After months of wildfires that have ravaged many parts of Australia, and the unending bushfire season showing no signs of abating, the quality of air is abysmally poor with pollution from the smoke reaching hazardous levels. From office buildings, hospitals, hotels and schools to homes, every space presents a risk for occupants from the hazardous air quality.
As a specialist in track and sealing products, Cowdroy explains in this article how you can prevent the thickening smoke from entering your home.
Stay indoors
Whenever the Bureau of Meteorology issues a poor air quality alert, try to stay indoors as much as possible with all windows and doors closed. Particle levels are likely to be higher outdoors than indoors, so if you are particularly sensitive to these, definitely limit the time you spend outside.
Run your air conditioner
Add a filter to your air conditioner to prevent smoky air from seeping into your home. When the air outside is clean, ventilate your home the natural way by opening all the windows. You could invest in a portable air filter to lower the level of indoor smoke particles. These filters also work effectively in a well-sealed room.
Install weather seals
Also known as a ‘weather strip’, a weather seal is used to seal gaps around moveable building components such as doors and windows to prevent air leaks. Cowdroy weather seals are designed to provide an infiltration barrier, preventing conditioned air from leaking out and keeping smoke, dust and insects from entering the enclosed space.
“Even if your home is well-insulated, smoke can still leak in through gaps. Weather sealing your home against air leaks is one of the simple and affordable upgrades you can undertake to guard against exterior pollutants,” says Peter Doyle, business development manager at Cowdroy Retail. “By directly addressing air leakage, weather seals can significantly enhance occupant comfort. It is worth investing in the small things that make a big difference.”
Cowdroy’s CM7 perimeter door seal is suitable for all single and double hinged doors (laundry doors, garage doors or entry doors) and effectively ‘locks in’ thermal comfort, lowers heating and cooling bills, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions for the lifespan of your home. This PVC and rubber seal fits around the door frame for added insulation and has self-adhesive backing with optional nails.
Suitable for doors measuring up to 2100mm (H) x 1000mm (W), the CM7 is available in white and brown, can be simply cut to size, and is quick and easy to install, providing homeowners an affordable and effective solution for improving air quality and insulation within a home. This product can also be used in conjunction with CM3 automatic door seals.
