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Home Ventilation
Home ventilation is realized through natural ventilation, mechanical ventilation, or both types. Natural ventilation occurs when opening up windows, opening and closing exterior doors, and through air leaks in the home’s envelope. For efficient tightly sealed homes, mechanical ventilation is necessary to maintain healthful indoor air quality. The following are popular mechanical ventilation options:
- Spot ventilation is common in bathrooms and kitchens. Turn on fans in these rooms during showering and cooking, and leave running for another 15 minutes when finished, for instance, to help remove humidity and odors.
- Exhaust ventilation systems force indoor air out of the home with a large fan. This type of ventilation is not recommended for Chatham area homes due to the possibility of back-drafting appliances.
- Supply ventilation forces airflow into the home, which means it is only practical when outside weather temperatures and conditions are permitting.
- Heat recovery and energy recovery ventilation systems (HRV and ERV) offer balanced home ventilation by utilizing supply and exhaust fans simultaneously. Moreover, fresh supply air and stale exhaust air are circulated inside a heat exchange core. Heat energy is transferred between air streams to maximize energy savings. HRVs are ideal for our region.
Important Considerations
The performance and features of the ventilation system you choose are important considerations. You certainly want an efficient system that is also convenient to use. Air distribution will need to be addressed. Will the new system utilize existing air ducts, or will new ducts be installed? Look for ventilation systems that are quiet and offer air filtration to remove allergens from fresh supply air. Talk with your HVAC contractor to explore your options.
If you would like more information about home ventilation systems in Chatham and the surrounding areas, please call the professionals at Pipe Works Services.
