With better-sealed and insulated homes, homeowners reap the benefits of more efficient energy use and lower utility bills. At the same time, homes can suffer from poor indoor air quality and other problems if they’re not well-ventilated. One solution is the installation and use of exhaust ventilation in the home.
What Is Exhaust Ventilation?
Exhaust ventilation uses a fan to mechanically circulate air throughout a living space. Fans push or pull stale indoor air out of the home, sometimes through ductwork, and then draw fresh air into the home, helping to optimize indoor air quality.
Types of Exhaust Fans
Complete home ventilation is usually achieved by using multiple types of exhaust ventilation in concert. They can be categorized by where and how fans are mounted.
- Ceiling mounted fans are installed in ceilings, connected to ductwork, and send exhaust through an external vent in the roof to the outdoors.
- Inline fans are mounted between ductwork and rely on ducts to move air. They are very quiet and work best when a ceiling mount is not possible.
- Wall-mounted exhaust fans are affixed to exterior walls and move indoor air directly outside.
- Combination exhaust fans combine a fan, light and/or heater.
- Installed outside, exterior remote-mounted models pull indoor air outward, keeping noise outdoors as well.
- Kitchen range exhaust fans are mounted within a stove’s hood and are used to expel bad odors, moisture and smoke from the kitchen.
Benefits
Exhaust fans reduce the buildup of contaminants such as smoke, pet dander, dust mites and other particulates, including even bacteria or viruses. In the process, they help prevent a wide variety of related health problems. By ventilating the home and maintaining proper humidity, exhaust fans also prevent warping or splitting of wood and uncontrolled mold or mildew growth.
For answers to your questions about exhaust fans, as well as other forms of ventilation, contact the HVAC experts at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We’ve been serving Lorain, Erie and Cuyahoga counties for more than 34 years, and have the exceptional service and know-how to help you with your home comfort needs.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Lorain, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about exhaust ventilation and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning
1 (440) 246-5440
Serving the Lorain, OH Area