New homes are more energy efficient than ever. While this is fantastic for keeping your heating and cooling expenses small, it’s not so great for bringing ample fresh air inside.
Newer homes are tightly sealed, which means they don’t “breathe” like older residences are able to. As a result, your home may appear to smell musty, feel too humid or experience troubles with condensation. If you have allergy or asthma sufferers in your family, they could experience increasing issues.
Luckily, it’s not difficult to increase the ventilation in your house in Mankato area. The majority of of the solutions that we’ll discuss soon are simple and reasonably priced.
1. Open Windows and Screened Doors
This is the fastest approach to get fresh air into your residence during mild weather. But it’s crucial to note this usually isn’t a year-round option and can lead to 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 worst, according to Mayo Clinic. You also shouldn’t open them during dry, windy days, because the weather can irritate allergies.
2. Turn on Exhaust Fans in Your Kitchen and Bathrooms
Operating these fans eliminates stale air, excess moisture, odors and other things you don’t want in your house. They’re also reasonable to run. An exhaust fan costs about $7-$15 each year in electricity if you were to keep it on 24/7, according to the Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE).
If you want to do this, the CEE suggests looking for an ENERGY STAR® ventilation fan that offers nearly silent, constant operation. These fans frequently come with a sensor that will turn them on automatically when there’s too much humidity, so you won’t have to remember to turn it on or off.
However, it’s essential to be aware that an exhaust fan can undesirably affect your home’s temperature, since it’s exhausting air that you’ve already heated or cooled.
3. Keep Your Residence’s Humidity Balanced
The best humidity level for your residence is between 30–50%, according to Mayo Clinic. While the ideal concentration of humidity won’t improve ventilation, it can improve your home’s indoor air quality and keep your household comfortable at a more energy-efficient setting.
If humidity isn’t high enough, you may have 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 other hand, humidity that’s too high can make air appear stale or stuffy. It can also lead to mold and mildew growth and irritate allergies or asthma.
The smartest method to keep humidity regulated is with a whole-home solution. We offer humidifiers and dehumidifiers that work with your furnace and air conditioning system. There’s no need to carry an inefficient portable system from room to room, spilling water as you move.
It’s also essential to be aware the right humidity level can also make air more comfortable at an energy-efficient setting, helping you save more on utility bills.
4. Get a Ventilation System
Getting a mechanical ventilation system is one of the wisest ways to introduce more fresh air into your home year-round. There are two different styles—heat recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy recovery ventilation (ERV). These systems constantly get rid of stale indoor air and replace it with fresh outdoor air.
HRV is great for cold climates, since it holds on to the heat from the indoor air it exhausts. ERV is excellent for warm climates, since it pulls out warmth and moisture from your air. Some areas can benefit from both pieces of equipment, so check with our Northern Comfort Inc ventilation experts about what’s a good fit for your Mankato area residence.
If stuffy or ongoing odors are a problem in your house, you can also buy a whole-house air purification system. These systems give an added level of filtration, which can also help with reducing pet dander, allergens and bacteria in your residence.
Our ventilation pros are here to help you find the ideal product for your house. Contact us at 507-387-6596 right away for a free, no-obligation home comfort assessment. We’ll view your present equipment and listen to your needs prior to giving our suggestions on the ideal possibilities to improve ventilation in your residence.