New homes are more energy efficient than ever. While this is ideal for keeping your heating and cooling expenses low, it’s not so great for getting adequate fresh air inside.
Recently built houses are tightly sealed, which means they don’t “breathe” like older houses do. Subsequently, your residence could appear to smell stuffy, feel too humid or run into troubles with condensation. If you have allergy or asthma sufferers in your household, they may experience increasing symptoms.
Fortunately, it’s not difficult to improve the ventilation in your residence in Fort Lauderdale. Most of the solutions that we’ll discuss in a minute are uncomplicated and economical.
1. Open Windows and Screened Doors
This is the simplest way to get fresh air into your home during pleasant weather. But it’s crucial to know this frequently isn’t a year-round solution 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 don’t want to open them during dry, windy conditions, because the weather can worsen allergies.
2. Turn on Exhaust Fans in Your Kitchen and Bathrooms
Using these fans eliminates stale air, excess moisture, odors and other indoor contaminants. They’re also inexpensive to run. An exhaust fan costs about $7-$15 each year in electricity if you were to operate it 24/7, according to the Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE).
If you’re looking into this, the CEE recommends looking for an ENERGY STAR® ventilation fan that delivers nearly noiseless, continuous operation. These fans usually 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 adversely impact your residence’s temperature, since it’s exhausting air that you’ve already heated or cooled.
3. Keep Your Residence’s Humidity Balanced
The ideal humidity level for your home is between 30–50%, according to Mayo Clinic. While the right concentration of humidity won’t improve ventilation, it can improve your residence’s indoor air quality and keep your loved ones pleasant at a more energy-efficient temperature.
If humidity isn’t high enough, you could suffer from dry skin, a scratchy throat or itchy eyes. Dry air can also affect wood flooring and furnishings in your residence, causing them to crack. In contrast, humidity that’s too high can make air seem stale or stuffy. It can also contribute to mold and mildew growth and irritate allergies or asthma.
The best method to keep humidity in check is with a whole-home solution. We sell humidifiers and dehumidifiers that work with your furnace and air conditioning system. There’s no need to carry an inefficient portable system around your home, spilling water as you move.
It’s also crucial to know the correct humidity concentration can also make air more comfy at an energy-efficient setting, helping you spend less on heating and cooling expenses.
4. Get a Ventilation System
Adding a mechanical ventilation system is one of the top methods to get added fresh air into your home all year. There are two different types—heat recovery ventilation (HRV) and energy recovery ventilation (ERV). These systems continuously get rid of musty indoor air and replace it with fresh outdoor air.
HRV is good for cold climates, since it retains the heat from the indoor air it lets out. ERV is fantastic for warm locations, as it removes warmth and moisture from your air. Some areas can benefit from both systems, so ask our Solar Air Inc. ventilation pros about what’s a good fit for your Fort Lauderdale residence.
If musty or ongoing odors are trouble in your home, you can also buy a whole-house air purification system. These systems offer an extra level of filtration, which can also assist with lowering pet dander, allergens and bacteria in your house.
Our ventilation experts are here to help you select the ideal option for your house. Contact us at 954-320-7398 right away for a free, no-obligation home comfort assessment. We’ll view your existing equipment and listen to your needs before delivering our suggestions on the ideal solutions to boost ventilation in your home.