management, air renewal, environmental and water pollution, all elements must be mastered. The key is a home that preserves the health of its occupants.
Start new for a healthy home in the South West
Having a healthy home in the Southwest is easier in new construction
Thermal bridges, air and water tightness, ventilation, all the important points were checked during construction. The builder implements a proven construction method that guarantees the proper functioning of the house. In addition, unlike a renovation, a well-designed new house does not lead to unpleasant surprises such as capillary rise along the walls and humidity that is difficult to control.
To build is to know your house
When you have a healthy habitat built in the South-West, your builder informs you of the importance of the various equipment in the house, such as ventilation. Equipped with new equipment, all you have to do is maintain them to be sure of their proper functioning. You have all the cards in hand to maintain a healthy home.
Choose healthy materials in your new home
To build your house is to choose all the elements that make it up. To limit pollutant emissions in housing, it is recommended to choose materials that emit little VOC (volatile organic compounds). Partitions, floor coverings, insulation, paints, varnishes, glues, adhesives (etc.) are now provided with a label indicating their level of VOC emissions. Class A+ indicates a product with very low emissions.
Natural, minimally processed materials are preferred. Bricks, plaster, tiles, wood etc. A requirement that promotes the development of wood construction.
See our article: The 10 reasons for the success of the wooden house in New Aquitaine
Adapt to your terrain for a healthy home in the South West
Not all fields face the same problems. Thus, the proximity of a busy road may require suitable equipment to combat inconveniences such as noise pollution or air pollution. It is best to choose a terrain with low constraints.
It is possible to find out about the level of atmospheric pollutant emissions in the municipality in which you wish to live. Some data is available in the regions from the Approved Air Quality Monitoring Associations (AASQA) and on the Air Quality Database (BDQA) website.
Controlling indoor air quality for a healthy home
The air is renewed in a healthy home in the South West
In a healthy home, air circulates freely. Humidity, allergens and all polluting particles are not trapped in the habitat. They circulate and are evacuated by controlled mechanical ventilation or VMC. In order to save energy, these devices adapt the air renewal rate to the needs. Thus, the hygroadjustable single-flow CMV adapts its flow to the humidity level of the room.
A healthy home in the South West is not damp
In many parts of the Southwest, the humidity in the air is often high. We think of the Basque Country or the Bassin d'Arcachon and all the towns on the Atlantic coast.
In addition, our daily activities such as cooking, showering or washing dishes also produce water vapour. It absolutely must be eliminated. A relative air humidity above 60% allows the proliferation of dust mites and the development of mould. High humidity thus contributes to the aggravation of allergic symptoms.
The double flow CMV for the most sensitive
Very suitable for new construction, the so-called double flow VMC controls the air inlets and outlets. Energy losses and cold drafts are limited since the incoming air is warmed by the outgoing air. Ideal for people with allergies or very polluted environments, these double flow CMVs have filters on the incoming air to block pollutants and allergens outside.
However, pay attention to the maintenance of these devices. If the filters or the air inlets are clogged, the air is not renewed correctly.
See our article: How to Ensure Indoor Air Quality in a Home RT 2012
Healthy house in the South-West and acoustic comfort
A home protected from outside noise
Two out of three French people say they are bothered by noise in their home. Thanks to stricter building standards, new homes are better protected from outside noise than older homes. The builder also looks at the outside environment to limit the propagation of sound towards the house but also on the terrace. It thus adapts the design of the building (orientation, shape of the building, acoustic insulation, joinery), according to the sources of noise (bars, roads, school, etc.).
A home protected from interior noise
A healthy house also protects you from noise inside the house (footsteps, voices, music and vibration of equipment). In addition to a careful design, it is advisable to bring together the parts of the same nature. A well-separated day and sleeping area and technical rooms isolated from the rooms of the most sensitive people.
See our article: Sound insulation of his new house in the South-West
Mastering comfort hygrothermal for a healthy habitat in the South-West
Comfort and perceived temperature
Hygrothermal comfort corresponds to the satisfaction of a person in an environment defined mainly by its temperature, its humidity rate and the speed of the air. The well-being in a house depends on the temperature felt. This is different from the air temperature because it also depends on the temperature of the neighboring horizontal or vertical walls.
Excessive temperature differences in the same room thus create discomfort. Comfort thus depends on well-distributed heat in the room (less than 3°C difference between the floor and the ceiling). Walls that are too cold or too hot and drafts also degrade the feeling of comfort.
Temperatures neither too high nor too cold
In a healthy house, the ideal temperature is between 17° and 19°. Overheated air promotes pollutant emissions and the proliferation of dust mites.
A temperature that is too low promotes humidity in the air, because cold air saturates more quickly than warm air.
What heating to choose for a healthy home in the South West?
Heating with wood
If wood heating is scary because of the fumes, today the appliances are closed hearths. They are very secure and ensure better combustion of the wood, which limits smoke emissions inside the home.
electric heating
Today, very few fan heaters are installed, which cause dust to rise and dry the air. The most recent radiators are said to be soft heat. Warm air mixes more easily with cold air to distribute heat evenly throughout the room.
An air source heat pump
In very humid regions, the heat pump has the advantage of drying the air. Filters trap airborne dust mites and pollens. But as with ventilation, maintenance must be carried out regularly.
Hot water heating
The comfort of central heating is at the rendezvous. This system allows excellent heat diffusion. The heat is evenly distributed, and constant. In fact, the heating cycles are more progressive than with an electric heater which switches on and off depending on the drop in temperature. A hot water heated floor will also increase the feeling of well being.
Insulation, an essential ally of a healthy habitat
A healthy house is a well insulated house, without thermal bridges. The insulation limits the feeling of cold wall for better comfort of the inhabitants. In addition, it prevents the formation of condensation. It is the latter that allows the development of mold. Molds are very allergenic and are the number one enemy of healthy homes.
Thermal bridges article link
Mastering visual comfort for a healthy habitat in the South-West
Recent houses take into account the visual comfort of the inhabitants. Right from the design stage, the objective is to favor natural light. The objective is to limit eye fatigue which can aggravate other diseases (glaucoma, cataracts etc). A new house will allow you, for example, to have a bright office for greater working comfort.
Control the quality of tap water
Tap water is sometimes polluted due to old networks. Building a new house means guaranteeing a healthy network free of lead and other pollutants brought by the pipes.
