You know how important it is for homeowners in Lawton, OK to focus on air sealing. Once the living space is sealed, however, it’s important to ensure that the air you’re breathing is clean and fresh. Otherwise, you and your family will be stuck breathing in stagnant, potentially contaminated air on a daily basis. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has found that air inside a home is 5 to 100 times more polluted than outdoor air while the American Lung Association has stated the 50% of all illness is either caused by or aggravated by poor indoor air quality.
The solution: mechanical ventilation. Pollutants can build up in your home without proper ventilation, which is why it’s so important to install the right system.
What is Mechanical Ventilation?
By light definition, mechanical ventilation is the process of actively supplying air to and removing it from areas inside the home with the usage of powered equipment. There are two main types of mechanical ventilation systems—spot ventilation (exhaust fans in bathrooms and above kitchen ranges, for example), which is designed to remove the pollutant from the source, and whole-house ventilation. Whole-house ventilation utilizes multiple fans and duct systems, and there are multiple different types of setups to choose from.
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Exhaust:
This whole-house mechanical ventilation system primarily places a home in a depressurized (negative pressure) state. Exhaust systems are inexpensive to install and work well in cold climates.
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Supply:
This whole-house mechanical ventilation system puts a home in a pressurized (positive pressure) state. Supply systems are relatively inexpensive to install and work best in hot and humid climates.
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Balanced:
This whole-house mechanical ventilation system functions by bringing in fresh outdoor air to replace polluted indoor air (in equal amounts). Due to it’s more moderate approach to air ventilation, a balanced system works well in any climate. The cost to install however is greater than that of a simple exhaust or supply system.
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Energy Recovery & Heat Recovery Ventilators:
These whole-house mechanical ventilation systems regulate the exchange of indoor and outdoor air while simultaneously using existing heated or cooled air. This allows comfortable air to flow through your home without using a ton of energy. Energy recovery and heat recovery systems reduce energy costs and work well for homes in naturally humid climates. The cost of installation for these devices however, is quite high when compared to that of other systems.
In the end, the type of mechanical ventilation that’s right for your home should be determined by a home performance contractor, and the team at Pippin is here to help.
The Benefits of Improved Mechanical Ventilation
Improving mechanical ventilation comes along with a number of important benefits, with the following being just a few highlights to focus upon:
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Improved Indoor Air Quality — It’s important to realize that the quality of the air you breathe matters, especially when it comes to the health of you and your family. Improve mechanical ventilation, and you’ll in turn improve indoor air quality, not to mention reduce the chances that mold and moisture could cause issues.
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Enhanced Control — It’s important to be able to control where you’re air intake is coming from. This reduces the risk of “bad air” from entering into your conditioned space.
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Better Comfort Levels — There’s a lot to be said about living in a comfortable home, yet many people have a difficult time dialing-in comfort levels. Installing a mechanical ventilation system is an excellent way to achieve instant results.