Modern homes are more energy efficient than ever. While this is excellent for keeping your heating and cooling expenses small, it’s bad for introducing ample fresh air inside.
Recently constructed homes are tightly sealed, which indicates they don’t “breathe” like older residences can. Subsequently, your house can appear to smell stale, feel too humid or experience issues with condensation. If you have allergy or asthma sufferers in your family, they may complain of growing symptoms.
Thankfully, it’s not complicated to increase the ventilation in your home in Greater Richmond. The majority of of the answers that we’ll go over soon are simple and economical.
1. Open Windows and Screened Doors
This is the simplest way to get fresh air into your residence during pleasant weather. But it’s crucial to know this usually isn’t a year-round possibility and can lead to problems if someone in your home has seasonal allergies. If this is the case, you don’t want to open windows during the early morning. That’s when the pollen counts are the worst, according to Mayo Clinic. You’ll also want to avoid opening them during dry, windy weather, as the weather can aggravate allergies.
2. Turn on Exhaust Fans in Your Kitchen and Bathrooms
Using these fans gets rid of stale air, excess moisture, odors and other indoor pollutants. They’re also economical to use. An exhaust fan costs about $7-$15 each year in electricity if you were to keep it on 24/7, according to the Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE).
If you’re looking into this, the CEE recommends looking for an ENERGY STAR® ventilation fan that provides quiet, continuous operation. These fans usually come with a sensor that will switch them on automatically when there’s too much humidity, so you won’t have to think about turning it on or off.
However, it’s crucial to know that an exhaust fan can adversely affect your house’s temperature, since it’s removing air that you’ve already heated or cooled.
3. Keep Your Home’s Humidity Balanced
The right humidity level for your house is between 30–50%, according to Mayo Clinic. While the right concentration of humidity won’t enhance ventilation, it can improve your home’s indoor air quality and keep your residence comfortable at a more energy-efficient setting.
If the humidity is too low, you can experience dry skin, a scratchy throat or itchy eyes. Dry air can also influence wood flooring and furnishings in your residence, causing them to splinter. In contrast, humidity that’s too high can make air feel stale or stuffy. It can also lead to mold and mildew growth and worsen allergies or asthma.
The best method to keep humidity under control is with a whole-home solution. We sell humidifiers and dehumidifiers that work with your HVAC system. There’s no need to transport an inefficient portable system around your home, spilling water as you go.
It’s also essential to know the right humidity level can also make air more comfy at an energy-efficient setting, helping you spend less on energy costs.
4. Purchase a Ventilation System
Installing a mechanical ventilation system is one of the smartest approaches to introduce added fresh air into your residence year-round. There are two different types—heat recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy recovery ventilation (ERV). These systems continuously eliminate stale indoor air and replace it with fresh outdoor air.
HRV is good for cool climates, since it retains the heat from the indoor air it lets out. ERV is good for warm areas, since it draws out warmth and moisture from your air. Some climates can benefit from both systems, so ask our Herman Allen Plumbing, Heating & Cooling ventilation pros about what’s a good fit for your Greater Richmond residence.
If stale or ongoing odors are an issue in your home, you can also install a whole-house air purification system. These systems give an extra level of filtration, which can also provide support with lowering pet dander, allergens and bacteria in your home.
Our ventilation professionals are here to help you choose the ideal product for your residence. Contact us at 804-302-6657 now for a free, no-obligation home comfort assessment. We’ll look at your existing equipment and learn about your needs in advance of offering our recommendations on the ideal possibilities to improve ventilation in your residence.