When it comes to total home comfort and indoor air quality, there aren’t many things like breathing in fresh, clean air all the time. Of course, the climate in Greater Richmond may not make that seem probable during hot and cold months, but there is an often forgotten piece of indoor air quality that gets overlooked: ventilation.
When most people think about ventilation, they typically think about cracking a few windows throughout their home or using their screen doors. While this is still commonplace, it’s not feasible year-round in Greater Richmond. That’s where we can thank the advancements in technology that have presented us with heating and cooling equipment that creates the same effects of having your windows or doors cracked open for ventilation.
Today’s ventilation systems work by grasping just the right amount of fresh air from outside, providing you with the benefits of traditional ventilation while eliminating odors, chemicals and other impurities from your home’s indoor air. The process not only provides you with nicer feeling air, but it also eliminates stale air from your home, helping make your home’s air as comfortable as it can be without wasting energy.
Choosing a ventilation system is pretty easy as there are two types of systems used: Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) and Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs). Nearly all of the United States, and all of Canada, are recommended to use HRVs because of the climates in those areas. ERVs are almost exclusive to southern regions that have higher than normal humidity levels.
Ventilation is just the beginning of things when talking about indoor air quality. If you’d like to read more about all that you can be doing to increase your home’s indoor comfort, check out the other blogs we’ve written on indoor air quality. From dehumidifiers to air filtration and air purification, the experts at Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling know indoor air quality. Schedule an appointment by calling them at 804-302-6657 to take your home’s air quality to the next level.