

Spot ventilation exhaust fans installed in the bathroom but operated continuously represent an exhaust ventilation system in its simplest form. However, passive vents may be ineffective because larger pressure differences than those induced by the ventilation fan may be needed for them to work properly.
#Whole home control system windows#
Adjustable, passive vents through windows or walls can be installed to introduce fresh air rather than rely on leaks in the building envelope. Typically, an exhaust ventilation system is composed of a single fan connected to a centrally located, single exhaust point in the house.Ī preferable option is to connect the fan to ducts from several rooms (especially rooms where pollutants tend to be generated, such as bathrooms). In climates with warm, humid summers, depressurization can draw moist air into building wall cavities, where it may condense and cause moisture damage.Įxhaust ventilation systems are relatively simple and inexpensive to install. By reducing the inside air pressure below the outdoor air pressure, they extract indoor air from a house while make-up air infiltrates through leaks in the building shell and through intentional, passive vents.Įxhaust ventilation systems are most applicable in cold climates. Exhaust Ventilation SystemsĮxhaust ventilation systems work by depressurizing the building. The following information and diagrams, prepared by the EERE, will help sort out the differences between these systems. Heat-recovery systems exchange indoor air with outdoor air Balanced ventilation systems work in both cold and warm climates, but they’re more expensive to install. Oppositely, supply ventilation systems control moisture better in warm climates. The right ventilation system for a particular house depends upon the climate and the needs of the structure.Įxhaust ventilation systems are preferred in cold climates where they are less likely to draw moist air into the building. Ventilation systems can be categorized as one of four types: exhaust, supply, balanced, and heat-recovery.

The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) recommends intermittent or continuous ventilation rates for bathrooms and kitchens instead of using windows (natural ventilation): 50 or 20 cubic feet per minute for bathrooms, and 100 or 25 cubic feet per minute for kitchens, respectively.Īll of the fans, vents, and ventilation equipment in a home work together as a “ventilation system” to exchange indoor and outdoor air without wasting energy. Spot ventilation includes the use of localized exhaust fans such as those used above kitchen ranges and in bathrooms. Spot ventilation improves the effectiveness of other ventilation strategies-natural and whole house-by removing indoor air pollutants and/or moisture at their source.
