Children's room
What is the indoor climate like for the children?
Children's rooms are often cluttered with furniture, clothes, stuffed animals, toys and electronics. Many of these items can contribute to a poor indoor climate in their rooms.
When children get new items such as toys, furniture etc. there is off-gassing, which can contribute to a poor indoor climate if this off-gassing is not ventilated away from children's rooms. The same applies to electronics, where new electronics in particular will release chemicals into the environment when they are heated, charged or switched on.
The above and a closed door at night contribute to a poor indoor climate in children's rooms.
Indoor climate consequences
What does a bad indoor climate mean
When the air has been in the room for too long, its quality gradually deteriorates, which can cause headaches, fatigue and difficulty concentrating. The air fills up with CO2 that is exhaled, as well as particle pollution from toys, furniture and electronics, among other things. Indoor air quality is often at its worst at night, as the door to the children's room is often closed and the air is not easily exchanged.
In 2017, Realdania conducted a trial with 59 families with children, where the families were given different advice on indoor climate and ventilation. The trial showed that even though the children's rooms were ventilated before bedtime, the CO2 level rose from a reasonable level during the day to more than double the critical level at night. PPM levels were over 1000 53% during the day.
Indoor climate affects well-being and health, which is why a good and healthy indoor climate is important. There is a proven link between CO2 levels and sleep quality. When CO2 levels are too high, brain activity is dampened and children are particularly vulnerable as they need to learn and develop.
Although it is recommended to ventilate with 5-10 minutes of ventilation 3 times a day, only 28 % and 21 % in families with young children do so.
How is indoor climate defined based on PPM level?
- At a PPM level of less than 1,000, the indoor climate is characterised as good.
- At a PPM level between 1,000 - 2,000, the indoor climate is labelled as poor.
- At a PPM level above 2,000, the indoor climate is labelled as very poor.
Tips and tricks
Tips for a good indoor climate in the nursery
- Keep the nursery door open at night - alternatively invest in a mechanical ventilation solution
- Air out with draught - if this is not an optimal solution, consider investing in a mechanical ventilation solution
- Wash bed linen every 14 days and shake duvets and pillows out in the fresh air
- If there is carpet in the nursery, it needs to be vacuumed or beaten often - and preferably removed completely
- Invest in plants for the nursery as they can clean the air and add oxygen
- Allow new furniture and toys to degas before placing them in the nursery
- Place electronics in another room if possible and switch them off when going to sleep.
- Children use the floor in their room a lot for playing and socialising, so it's important that it is vacuumed often.
Improvements
Consider investing in a ventilation solution
To get rid of particles and moisture in your home, a ventilation system can be the solution. DUKA One is a ventilation solution that ventilates the room 24 hours a day. For 70 seconds, the system sucks out stale and moist air, storing heat in the unit's ceramic core. After 70 seconds, the system's motor reverses and blows in fresh air, which is heated by the ceramic core. This constantly changes the air, ventilating away particles and moisture and saving on heating bills as the heat in the home is recycled. DUKA One is mounted directly in the outer wall and can be installed wherever there is a need for ventilation.
For children's rooms, we recommend the DUKA One S6 Plus / S6 Plus Wi-Fi as they are our quietest models and they direct the supply air upwards, minimising drafts. Read more about S6 Plus here and S6 Plus Wi-Fi here.
