Thermal comfort can be considered a necessity. Individuals adapt to uncomfortable and unpredictable weather conditions by seeking shelter and thermal comfort. Moreover, the degree of comfort an individual experiences at home can be highly influenced by a room’s thermal conditions. It can also affect their mood and ability to function. For example, when a person feels too warm, they may experience uneasiness and irritation.
Similarly, a room being too cold can make a person feel restless or idle. However, the ideal thermal condition of an environment is subjective. It most likely varies between different people with differences in preference. That is why it is necessary to establish an ideal thermal environment so that you can maintain the appropriate thermal comfort that suits your home best. In controlling thermal conditions, it is crucial to consider several of the factors that affect thermal comfort.
Factors that affect thermal comfort
Humidity is one of the environmental factors that affect your thermal comfort at home. It happens when heated water will evaporate and scatter in the air. The humidity in your house can influence how cool or warm a room can be. Even if the room’s temperature is relatively warm, if the humidity level is high, then it will still feel hot and unbearable for an individual. Too much humidity can let household members feel hot, and the air may appear to be suffocating. On the other hand, insufficient humidity levels can be uncomfortable for some since it can easily dry out the throat and dry out the skin, leading to skin rashes.
Another environmental factor that you should consider is temperature, which can be air or radiant. First of all, air temperature is the room’s air temperature, which you usually read in Celsius or degrees. The ideal temperature of a room will highly depend on the preference of an individual. At the same time, outdoor weather can also influence how the temperature of your home should be. It is recommended that you should reduce the difference between the temperature inside the house and outside.
In this way, your body would not be too overwhelmed or shocked by the sudden change in temperature when leaving or entering the house. Also, you can find radiant temperature from heat sources found around the environment—for example, stoves, hot surfaces, ovens, fireplaces, etc.
How to achieve thermal control
Heating systems can be a great way to control your home’s thermal condition, especially when you live in a state that usually experiences intense cold weather. The effectiveness and quality of your home’s heating system can contribute largely to your overall thermal comfort. The most common heating system found in households is a furnace, also known as a boiler or heater. Heated air is blown through ducts placed throughout the entire house to distribute warm air in each of the rooms.
This heating system can be operated by fuel oil, electricity, or natural gas. All in all, furnaces are one of the most effective heating systems that can provide thermal comfort for a long time as long as your local furnace repair services properly maintain it.
For areas that experience hot weather, air conditioning systems can be a great way to regulate your home’s temperature. Several air-conditioning systems can effectively cool down the rooms in your house. An ideal type is a central air conditioning system. This is the most cost-effective and low-maintenance air conditioning system that can last for a long time. It is also not expensive to set up in your home.
A cooling compressor unit located outside of your house will withdraw warm air from inside the house while cool air is blown inside through a fan. Furthermore, you can easily control the temperature to whatever you prefer via a thermostat in your home.
Another way to achieve thermal control is through the use of insulation. Insulation can reduce the flow of heat in your home through absorption or reflection. Insulation can come in the form of thermal, electrical, or soundproofing. When it comes to thermal insulation, this allows you to be comfortable in your own home while improving energy efficiency at the same time. Naturally, heat flows to cool areas in your home.
For example, during the warm season, heat from outside can easily find its way to your home’s cooler areas to even out the temperature. Through insulation, it can naturally regulate your home’s temperature so that you will no longer need to spend funds on heating and cooling systems all the time.
To conclude, thermal comfort is an incredibly significant factor in your household members’ overall comfort. As long as the people residing in your home are comfortable, it is easier to function and stay productive due to an enhanced mood and relaxing atmosphere.
