Ventilation For Your Overland Park Home: Consider These Three Options

More airtight than ever, homes built today are designed for improved energy efficiency. While airtight homes will help you save money on energy and improve home comfort, these homes can be unhealthy without sufficient ventilation. Proper ventilation eliminates stale air and removes potentially hazardous pollutants from your home. 

These pollutants may include:

  • Mildew
  • Mold
  • Pollen
  • Viruses
  • Pet dander
  • Bacteria
  • Chemical cleaners
  • Hair spray
  • Lacquers
  • Paint

There are three main kinds of ventilation systems to consider:

1. Supply System – this system can be used in mixed and hot climates. Outdoor air is brought invia an intake vent. It is then distributed throughout your home by way of a duct system and fan.One of the benefits of this kind of system is that the outdoor air is dehumidified or cooled before it enters your home.

2. Balanced System – this kind of system is ideal for any climate. With a balanced system, two fans ensure that equal amounts of air will be taken into and released from your home via separate airstreams. Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) and Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) are the most commonly seen balanced systems.

  • An ERV system transfers heat and moisture between the incoming air and the exhaust air. An ERV system gives you additional savings during the warm summer months because the air entering your home has reduced moisture content and feels cooler. It does not requiredehumidification. This system will moisturize the incoming air in the winter, helping to avoid extremely dry conditions in your home during the heating season.
  • HRVs transfer the heat from exhaust air to incoming air during the cold months and reverses this process for the warm months. It works the same as an ERV except without transferring moisture between the airstreams.

3. Exhaust System – Indoor air is constantly exhausted outside with fans. These fans are often placed in bathrooms. These systems are ideal for cold climates and usually not recommended for a hot, humid climate. In a climate such as this, the pressure differential resulting from the exhaust process will result in hot air being drawn into the home through cracks and other openings. If this happens and the warm air reaches cooler interior surfaces, it may condense and create moisture problems.

If you want to learn more about properly ventilating your home, please contact us at Overland Park Heating & Cooling today. We provide reliable HVAC services to homeowners in the greater Kansas City area.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Overland Park, Kansas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). 

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