Air Quality in a Basement Gym or Exercise Room Matters
Many of us wake up in the morning and head out to go workout at a gym. One of the reasons people fail to stick to their gym and exercise routines is the trouble it takes to actually get to a gym or fitness club. Imagine how great it would be to be able to just hit your very own basement gym and workout room to exercise. The basement can be the perfect space to create your own home gym and exercise room.
Creating a basement workout room is convenient, it’s cost effective and it can be easy to do. But, did you know that it may not be healthy for you to exercise and workout in an basement exercise room? When creating a basement gym, ensuring healthy air flow is vitally important.
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Basement air quality plays a major role in the health of your home
As much as 40% of the air we breath upstairs comes from the basement. Called the “stack effect”, the air in your home is constantly rising to the roof which creates a draw or pulling effect on the air in the basement. This pull or draw is how the air in your basement effects the air quality on the upper levels of your home. However when you are in the basement and exercising, 100% of the air you breath comes from the basement. The air from upstairs is not being drawn down into the basement.
Considering the impact of stack effect and combining it with the increased breathing that occurs with exercise, your basement air quality becomes very important. So lets take a look at a few of the issues to consider when dealing with basement air quality for your exercise workout room.
Radon Gas: When was the last time you had the house tested? The EPA recommends every two years. Most of us only have it done when we actually purchase the home. Check out the radon map to see if your home is located in a high radon area. Radon Map
High Humidity: Elevated moisture levels in the air can lead to a number of problems for your home and your health. At Rescon we have teamed up with Thermastor, the leader in basement dehumidification systems, to provide our clients with the best technology available in creating dry living space. These units are designed to pull up to 100 pints of water per day out of the air in a 2,500 square foot room.
Interior Basement Waterproofing System: If you have a basement waterproofing system in place, you are hopefully very happy with the fact that your basement doesn’t flood anymore. However if the system you have is an open channel drainage pump system and not a sealed basement waterproofing system, then you have the created an easy path for radon gas, moisture vapor and soil gases to enter your basement. Learn more about the negatives of open channel drainage creating a sealed interior basement waterproofing system.
Mold Spores: We all have heard about killer mold and we should all be concerned if we see any areas of our homes developing mold colonies. The fact is most mold spores are not harmful in small doses. Mold spores grow naturally in our environment and there is no avoiding them. The problems arise when we are exposed to high concentrations of mold spores.
Think of it like the random spider you may see walking around your house. One spider, no big deal, take care of it and the problem is over. Thousands of spiders a day and you are ready to do whatever it takes to fix the problem, even move. The great thing about mold growth is that we know exactly how to stop it. If you eliminate moisture the mold spores will not grow. No moisture = No mold.
If you can take the time to address these areas of concern when it comes to air quality in your basement you will be well on your way to creating a great space to workout and get in shape.
Your basement is a fantastic space, full of possibilities. The problem is most of us have no idea what is available to help transform the basement into that fantastic space. A space where you can feel confident about the air your breathing. A space where you can look around and feel at home. You need a basement specialist, a company dedicated to basements.
