Are Tight Homes Costing Homeowners A Bundle?

Conway, Arkansas Feb 7, 2005

The recent overemphasis on just saving energy may be costing homeowners plenty. While tight homes might save a couple hundred dollars in annual energy costs, occupants unwittingly spend thousands on health issues such as allergies, medication, life style degradation.

By "tightening" homes the problem has grown. Studies show that tighter homes have significantly higher humidity levels than earlier homes. The reason, of course, is that in tight homes the HVAC system runs less so latent heat (moisture) extraction is now smaller. Chemicals become more reactive in high humidity, and people are more susceptible to chemicals in higher humidity as well.

The EPA says homes are often 10 times as polluted as outdoor air, and some states now mandate that if a home's tightness exceeds a certain level, ventilation is required. The truth is, a tight home can be wonderful but it needs intelligent ventilation.

The question then is, how best to ventilate? The California Energy Commission says the supply fan approach is the preferred approach, better control. Supply systems push air into the home to slightly pressurize the home.

In Conway, Arkansas, Smartvent, Inc., makes a supply fan ventilator called HI-IQ because it is an intelligent ventilation system. The HI-IQ can be applied anywhere, but is especially important in any climate where humidity is a concern.

Pushing air into the home is better for the building envelope, and, of course, positive pressure helps reduce poisonous carbon monoxide backdrafting.

Another ventilation approach might be an HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilator) which exchanges some heat between incoming and outgoing air. There are drawbacks to the HRV, it can only operate in the winter, requires maintenance, and since incoming/outgoing air flows must be evenly balanced, it has no effect on carbon monoxide backdrafting.

After carbon monoxide, moisture is the most important component of indoor air quality, and that's where the HI-IQ's intelligence outshines everything else. The HI-IQ ventilator continuously measures outdoor temperature and humidity. Its wallswitch selectable modes of operation permit the homowner to control incoming outdoor air through all four seasons of the year.

Finally, because air quality is much, much more than just meeting minimum spec, HI-IQ ventilation rates are up to 10 times that of the HRV. No gimmicks, no ionics, just plenty of fresh, filtered, outdoor air to breathe.

You can find more information at http://www.smartvent.net.