Home ventilation may not be something you think about very often. Occasionally, you may feel as though it’s a bit stuffy in your house, but you don’t want to open the window at night in the middle of winter. Read on to learn how whole-home ventilation works and why it could be a good solution for your Eastman, GA, home.
Why Ventilation is Important
Proper ventilation is essential for your family’s health and well-being. Having adequate ventilation rids the home of unwanted smells, excess moisture and indoor pollutants. Proper ventilation also reduces the effects of radon gas.
Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that’s odorless and colorless. Although exposure to it indoors causes no symptoms right away, the EPA estimates that it causes about 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year in the United States.
For those who suffer from allergies and asthma, proper ventilation reduces the amount of allergy and asthma triggers in the home, thereby improving indoor air quality. Let’s take a look at some types of ventilation systems and how they work.
Balanced Ventilation Systems
These systems are great for all climate types. A balanced system brings in fresh air from outside while expelling an equal amount of air from inside the home. This system has two fans and two duct systems designed to supply fresh air where the occupants of the home spend the most time, mainly in the bedrooms and the living room.
A balanced ventilation system also removes air from the kitchen, bathrooms and laundry rooms. That’s where the most pollutants develop and the most moisture accumulates. Balanced ventilation systems use filters to remove dust and pollen from the air outside before bringing it inside. However, since these systems don’t remove moisture from the air before bringing it into the home, they can contribute to higher heating and cooling costs.
Energy Recovery and Heat Recovery
Energy recovery and heat recovery ventilators help reduce the need for heating and cooling the home. This makes them cost effective in areas where the climate has extreme winters or summers.
Another benefit of these types of ventilators is that they’re available as small wall-mounted or even window-mounted models. These systems reduce heating costs by bringing fresh air in without letting heat escape.
Exhaust Ventilation Systems
Exhaust ventilation systems work well in cold climates but are not appropriate for hot, humid climates. This ventilation system type works by depressurizing the home and exhausts air through the vents while air from outside comes in through passive vents and leaks in the home or building shell.
This method is inappropriate for places with warm, humid summers because it draws moisture into the home, where it can cause damage. It may also draw in pollutants such as dust, radon and fumes from the garage.
Supply Ventilation Systems
Similar to the exhaust ventilation system, supply ventilation systems are relatively inexpensive and easy to install. This ventilation system allows for the filtering of pollen and dust from outdoor air, as well as dehumidifying outdoor air that comes inside. Since it allows for dehumidification of outdoor air, it works well in hot climates or mixed climates but causes problems in cold climates.
Supply exhaust systems use a fan to pressurize the home, minimizing outdoor pollutants and preventing back drafts from fireplaces and appliances. In cold climates, these systems tend to cause moisture problems and air leaks. Since they don’t heat the incoming air or remove moisture before it enters the home, heating and cooling costs will be somewhat higher than those for energy recovery and heat recovery ventilation systems.
We understand that proper ventilation is essential for you and your home. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all our work. Our EPA- and NATE-certified service technicians get the job done right the first time. Contact us at Pruett Air Conditioning today for your HVAC ventilation needs. By doing so, you’ll see the difference that proper home ventilation can make in your life.
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