Ever since the covid pandemic, I’ve been more aware of the importance of indoor air quality.
I’ve read that indoor air is typically five times more polluted than outdoor air.
It’s necessary to tighten up the thermal envelope to prevent heated and cooled air from leaking out and outside air from coming in. Improvements such as new windows, added insulation, caulking and weatherstripping help to increase the efficiency of the furnace and air conditioner. However, these efforts eliminate natural ventilation. With no fresh air coming in, the indoor environment becomes stale, stuffy and polluted. A steady influx of contaminants are introduced into the breathing air by way of the regular activities such as cooking, cleaning and showering. Pets, pesticides, the furnace and air conditioner all add to the problem. Dust, pollen, dander, mold spores, VOCs and other toxins get trapped inside. They cause major health concerns. Headaches, congestion, insomnia, irritated symptoms of allergies and asthma, sneezing and coughing are some of the consequences. Unfortunately, there are very few times of year when I can open the windows and freshen up the house. In order to create a cleaner, healthier living space, I’ve invested into an HRV or heat recovery ventilator. The ventilator actively brings in fresh air all year round without causing energy waste. In the winter, the system uses the outgoing stale air to warm up the incoming air and reduce demands on the furnace. In the summer, the air exchange helps to get rid of excess humidity and lessen the workload of the air conditioner. The savings on my heating and cooling bills has quickly recovered the cost of installing the HRV.