Durability

DURABILITY

DRY 2 ASHI, BPI, NATE, RESNET

Mechanical Ventilation: Challenges for Existing Homes (Advanced)

Mechanical ventilation is intended to improve indoor air quality of a home however there is the potential to make things worse. This panel will address the tough questions. How can you go beyond simply meeting a specification to providing fresh air to the occupants of a home? In an exhaust-only system how can you prevent air from being pulled into the house from a garage or nasty crawl space? How do you address operation and maintenance issues? Issues of make-up air, combustion safety, and house depressurization or pressurization will be discussed.

By attending this session, participants will

1. Recognize ways that the wrong mechanical ventilation system or installation can make moisture or IAQ problems worse

2. Understand the difference between effective and efficient ventilation

3. Learn how to estimate and control the energy cost of ventilation

Keywords: air exchange, combustion safety, depressurization, effective, efficient, exhaust, pressurization, IAQ, moisture, mold, residential, sick homes, ventilation

David Keefe (Session Leader), Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, Fairfax, VT (Leader)

Jim Fitzgerald, Center for Energy and Environment, Minneapolis, MN

David Hill, Eneready Products, Burnaby, BC

Neil Moyer, Florida Solar Energy Center, Cocoa, FL

Other Courses in this Track:

• DRY 2 - Mechanical Ventilation: Challenges for Existing Homes (Advanced)
• DRY 3 - Exploring the Myth & Mystery of Air & Vapor Barriers
• DRY 3 - Dense Pack Insulation: Doing It Right!
• DRY 4 - Flashing Products & Methods for Windows & Doors
• DRY 5 - Mechanical Ventilation Installation: Details that Make the Difference
• DRY 6 - Insulating Existing Basements (Advanced)
• DRY 7 - Crawl Space Solutions: Measured Results
• DRY 8 - When Does a Moisture Problem Become a Mold Problem?
• DRY 1 - Wood Products: Mold & Decay Fungi