September 28, 2020
Today’s residences are more energy efficient than ever. While this is fantastic for keeping your energy bills down, it’s not so great for getting enough fresh air inside.
Newer houses are firmly sealed, which indicates they don’t “breathe” like older residences do. As a result, your house could start to smell stale, feel too humid or run into problems with condensation. If you have allergy or asthma sufferers in your household, they might experience growing symptoms.
Thankfully, it’s not hard to enhance the ventilation in your residence in Franklin & South Indy. The majority of of the answers that we’ll review soon are easy and inexpensive.
1.Open Windows and Screened Doors
This is the easiest method to get fresh air into your home during pleasant temps. But it’s essential to know this typically isn’t a year-round solution and can cause problems if someone in your household 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 highest, according to Mayo Clinic. You’ll also want to avoid opening them during dry, windy conditions, as the weather can irritate allergies.
2.Turn on Exhaust Fans in Your Kitchen and Bathrooms
Running these fans eliminates stale air, excessive moisture, odors and other indoor contaminants. They’re also economical to use. An exhaust fan costs about $7-$15 yearly in electricity if you were to keep it on 24/7, according to the Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE)
If you’re interested in doing this, the CEE suggests looking for an ENERGY STAR® ventilation fan that delivers nearly silent, continuous operation. These fans typically come with a sensor that will switch them on automatically when humidity is too elevated, so you won’t have to think about turning it on or off.
However, it’s crucial to be aware that an exhaust fan can negatively affect your residence’s temperature, since it’s getting rid of air that you’ve already heated or cooled.
3.Keep Your House’s Humidity in Check
The best humidity level for your home is between 30–50%, according to Mayo Clinic. While the ideal amount of humidity won’t enhance ventilation, it can improve your residence’s indoor air quality and keep your loved ones pleasant at a more energy-efficient temp.
If humidity isn’t high enough, you might 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 fracture. In contrast, humidity that’s too high can make air appear stale or stuffy. It can also contribute to mold and mildew growth and irritate allergies or asthma.
The smartest method to keep humidity in check is with a whole-home solution. We offer humidifiers and dehumidifiers that work with your HVAC system. There’s no need to lug an inefficient portable system from room to room, spilling water as you walk.
It’s also essential to note an accurate humidity concentration can also make air more pleasant at an energy-efficient temperature, helping you pay less on energy expenses.
4. Install a Ventilation System
Getting a mechanical ventilation system is one of the top approaches to get added fresh air into your residence all year. There are two different kinds—heat recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy recovery ventilation (ERV). These systems constantly eliminate stale indoor air and replace it with fresh outdoor air.
HRV is ideal for chilly climates, since it keeps the heat from the indoor air it exhausts. ERV is great for hot areas, because it removes warmth and moisture from your air. Some locations can benefit from both pieces of equipment, so check with our Winters Heating and Cooling ventilation pros about what’s a good match for your Franklin & South Indy house.
If musty or persistent odors are an issue in your residence, you can also purchase a whole-house air purification system. These systems give an extra level of filtration, which can also help with lowering pet dander, allergens and bacteria in your home.
Our ventilation pros are here to help you select the best option for your home. Contact us at 317-406-5382 now for a free, no-obligation home comfort assessment. We’ll visually inspect your existing equipment and find out about your needs before providing our suggestions on the ideal options to boost ventilation in your residence.