The Need
Today’s homes are constructed much more tightly than in years past.
Home building practices now include much more air sealing to reduce
energy consumption and reduce discomfort due to infiltration of outdoor
air. However, fresh air is still needed, and introducing fresh air by
controlled mechanical ventilation is far better than counting on air
leakage through random cracks and holes in the building enclosure, with
the amount of air leakage depending on the weather. Leaky enclosures
often lead to occupant complaints and higher risk of durability
failures.
The internationally recognized American Society of Heating
Refrigeration, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE,
www.ashrae.org) has published their long-awaited Standard 62.2 on
“Ventilation and Acceptable Indoor Air Quality in Low-Rise Residential
Buildings,” which is a new basis for best practice on this subject.
The fan and damper cycling controls discussed herein enable
ventilation air introduction and distribution in the most cost effective
way for most houses. Read on to get the details and find out where to
obtain the control hardware needed. |
