As you may know, your AC system doesn’t draw in fresh air from outdoors. And neither does your heating system. But there is a V in HVAC for an important reason.
Homes and office spaces are becoming more and more energy-efficient. Besides having a lower electricity bill, this also means your property becomes air-tight inside. A room without drafts or air leaks is also one without a healthy flow of oxygen. Without a proper ventilation system installed, you would need to open windows and doors frequently. If you cannot do so, the air inside your home will become stuffy and toxic. As you breathe, cook, clean, and bathe, your indoor air quality will slowly decline and so can your health.
This is why it’s crucial for homeowners and commercial property owners to invest in a quality ventilation system. Opening windows and doors in humid Florida weather might bring in clean air, but it will also be filled with high levels of moisture that can promote mold and bacteria growth.
Hot humid air is far from the fresh cool comfort we hope to achieve in our homes, especially during the Summer. You need the right balance all year round; air that is both fresh and crisp.
And to achieve that, you need an efficient and well-maintained ventilation system.
Natural Ventilation Vs. Mechanical Ventilation
There are two types of ventilation, natural and mechanical. They both achieve the same goal; they create excellent airflow throughout every room in your home to ensure great air quality.
Natural ventilation is the free stuff that nature hands out to us. If you open a door or window, you are naturally ventilating that space.
But to ventilate an entire house, you need extensive circulation and cross breezes to push stagnant air out of stuffy rooms. To properly ventilate a home naturally, open up as many windows as possible for a few hours. This has to be done frequently to maintain healthy indoor air quality.
In contrast, mechanical ventilation uses equipment like fans and motors to direct air inside or suck it out. Machinery regularly does the work for us so that the indoor living space retains a balanced and controlled temperature and humidity level all the time.
Mechanical Ventilation Types
When you compare natural to mechanical ventilation, it’s obvious which choice is the smart one. However, you still have a few options to choose from when selecting mechanical ventilation as your air quality solution.
Mechanical ventilation comes in many forms and, much like the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, these ventilation systems create too much, too little, or just the right amount of air circulation.
The three types of mechanical ventilation are:
- Supply Only
- Exhaust Only
- Whole-House Ventilation
Supply only mechanical ventilation draws air from the outdoors inside, but does not send any out. Although it offers the benefit of lots of fresh oxygen-rich air circulation, it doesn’t solve the problem of built-up particulate matter, pollutants, and toxins in the air. We get a bunch of air, but no exchange.
Exhaust-only mechanical ventilation removes unwanted air from places that build up excessive moisture like steamy bathrooms, laundry rooms, and over the stove hoods. Exhaust fans suck the air from these places and send them outdoors.
But if these are used alone, they do not supply us with anything fresh to breathe. This could still lead to reduced comfort, difficulty sleeping, and even breathing problems or Sick Building Syndrome.
The ultimate solution is a whole-house ventilation system that uses both supply and exhaust ventilation methods to provide your living space with ample amounts of fresh air while removing old air.
Installing or Repairing Your Ventilation System
Although it’s possible for homeowners to install their own HVAC systems, to reap the most benefits from your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems, hire a trained and certified team from Action Air Conditioning.
We provide our customers with a tremendous variety of brands and models to choose from, as well as equipment warranties. When you choose Action Air Conditioning, our friendly and knowledgeable technicians will inform you throughout the entire process and your HVAC system will run efficiently.
Honesty, integrity, and reliability, that’s what we stand for! Call us today and let us know how we can help.