Shopping for a Ventilation System? Take Our List With You

If you’re shopping for ventilation system for a home that is tightly built, you need to bring fresh air into your home and improve your home’s indoor air quality. But what ventilation system is right for you and your Orlando area home?

The four types of ventilation systems are exhaust, supply, balanced, and energy recovery/ heat recovery. Regardless of which ventilation system you decide on, it should have the following features:

• Noise control
• Easy to use controls
• Excellent air filtration
• Excellent air distribution

Let’s look at each system and how it could work for you.

Exhaust Ventilation System

Exhaust ventilation systems work by creating negative pressure inside the house and drawing out the warm air.

Why you might like it:

• Simple to install
• Relatively inexpensive
• Works well in cold, dry climates

Why you may not like it:

• Draws in air, moisture and pollutants from outside
• May increase your energy bills
• May need a dehumidifier
• Works poorly in hot weather climates

Supply Ventilation System

Supply ventilation systems use a fan to push air into your home. The fresh air circulates and eventually pushes out through vents and through openings in your home. It creates positive pressure in your house.

Why you might like it:

• Simple to install
• Relatively inexpensive
• Works well in hot weather

Why you may not like it:

• May increase your energy bills
• May need a dehumidifier

Balanced Ventilation System

When shopping for ventilation system, you may hear about balanced systems. These have two duct systems and two fans. One fan exhausts the inside air while the other fan brings in outside air.

Why you might like it:

• Works well in all climates

Why you may not like it:

• May increase your energy bills
• May need a dehumidifier
• Is more expensive and complex than a supply ventilation system

Energy Recovery/ Heat Recovery Ventilators

The last type you may hear of when shopping for ventilation system is the energy recovery/ heat recovery ventilators. They work by either recovering the heat and moisture or just the heat using a heat exchanger.

Why you might like it:

• Works well in extremely hot weather
• Saves energy

Why you may not like it:

• Costs more to install
• More complex to install
• Requires more maintenance than either the supply or balanced ventilation

If you would like to know more about ventilation systems, contact us at Rinaldi’s, your experts in energy solutions.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Orlando, Florida and surrounding areas about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ventilation systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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