Modern homes are great in terms of airtightness, but this often leads to problems with ventilation. In order to fix this in a controlled manner, which is important to keep your indoor air quality high, you should install a ventilation system. There are four main types available:
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Exhaust: Exhaust ventilation systems are designed for cold climates, making them a possibility for your Calgary home. They essentially blow air out of your home, which forces another part of the system to suck in air from outside. Due to its simplicity, these are relatively inexpensive systems.
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Supply: A supply system is essentially the opposite of an exhaust system. Air is drawn in to pressurize your home, which forces existing air out. The benefit is that you can filter the air that enters your home to remove any contaminants. This type of system is designed to be used mainly in hot or humid climates.
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Balanced: The most versatile type of ventilation system is a balanced system. They are an option in almost any climate and operate by forcibly drawing in air from the outdoors and expelling indoor air at the same time. The downside is that it will be more expensive than either of the two above ventilation systems.
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Energy/Heat recovery: An issue with most of these systems is wasted energy when air is exchanged with the outdoors. An energy recovery system uses exhaust heat from your furnace to treat incoming air during cold weather, which may be suitable for your Calgary home.
Aspects of Good Systems
Aside from the type of system that you want to put in your home, you need to decide how important each of these factors is to you:
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Noise level: Quiet systems have a rating of under one sone
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Ease of control: Look for simple switches and operating controls
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Evenness of distribution: You may prefer remote in-line fans to ceiling fans, which distribute air better throughout your home
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Ability to filter: To ensure indoor air quality stays high, pick a system that filters incoming air.
If you need help picking a ventilating system, contact Arpi’s Industries Ltd.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about ventilation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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