Modern houses are more energy efficient than ever. While this is fantastic for keeping your energy bills down, it’s not so great for bringing enough fresh air inside.
Newer houses are tightly sealed, which indicates they don’t “breathe” like older houses are able to. Because of this, your residence could start to smell stale, feel too humid or run into issues with condensation. If you have allergy or asthma sufferers in your family, they could complain of increasing issues.
Luckily, it’s not hard to increase the ventilation in your home in Crystal and Twin Cities. Many of the options that we’ll discuss in a minute are easy and reasonably priced.
1. Open Windows and Screened Doors
This is the fastest method to get fresh air into your residence during moderate weather. But it’s important to know this typically isn’t a year-round option and can cause problems if someone in your home has seasonal allergies. If this applies to you, you don’t want to open windows during the early morning. That’s when the pollen counts are the greatest, according to Mayo Clinic. You also shouldn’t open them during dry, windy days, since the weather can irritate allergies.
2. Turn on Exhaust Fans in Your Kitchen and Bathrooms
Operating these fans draws out stale air, excess moisture, odors and other things you don’t want in your house. They’re also reasonable to run. An exhaust fan costs about $7-$15 yearly in electricity if you were to operate it 24/7, according to the Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE).
If you want to do this, the CEE suggests looking for an ENERGY STAR® ventilation fan that delivers nearly noiseless, continuous operation. These fans usually come with a sensor that will trigger then to run automatically when there’s too much humidity, so you won’t have to remember to turn it on or off.
However, it’s essential to be aware that an exhaust fan can undesirably impact your home’s temperature, since it’s exhausting air that you’ve already heated or cooled.
3. Keep Your Residence’s Humidity Regulated
The ideal humidity level for your home is between 30–50%, according to Mayo Clinic. While the correct concentration of humidity won’t increase ventilation, it can enhance your house’s indoor air quality and keep your loved ones pleasant at a more energy-efficient temp.
If humidity isn’t high enough, you may suffer from dry skin, a scratchy throat or itchy eyes. Dry air can also affect wood flooring and furnishings in your house, causing them to splinter. In contrast, humidity that’s too high can make air appear stale or stuffy. It can also lead to mold and mildew growth and irritate allergies or asthma.
The smartest way to keep humidity under control is with a whole-home solution. We offer humidifiers and dehumidifiers that work with your heating and cooling system. You don’t need to carry an inefficient portable system around your home, spilling water as you move.
It’s also critical to note the correct humidity level can also make air more comfortable at an energy-efficient setting, helping you pay less on utility expenses.
4. Get a Ventilation System
Getting a mechanical ventilation system is one of the smartest methods to introduce additional fresh air into your house all year. There are two different kinds—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 great for cool climates, since it retains the heat from the indoor air it emits. ERV is excellent for humid climates, since it removes warmth and moisture from your air. Some climates can benefit from both pieces of equipment, so check with our GV Heating & Air ventilation professionals about what’s best for your Crystal and Twin Cities home.
If musty or ongoing odors are a problem in your home, you can also buy a whole-house air purification system. These systems offer an extra level of filtration, which can also provide support with decreasing pet dander, allergens and bacteria in your home.
Our ventilation experts are here to help you choose the best product for your residence. Contact us at 763-535-2000 now for a free, no-obligation home comfort assessment. We’ll look at your present equipment and learn about your needs before providing our suggestions on the best options to enhance ventilation in your home.