Trying to balance energy efficiency and air quality?
You’re not alone. Most homeowners make sure their house is well insulated to keep those energy bills low… but what about ventilation? The air inside your home can become stale and dirty if you’re not careful.
And honestly…
It’s not something to take lightly.
Air quality issues in your home can lead to health problems for you and your family.
Here’s What We’ll Cover
- Indoor Air Quality Matters More Than You Think
- Home Construction Creates Ventilation Challenges
- Dangerously High Carbon Monoxide Levels
- Effective Home Ventilation Solutions
- Tips For Balancing Energy Efficiency And Ventilation
Indoor Air Quality Matters More Than You Think
Here’s a fun fact for you…
The EPA estimates the average American citizen spends up to 90% of their time indoors. We’re talking about inside your home, office, school, wherever.
Pretty crazy when you think about it.
But here’s the scary part.
Did you know indoor pollutant levels can be 2 to 5 times higher than outdoor concentrations? So while your house is nice and sealed up to keep air from escaping… all those pollutants are staying trapped inside with you.
Your family’s health could be at risk.
Believe it or not, your home needs ventilation just as much as your body does.
When your house doesn’t have an adequate way for fresh air to circulate, pollutants build up. You might also experience weird smells, high humidity levels, and even have your HVAC system work harder than it should to compensate.
Home Construction Creates Ventilation Challenges
New homes these days are ridiculously air-tight.
If you’ve got double-pane windows, insulated walls cavities, and sealed openings… that’s amazing for energy efficiency. There’s just one problem…
Where’s your air coming from?
Old, inefficient homes had drafts. You didn’t want them, but at least they provided ventilation. These days, homes are built so tightly that without some type of mechanical ventilation, your air just sits there stagnant.
All of your indoor pollutants stay trapped inside.
Not to mention your furnace. Heating systems can cause serious problems if your home isn’t ventilated properly.
Dangerously High Carbon Monoxide Levels
We want to focus on an often-overlooked danger within your home.
Cracked heat exchangers.
Your furnace’s heat exchanger is what keeps combustion gases from entering your home. These pollutants should always be vented safely out of your house.
If your heat exchanger cracks or contains holes… you could be filling your home with carbon monoxide.
Carbon monoxide.
That’s right, CO. This poisonous gas has no smell, taste, or color. Thousands of people end up in emergency rooms every year because of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Your heating system could be slowly poisoning you.
Effective Home Ventilation Solutions
Ok, so how can you heat your home and have access to fresh air at the same time?
Simple. You install an effective ventilation system.
You don’t have to sacrifice your energy savings just to get some fresh air. There are options out there that allow you to do both!
Heat Recovery Ventilators
Want to know one of the best solutions for your home?
Heat recovery ventilators, or HRVs for short.
These bad boys take stale air from inside your home and use it to heat fresh air coming from outdoors. Not only does this provide you with ventilation, but it also helps save money on heating costs.
It’s a win-win.
Honestly, HRVs are ideal for most households that live in cooler climates.
Energy Recovery Ventilators
We got roommates over at HRV… because ERVs work the same way with one small difference.
These systems transfer heat and humidity.
So if you live in an area with high humidity levels or you just have air conditioning, ERVs can help you out there too.
Whole House Mechanical Ventilation
A Department of Energy study revealed a properly installed and working whole-house mechanical ventilation system reduced CO2 concentration by 30%. Additionally, radon gas and nitrogen dioxide were reduced by 42%.
Whoa.
Just by making sure your home is ventilated correctly you’ll see a drastic improvement in your air quality.
Tips For Balancing Energy Efficiency And Ventilation
The moral of the story is you have to be intentional about home ventilation.
You can’t just seal everything up and hope for the best. Sure, it will lower your heating bills, but at what cost?
Check these tips:
- Hire a professional to perform an energy audit on your home. They can tell you where you’re losing money and where your home is lacking ventilation.
- Install carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home. Test the batteries frequently to ensure they’re working properly.
- Change your filters regularly. A dirty filter means reduced airflow which could cause major problems with your HVAC system.
- Schedule annual maintenance with your HVAC company. A certified technician can catch cracked heat exchangers issues before they turn into a disaster.
- Look into upgrading your ventilation system. Heat and energy recovery ventilators are a great option for any home wanting to improve the quality of their air.
One more thing…
Cracked heat exchangers issues aren’t going to come announce themselves with flashing lights on your furnace.
If you notice your furnace suddenly stop blowing air, the flame color changes, or you smell an odd chemical odor coming from your furnace, shut your system off and call a professional.
By the time you realize there’s a problem, it’s likely been developing for some time.
The Bottom Line
Your home needs ventilation to keep your family healthy. Yes, we want energy efficiency in our homes to save money on utility bills, but not at the cost of high carbon monoxide levels or other air pollutants.
Modern home construction is great for keeping our homes nice and cozy. However, it also traps all those pollutants inside your home if you don’t have proper ventilation.
Remember
Don’t wait for symptoms to appear before you take action. Contact your local HVAC specialist and have your system checked for cracked heat exchanger issues. If needed, upgrade your ventilation and breathe easy knowing you have fresh air coming into your home.
Your heating system can kill you. Don’t let it.