New residences are more energy efficient than ever. While this is excellent for keeping your utility expenses down, it’s bad for introducing enough fresh air inside.
Recently constructed residences are securely sealed, which means they don’t “breathe” like older homes can. As a result, your home may start to smell stale, feel too humid or run into issues with condensation. If you have allergy or asthma sufferers in your home, they could complain of worsening issues.
Thankfully, it’s not difficult to enhance the ventilation in your house in Kutztown and Breinigsville. Many of the options that we’ll discuss soon are easy and economical.
1. Open Windows and Screened Doors
This is the simplest method to get fresh air into your home during moderate temperatures. But it’s essential to know this usually isn’t a year-round option and can create problems if someone in your home has seasonal allergies. If so, you don’t want to open windows during the early morning. That’s when the pollen counts are the greatest, according to Mayo Clinic. You also don’t want to open them during dry, windy days, as the weather can worsen allergies.
2. Use Exhaust Fans in Your Kitchen and Bathrooms
Running these fans eliminates stale air, excessive moisture, odors and other things you don’t want in your house. They’re also reasonable to use. An exhaust fan costs about $7-$15 yearly in electricity if you were to run it 24/7, according to the Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE).
If you’re interested in doing this, the CEE recommends looking for an ENERGY STAR® ventilation fan that offers nearly noiseless, uninterrupted operation. These fans usually come with a sensor that will switch 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 residence’s temperature, since it’s getting rid of air that you’ve already heated or cooled.
3. Keep Your House’s Humidity in Check
The ideal humidity level for your residence is between 30–50%, according to Mayo Clinic. While the right percentage of humidity won’t enhance ventilation, it can improve your home’s indoor air quality and keep your home comfy at a more energy-efficient temperature.
If there isn’t enough humidity, you might suffer from dry skin, a scratchy throat or itchy eyes. Dry air can also impact wood flooring and furnishings in your house, causing them to fracture. On the flip side, humidity that’s too high can make air feel stale or stuffy. It can also contribute to mold and mildew growth and irritate allergies or asthma.
The smartest method to keep humidity under control is with a whole-home solution. We sell humidifiers and dehumidifiers that work with your HVAC system. There’s no need to carry an inefficient portable system around your home, spilling water as you go.
It’s also critical to realize an accurate humidity amount can also make air more comfy at an energy-efficient temp, helping you pay less on heating and cooling costs.
4. Install a Ventilation System
Getting a mechanical ventilation system is one of the wisest approaches to bring in more fresh air into your residence all year. There are two different kinds—heat recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy recovery ventilation (ERV). These systems continually remove musty indoor air and replace it with fresh outdoor air.
HRV is great for cool climates, since it holds on to the heat from the indoor air it lets out. ERV is excellent for warm climates, since it removes warmth and moisture from your air. Some locations can benefit from both pieces of equipment, so check with our Moyer Total Indoor Comfort ventilation experts about what’s best for your Kutztown and Breinigsville house.
If stuffy or ongoing odors are an issue in your home, you can also get a whole-house air purification system. These systems offer an added level of filtration, which can also assist with lowering pet dander, allergens and bacteria in your residence.
Our ventilation professionals are here to help you choose the best option for your residence. Contact us at 484-646-3363 today for a free, no-obligation home comfort assessment. We’ll view your present equipment and learn about your needs in advance of offering our advice on the ideal solutions to increase ventilation in your home.