Humidity control is becoming a bigger deal than it used to be. As Joseph Lstiburek, PhD, PE said to me one time, "the gap between stupid and hurt is narrowing." Building codes and best practices are getting better, which is…
In our HVAC design work, we get sent projects where the client sometimes wants the impossible. They've read enough to know they want the mechanical systems in conditioned space, so they put a tiny little closet somewhere in the house…
The quote below is a classic from the 1893 book, Ventilation and Heating, by John Shaw Billings. The imagery of wearing someone else's dirty underwear may shock you, but Billings makes a compelling point. We essentially do something worse whenever…
It's the last day of the year, so let's wrap it up with some lists. Whether you missed some of the articles I wrote this year or are just curious about what other people were reading here, I've got three…
Yesterday I visited a home being built by a national production home building company. As you can tell from the title of this article, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that building enclosures have improved,…
Ventilating homes in any climate has its challenges. In Duluth, Minnesota, it's the extremely cold weather in winter, which leads to extremely dry air when you bring it indoors. In Phoenix, Arizona, it's the extremely hot weather in summer, which…
One of the most frequently asked questions regarding the type of balanced ventilation devices known as the energy recovery ventilator (ERV) and the heat recovery ventilator (HRV) is: "Can I get that in red?" OK, not really. Everyone knows that…
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed a lot of things, including my view on higher ventilation rates. A few years ago, Joe Lstiburek of Building Science Corporation pushed hard for lower ventilation rates. He believed ASHRAE's residential ventilation standard (62.2) resulted…
In case you haven't heard, Amazon is having its Prime Day sale today and tomorrow. Occasionally, I write about tools and products we use in our work or homes and provide affiliate links* to the ones we like. I've also…
![Zehnder Energy Recovery Ventilator [Photo Credit: Albert Rooks, Small Planet Supply]](https://www.energyvanguard.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/zehnder-energy-heat-recovery-ventilator-albert-rooks.jpeg)
You know that old saying, "No good deed goes unpunished"? It applies to a lot of homes with respect to ventilation. If you simply bring outdoor air into the house, you pay for it...in more than one way. The outdoor…