Ever since the covid pandemic, I’ve been more aware of the importance of indoor air conditions.
I’ve read that indoor air is properly several times more polluted than outdoor air.
It’s necessary to tighten up the thermal envelope to prevent heated & cooled air from leaking out & outside air from coming in. Improvements such as new windows, added insulation, caulking & weatherstripping help to increase the efficiency of the gas furnace & air conditioner, however, these efforts eliminate natural ventilation. With no fresh air coming in, the indoor environment becomes stale, stuffy & polluted, then a steady influx of contaminants are introduced into the breathing air by way of the respected activities such as cooking, cleaning & showering… Pets, pesticides, the gas furnace & air conditioner all add to the problem, but dust, pollen, dander, mold spores, VOCs & other toxins get trapped inside. They cause major health complications. Headaches, congestion, insomnia, angry symptoms of dust irritations & asthma, sneezing & coughing are some of the consequences, and unfortunately, there are legitimately few times of year when I can open the windows & 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 separate from causing energy waste. In the winter, the idea uses the outgoing stale air to hot up the incoming air & reduce demands on the gas furnace. In the summer, the air exchange helps to get rid of excess humidity & lessen the workload of the air conditioner. The savings on my heating & cooling bills has suddenly recovered the cost of installing the HRV.