HVAC TIPS – BREATHE EASY!

Expert advice for improving the air quality in your home! HVAC Tips – Breathe Easy!

Whether building or remodeling, many people have noticed that homes are becoming tighter and more well insulated due to better windows and construction methods such as SIPS.  To keep our newly built or remodeled homes safe and comfortable, we need to consider added ventilation, fresh air intakes, and properly sized mechanicals.  Have you ever heard of an HRV or an ERV?  Know the difference?  How about a Manual J or Manual D?We are going to teach you some basic HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, & Air Conditioning) terms and best practices that will improve the quality of your home’s indoor air, increase the comfort and durability of your home, and allow you to breathe easy!

Air Exchange Units

HRV’s and ERV’s remove indoor pollutants and moistureBoth HRV’s & ERV’s bring fresh air into a tight home while diluting or removing indoor air pollutants and moisture.The basic differences between each unit are as follows:

• An HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilator) captures heat from the exhaust air of a home, while venting pollutants and moisture, and transfers it to fresh air entering the home, preheating the air and increasing overall heating efficiency.
• An HRV can recover up to 85% of heat in outgoing air
• An HRV moves as much as 200 cubic feet (5.7 cubic meters) per minute of air
• An ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator) is similar to anHRV but also includes a humidity regulator to remove excess humidity (or add humidity) to the air being brought into a home
• An ERV is well suited for climates where cooling loads place strong demands on HVAC
• ERV’s may also be effective in climates with very cold winters (like MN); if indoor relative humidity tends to be too low, what available moisture there is in the indoor exhaust air stream is transferred to incoming outdoor air
• ERV’s may also be effective in climates with very cold winters (like MN); if indoor relative humidity tends to be too low, what available moisture there is in the indoor exhaust air stream is transferred to incoming outdoor air

High Efficiency Furnaces & Properly Sized Equipment

Alternative Heating Solutions96% Efficient Furnace96 cents of every dollar is being used for heating – not evaporating out the chimneyReduces heating costs by 36% per yearWork with your HVAC contractor to be sure that the unit is sized correctly – request a Manual J & Manual D to be performed (see definitions below)Manual J – An ACCA procedure covering the method for calculating heating and cooling requirements (load calculation) for single-family detached homes and mobile homesManual D – An ACCA procedure covering the proper design, installation, maintenance, and repair of duct work* LEED requires Manual J, Manual D, Hard Ducting, and Taping of all seamsDO NOT GET OVERSOLD WITH AN OVER-SIZED UNIT!!!If the unit is too large it will use more energy by turning on and off frequently. This creates an undesirable interior environment because the temperature is always fluctuating. A properly sized unit will remain on for longer periods of time keeping a more constant temperature and increasing the efficiency of the unit.

How to select the proper equipment for your home

Improves HVAC and decreases energy lossThere are a number of tests you can ask your contractor to perform to determine which HVAC equipment is necessary and the best fit for your home.Blower Door Test – used to measure the air-tightness level of building envelopes, diagnose and demonstrate air leakage problems, estimate natural infiltration rates, estimate efficiency losses from building air leakage, and certify construction integrityManual J & Manual D – ensures proper sizing and maintenance of furnace and ductwork (complete definitions in above section)Thermal Imaging – cameras detect infrared radiation, to graphically show heat loss or difference between areas. Thermal imaging can show problems that would otherwise be undetectable such as water leaks, or gaps in housing insulation.  ****Julkowski, Inc. provides these tests as a service to all our clients both to ensure safety and comfort and also to compare the overall energy efficiency of your home before and after your remodel. You can also call your local energy provider for assistance in home testing.