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Fresh Air Ventilation: The Importance of Having Fresh Air in Your Home


Sick building syndrome, an issue that occurs when a building’s poor ventilation leads to illness among users and residents, affects nearly one in three new or renovated buildings. Fresh air ventilation plays a crucial role in keeping a building’s residents healthy.

Even on warmer days, opening a window won’t help ventilation enough. Colder climate days depend on full fresh air ventilation even more. For optimum health, an air ventilation system needs to keep air both warm and fresh.


When it comes to heat recovery ventilators in Waterloo, Aire One Heating & Cooling can help. Follow along, and we’ll tell you some of our best fresh air ventilation tips.


Why Isn’t One Window Enough?

A window presents the most traditional form of ventilation, connecting the inside to the outside. A single window doesn’t encourage much airflow. What will push the stagnant air inside to leave or get the fresh air from outside to enter in?


If nothing else, the most straightforward fresh air ventilation system possible requires two openings to the outdoors. This allows air to flow freely rather than trying to push out through the same vent it comes in. While you can sometimes ventilate with one window, you have better options.


Why Do I Need Heat Recovery Ventilators in Waterloo?

Leaving two windows open presents problems for fresh air ventilation. While you now have air coming in and flowing back out, that air will bring the chill of the outside with it. In the winter months, having that amount of airflow can make your home really cold and cause your furnace run overtime!


That airflow can also cost you money, even in the warmer months. Your heating cost will always lose some of its value on air that escapes your house, but you still want to minimize that. That’s where a heat recovery ventilator comes in.


A heat recovery ventilator uses motors, fans, and vents to allow cool outdoor air to absorb some heat from warmer indoor air. Due to the construction of the central heat exchange core, the two streams never mix, but they still transfer some heat between each other. After passing through the core, the outdoor air enters your house, and the indoor air escapes.


What Are Energy Recovery Ventilators?

Sometimes a heat recovery ventilator won’t fit your needs. Maintaining heat is important, but maintaining an appropriate moisture level also plays a role in a house’s health and comfort.

For situations like these, consider an energy recovery ventilator. Unlike a heat recovery ventilator, which only focuses on heat transfer between the air streams, an energy recovery ventilator also transfers moisture.


The best choice for your home will depend on its location and climate. Contact a professional if you’re not sure what type of system you need, so you receive the best fresh air ventilation advice.


Keep Your Home Healthy

Regardless of the solution you choose, you can’t ignore fresh air ventilation control. Low air quality in your home can lead to chronic illness.


Whether it’s an HVAC issue or installing heat recovery ventilators in Waterloo and Guelph, you should know who to contact. Reach out to us today at Aire One Heating & Cooling for all your HVAC and ventilator needs.

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