Modern homes are more airtight than ever, and this applies to both recently built homes and older homes that have been weatherized for energy efficiency. This is a good thing, but it also comes with a down-side; a home that’s been sealed tightly against the outside elements will also tend to have unhealthy, dirty or muggy air unless proper ventilation has been introduced. Here are some practical options for home ventilation:
Home Ventilation Strategies
- Ceiling fans. When the fan blades are set for clockwise rotation, these simple devices help circulate warm air during the winter, when warmer tends to collect near the ceiling where nobody can enjoy it. During warmer outside weather, set ceiling fans to counter-clockwise to provide a cooling wind chill effect. Ceiling fans are proven energy savers in winter and summer.
- Natural ventilation. When the weather outside is mild, open windows and doors to take advantage of the natural exchange of air between inside and outside. This is a time-honored way of ventilating a home and dates back as far as the first enclosed houses. Make sure your home has operable windows and skylights. It’s pretty tough to naturally ventilate a home where you can’t open the windows.
- Whole-house fans. Usually installed in the ceiling between the attic and the highest floor of the house, a whole-house fan will pull air up into the attic and outside. This process draws cooler, fresh air into the home through open windows or doors. This is mainly a warm-weather option, supplementing A/C or eliminating the need entirely.
- Kitchen and bathroom fans. These fans are necessary fixtures in a home, exhausting dirty and humid air from the kitchen and bathrooms. Make sure these fans are vented to the outside; otherwise, you’re just moving bad air to someplace else in the house. This is a home ventilation strategy that will remove contaminated air that can aggravate or trigger allergies and respiratory ailments.
For more help with home ventilation in The Woodlands, Conroe or Montgomery areas, please contact us at Bradbury Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning.
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