Whole-house ventilation

How whole-house ventilation work

Mechanical supply, exhaust or balanced ventilation controls the flow of outdoor air through a home.

Performance in a real building depends on the equipment, the distribution path and the installation. Compare a specific product's published specifications with the needs of the room or building before treating a retail listing as a complete solution.

Types and configurations

Exhaust-only, supply-only, balanced HRV and balanced ERV arrangements.

Different configurations can share a category name while having very different electrical, duct, piping and control requirements. Confirm the exact model and components included in any quote.

Where they are used

Tightly sealed homes needing controlled fresh air. A professional assessment should establish the required capacity and identify any site constraints, especially for permanently installed equipment.

What to compare

Climate, building tightness, filtration and measured airflow matter more than a generic fan size.

Airflow design, filtration, controls, and climate. Review warranty conditions and installation requirements along with the headline rating.

Technical details that matter

Exhaust-only systems remove air and draw in replacement air through leakage paths. Supply-only systems bring filtered outdoor air in. Balanced systems actively move both directions. The chosen strategy changes pressure, filtration opportunities and heating or cooling load.

Example application

A fan nameplate airflow does not prove that each room receives appropriate ventilation. Commissioning should check the actual delivered airflow and the intake and exhaust locations.

Installation and ownership

Allow for equipment, compatible components, labor, controls, site work and any local requirements in the total cost. Published retailer prices represent the stated equipment only unless the listing explicitly includes more.

Replace filters and check that supply and extract flows remain balanced.

Source

US DOE Building Science: Whole-House Ventilation ↗

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