Buying an efficient ventilation system for your Fresno area home is important for several reasons. With today’s homes being constructed with an emphasis on energy efficiency, mechanical ventilation becomes critical if healthy indoor air quality is to be achieved and maintained. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air pollution can be much worse than outdoor pollution. The number one solution to counteracting unhealthy levels of indoor air is adequate ventilation.
The common factor in different mechanical ventilation systems is the use of fans. Two popular methods are exhaust ventilation systems and supply ventilation systems. The difference between the two is as follows:
- Exhaust ventilation – This involves the use of fans to pull air from inside your home to the outside. Air pressure within the home is reduced using this system, and fresh air will naturally be pulled into the living space through leaks or through the installation of passive vents.
- Supply ventilation – This employs fans moving air from the outdoors to the home’s interior, thus increasing air pressure within the living space. This positive pressure causes stale, interior air to be pushed outside through leaks or installed vents.
A third type of ventilation, called balanced, is a combination of supply and exhaust, with a fan or fans pulling air in and another pulling air out. It’s more expensive to install and operate than the other two.
The most sophisticated type of residential ventilation is the Heat or Energy Recovery Ventilation system (HRV or ERV), which transfers heat energy between outflowing and incoming airstreams to help cool or heat your home.
Buying an efficient ventilation system depends partly on the climate. With Fresno’s relatively mild year-round temperatures, supply ventilation usually works well, and is inexpensive and simple to install. It offers more control than exhaust ventilation and prevents potential backdrafting of gas appliances. This is a risk faced with the negative pressure created with exhaust ventilation. It also minimizes entry of outdoor pollutants by allowing for filtration of incoming air.
In the Fresno area, we’ve been providing superior indoor quality for more than four decades. Contact us at Donald P. Dick Air Conditioning for further advice on buying an efficient ventilation system for your home or to discuss any other indoor air comfort/quality concerns.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in the greater Fresno, California area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).