Fresh Air - 2 Easy Options
2 Options to let the people breath
(start with our air sealing post, then come back to this one)
If you have been thinking your self this entire time that “houses need to breath” then you are not alone. The short answer is that this is dated thinking and the correct way to consider this is we (people) need to breath, our buildings: no so much. At the end of the day our buildings need to keep bulk water out, allow moisture to dry through use of proper materials in the correct places, and allow the occupants to breath in peace. Bulk water and moisture are outside the scope of this discussion, and for the most part outside of the blogs intent to help homeowners identify important aspects of their custom build that they may not know about, allowing the occupants to breath we will dive into just a little:
The fresh air damper
Fresh Air Damper
The most cost effective option to this is a fresh air damper. Its on a timer and will open say 10 minutes of every hours (adjustable) to let your HVAC equipment to bring in outside air through its filtration system. This is a cost effective option, but you loose a very minute amount of efficiency since that hot/cold outside air needs to be conditioned when it comes in.
2. Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) - {Southern Climates}
Conceptual Diagram of an ERV
An Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) is a mechanical ventilation system that exchanges stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air while transferring heat and moisture between the two air streams. This process helps maintain indoor air quality and comfort by reducing energy losses associated with heating or cooling incoming air. ERVs are particularly effective in Atlanta’s hot humid climate where managing both temperature and humidity is crucial. The costs here are considerable higher than a simple fresh air damper, but the results are better. Expect to pay $3-4k.
Northern friends take a look at Heat Recovery Ventilators instead: http://cchrc.org/heat-recovery-ventilators/#:~:text=Heat%20Recovery%20Ventilators%20(HRVs)%20are,facing%20indoor%20air%20quality%20issues.