Modern houses are more energy efficient than ever. While this is fantastic for keeping your heating and cooling expenses small, it’s not so good for getting adequate fresh air inside.
Newer houses are tightly sealed, which indicates they don’t “breathe” like older homes do. Subsequently, your home may appear to smell stale, feel too humid or experience problems with condensation. If you have allergy or asthma sufferers in your home, they might complain of worsening problems.
Thankfully, it’s not difficult to improve the ventilation in your house in Auburn and Opelika. Many of the solutions that we’ll discuss shortly are uncomplicated and reasonably priced.
1. Open Windows and Screened Doors
This is the fastest approach to get fresh air into your home during moderate temperatures. But it’s important to be aware this typically isn’t a year-round solution and can create problems if someone in your household has seasonal allergies. If so, you don’t want to open windows during the early morning. That’s when the pollen counts are the highest, according to Mayo Clinic. You also don’t want to open them during dry, windy weather, as the weather can worsen allergies.
2. Use Exhaust Fans in Your Kitchen and Bathrooms
Operating these fans draws out stale air, excessive moisture, odors and other indoor pollutants. They’re also reasonable to use. An exhaust fan costs about $7-$15 annually in electricity if you were to run it 24/7, according to the Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE).
If you want to do this, the CEE recommends looking for an ENERGY STAR® ventilation fan that provides nearly noiseless, continuous operation. These fans typically come with a sensor that will turn them on automatically when there’s too much humidity, so you won’t have to think about turning it on or off.
However, it’s important to know that an exhaust fan can adversely impact your home’s temperature, since it’s getting rid of air that you’ve already heated or cooled.
3. Keep Your House’s Humidity Regulated
The best humidity level for your home is between 30–50%, according to Mayo Clinic. While the ideal concentration of humidity won’t increase ventilation, it can improve your home’s indoor air quality and keep your residence pleasant at a more energy-efficient temp.
If humidity isn’t high enough, you might experience dry skin, a scratchy throat or itchy eyes. Dry air can also affect wood flooring and furnishings in your house, causing them to fracture. On the flip side, humidity that’s too great can make air feel stale or stuffy. It can also contribute to mold and mildew growth and worsen allergies or asthma.
The wisest way to keep humidity in check is with a whole-home solution. We have humidifiers and dehumidifiers that work with your furnace and air conditioning system. There’s no need to lug an inefficient portable system across your house, spilling water as you move.
It’s also crucial to know the correct humidity level can also make air more pleasant at an energy-efficient temp, helping you save more on heating and cooling bills.
4. Get a Ventilation System
Installing a mechanical ventilation system is one of the smartest ways to bring in more fresh air into your home year-round. There are two different kinds—heat recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy recovery ventilation (ERV). These systems constantly eliminate musty indoor air and replace it with fresh outdoor air.
HRV is ideal for cold climates, since it holds on to the heat from the indoor air it exhausts. ERV is excellent for humid locations, as it removes warmth and moisture from your air. Some locations can benefit from both units, so ask our Farnell Mechanical, Inc. ventilation experts about what’s best for your Auburn and Opelika house.
If musty or ongoing odors are an issue in your residence, you can also buy a whole-house air purification system. These systems deliver an extra level of filtration, which can also provide support with decreasing pet dander, allergens and bacteria in your residence.
Our ventilation pros are here to help you find the right option for your house. Contact us at 334-524-2458 today for a free, no-obligation home comfort assessment. We’ll visually inspect your present equipment and learn about your needs in advance of delivering our suggestions on the ideal solutions to enhance ventilation in your home.