Does Home Ventilation Impact Overall Health and Comfort?

We all know heating and cooling are important for keeping your home comfortable all year long. But some rarely think about the V in HVAC – ventilation that works in conjunction with the heating and cooling system. 

What is ventilation?

In order to distribute heated or cooled air to every room in your home, the ventilation system is set up with ductwork and a series of vents and registers for maximum efficiency. 

But the ventilation system does more than carry heated and cooled air throughout the home. It also provides ventilation and humidifies the air to maximum health and comfort efficiency. A home needs fresh air to ensure pollutants and contaminants don’t get trapped inside, impact indoor air quality, and eventually make you sick. 

What ventilation does for your home

Proper ventilation keeps your home at a comfortable temperature, and removes moisture, odors and other pollutants. Good ventilation works to:

Provide proper airflow – this ensures each room in your home receives just the right amount of conditioned air. 

Remove condensation – if you’ve ever experienced a home that’s too dry, you might wake up with nosebleeds, find cracks in hardwood flooring, and have elevated static electricity. Too much moisture can be a breeding ground for mold, mildew, and aggravate respiratory problems. 

Improve air quality – if a home has too much or too little humidity, or harbors dust particles, pollutants, or other contaminants, it can create a variety of symptoms from allergies to asthma attacks. 

Ventilation 

Ventilation systems are set up in different ways. 

The most common uses a small exhaust fan to release stale air and moisture out of the room. It creates negative pressure inside and pulls fresh air in through air inlets throughout the house. 

An air supply ventilation system uses a fan to bring fresh air in while releasing stale air through air outlets throughout the home. Air can be delivered to one location or through ducts in the HVAC system. 

Balanced ventilation uses separate fans to drive both intake and exhaust flow. You can use duct ventilation, or a point source system. One of our HVAC experts can help you select the right ventilation system to suit your needs.