I’ve read that most people spend approximately ninety percent of their time inside.
The weather in my local area often makes getting outside just about impossible.
Between the summer heat and humidity and the sub zero temperatures and snow during the winter, we are extremely reliant on the air conditioner and furnace. I look forward to the few weeks out of the year when I can open the windows and welcome in a fresh breeze. In-between, the living space tends to get very stale and stuffy. I’ve gone to great lengths to tighten up the house and eliminate energy losses. All of the caulking, insulation and weatherstripping has helped to prevent the heated and cooling air from leaking out. Unfortunately, the lack of natural ventilation creates some problems with indoor air quality. The furnace and air conditioner circulate the same air throughout the house over and over again. Any dust, pollen, dander, bacteria, VOCs, viruses or pathogens are trapped inside. I have finally found the next best thing to opening the windows. I invested into a heat recovery ventilator that is designed to bring fresh air into the house all year round without energy waste. The ventilator significantly improves the health, cleanliness, smell and comfort of the home. Because it is a heat recovery model, it takes advantage of the outgoing air during the winter, using it to preheat the air it brings in. This lessens demands on the furnace and saves money on energy bills. During the summer, the ventilator helps to combat excess humidity, reducing the workload of the air conditioner.