New homes are more energy efficient than ever. While this is ideal for keeping your energy expenses down, it’s bad for bringing enough fresh air inside.
Recently constructed houses are firmly sealed, which shows they don’t “breathe” like older homes do. Because of this, your home can begin to smell musty, feel too humid or have troubles with condensation. If you have allergy or asthma sufferers in your family, they may experience growing issues.
Luckily, it’s not hard to improve the ventilation in your home in New Castle. Many of the solutions that we’ll go over soon are simple and inexpensive.
1. Open Windows and Screened Doors
This is the simplest method to get fresh air into your home during moderate weather. But it’s crucial to note this typically isn’t a year-round option and can lead to problems if someone in your home has seasonal allergies. If this applies to you, 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’ll also want to avoid opening them during dry, windy conditions, because the weather can irritate allergies.
2. Run Exhaust Fans in Your Kitchen and Bathrooms
Running these fans gets rid of stale air, excess moisture, odors and other things you don’t want in your house. They’re also reasonable to operate. An exhaust fan costs about $7-$15 annually 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 provides nearly silent, constant operation. These fans frequently come with a sensor that will trigger then to run automatically when humidity is too high, so you won’t have to remember to turn it on or off.
However, it’s important to note that an exhaust fan can adversely influence your residence’s temperature, since it’s removing air that you’ve already heated or cooled.
3. Keep Your Home’s Humidity Balanced
The ideal humidity level for your house is between 30–50%, according to Mayo Clinic. While the ideal concentration of humidity won’t increase ventilation, it can enhance your home’s indoor air quality and keep your family comfy at a more energy-efficient temperature.
If humidity isn’t high enough, you can have dry skin, a scratchy throat or itchy eyes. Dry air can also affect wood flooring and furnishings in your house, causing them to splinter. On the flip side, humidity that’s too great can make air seem stale or stuffy. It can also contribute to mold and mildew growth and irritate allergies or asthma.
The best approach to keep humidity in check is with a whole-home solution. We offer humidifiers and dehumidifiers that work with your HVAC system. You won’t have to lug an inefficient portable system from room to room, spilling water as you walk.
It’s also important to be aware an accurate humidity concentration can also make air more pleasant at an energy-efficient temp, helping you save more on heating and cooling expenses.
4. Purchase a Ventilation System
Installing a mechanical ventilation system is one of the top ways to introduce added fresh air into your residence year-round. There are two different kinds—heat recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy recovery ventilation (ERV). These systems constantly get rid of musty indoor air and replace it with fresh outdoor air.
HRV is ideal for cold climates, since it retains the heat from the indoor air it lets out. ERV is good for humid areas, since it pulls out warmth and moisture from your air. Some areas can benefit from both pieces of equipment, so ask our Central Heating & Plumbing ventilation experts about what’s a good match for your New Castle home.
If musty or ongoing odors are an issue in your house, you can also purchase a whole-house air purification system. These systems give an additional level of filtration, which can also assist with decreasing pet dander, allergens and bacteria in your house.
Our ventilation experts are here to help you choose the right option for your residence. Contact us at 724-401-1843 now for a free, no-obligation home comfort assessment. We’ll visually inspect your existing equipment and listen to your needs in advance of providing our recommendations on the right options to increase ventilation in your home.