Mechanical ventilation is the key to the success of a passive house, we like to call it the lungs of the home. But why bother? I can hear many of you wondering why go to the trouble, why not just open a window?
Well I can easily think of four.
Improved air quality. Air coming into the home is filtered thus greatly reducing dust, pollens, smoke, odours, airborne bacteria, carbon dioxide and other gases, all of which contribute to asthma, hay fever and many other health conditions.
Reduced condensation. The continuous supply of fresh air balances the humidity within the house protecting against mould and mildew.
Saves energy. A good ventilation system uses the energy (heat or cool) that is in the stale air to heat or cool the fresh air that is coming into the building thus further reducing heating or cooling costs.
Saves money. Last but not least, a HVAC system is surprisingly cheap to run and vastly reduces the need for any additional climate control.
In reality there is not very much to see here but a home with a HVAC system is very much something to feel.
