When I read up on potential causes for poor indoor air quality, every article mentioned the importance of proper ventilation.
Apparently, this has become a growing problem as modern construction methods have created more airtight homes.
With the skyrocketing cost of energy, ensuring a tightly sealed thermal envelope has become a priority. I’ve replaced windows, added insulation, caulked and weatherstripped to prevent heated and cooled air from leaking out. However, these precautions also stop fresh air from coming inside. The weather in my local area is severe enough to require heating or cooling just about year round. Opening the windows is seldom an option. My efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce utility bills has led to contaminants becoming trapped inside. Dust, dander, odors and all sorts of harmful toxins get introduced into the breathing air and continually circulated by the heating or cooling system. Headaches, sore throat, congestion, sneezing, coughing and difficulty sleeping can be blamed on contaminated air quality. I’ve been looking into different types of indoor air quality accessories. I am leaning toward the installation of a heat recovery ventilator. And HRV works to replace stale, dirty air with fresh, clean air. It helps to improve the cleanliness and health of the home, effectively handles excess humidity and even lessens the workload of the furnace and air conditioner. In the winter, the ventilation system takes advantage of the warm outgoing air, using it to heat up the incoming air. In the summer, getting rid of moisture makes the house feel cooler at higher thermostat settings.