Ventilation for a Healthy Home

Pinellas Energy Efficiency Project

All homes need ventilation to remove stale interior air, pollutants, and excessive moisture.

In the past, air leakage was relied on to provide ventilation. However, a leaky building does not guarantee good indoor air quality. Why? Air leaks often bring in air quality problems from attics, crawl spaces, and the outside. Furthermore, if the building is leaky it can result in high heating and cooling costs.

Indoor air typically contains more types—and higher concentrations of—pollutants than outdoor air, even in industrialized areas. Common home indoor air pollutants include biological pollutants (mold spores, dust mites, viruses, pollen, animal dander); combustion pollutants (including carbon monoxide); lead from old paint or lead-tainted soil; VOCs emitted from many paints, glues, and other building materials (this is called “outgassing”); and, in some areas, radon.

The Department of Energy recommends the practice of integrating mechanical ventilation into the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. While whole-house ventilation is not required in Florida building codes, this system can provide fresh, filtered, outside air in a controlled amount using the existing HVAC delivery system for even distribution and mixing.

To learn more about home ventilation, download this pdf fact sheet from the Florida Energy Systems Consortium.