Crawl Space Ventilation – Vents Below Grade

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With an unconditioned crawl space (usually dirt covered with a plastic vapor barrier and open foundation vents) a home inspector does not want to see the vents below the level of the soil. When vents are below grade, rain and runoff water are likely to enter the crawl space — which can attract wood destroying organisms or lead to fungal issues such as rot or mold.

If vents are far enough below grade, the dirt can block the openings so air will not circulate. The vents will not ventilate! When home inspectors see this condition, if vents cannot be fixed by removing or grading soil, the inspector will probably recommend that the client put in vent wells. The most simple vent wells consist of frames made from pressure-treated lumber. However, metal or plastic vent wells, specially made for the purpose, can be purchased at building supply stores. The well is dug into the soil, in front of the vent and deeper than the vent, so there is an opening in front of and below the vent. Personally, I like to see the well dug a few inches deeper than the vent, then the space filled with pea gravel up until about 2″ below the vent.

Another issue is that often people block the vents in an unconditioned crawl space. Although this is sometimes justified in winter, when there is a danger to pipes from severe temperatures, in Washington State blocked vents in an unconditioned crawl space are defined by the Washington State Department of Agriculture as conducive to attracting wood destroying organisms. A state licensed structural pest inspector should, in most cases, site blocked vents as a conducive condition. In the Pacific Northwest, if pipes are wrapped, foundation vents can be left open year-round most years. This basic information might not apply in severe climates or in partially heated or “conditioned” crawl spaces.

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Source by Steven L. Smith

4 Essential Questions to Ask Your Ventilation System Provider

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Choosing the right service provider to commission or install ventilation systems – whether natural, mechanical or smoke – is essential in order to obtain a system that works optimally. There are several experts to choose from in any given area, and your choice will largely depend on your needs and the specialism of the company.

There are many companies that specialise in a particular type of ventilation system, such as smoke ventilation, but there are also those which are generalists, with a team of experts that are proficient in commissioning and installing all different types. Whichever you are thinking of hiring, ask the following four questions in order to determine whether they are right for your project.

Firstly, check with the company how many years of experience that they have installing or commissioning the particular type of system that you want installed. Experience is an important part of being able to design and fit a system that is perfectly tailored to your building’s needs, so verify that the experts you are thinking of hiring can deliver in this area.

Rather than just experience in a specific domain such as natural or smoke ventilation, look for service providers that have completed projects in buildings that are just like yours. If you are the owner of a block of student flats, look for a provider who has already undertaken and successfully completed this type of project.

The next question to ask is how the company typically handles project management. The reason for this is that issues can often occur when there are misunderstandings between the client and the company doing the installation work. The best companies, however, will be aware that this type of problem arises, and will have developed a strategy to overcome it.

In particular, ask how they intend to make sure that there are no misunderstandings and how they can ensure that particular specifications are met. When making your selection, opt for the company that is able to explain its particular approach, and how past experience has led its team to adopt it.

The third question to ask is whether or not the company provides full training along with the commissioning or installation of the natural, mechanical or smoke ventilation system. This is important, as management will be passed over to the owner or building manager at a later stage, and certain statutory requirements must be adhered to.

Often companies will provide full training on how to maintain a log book and schedule maintenance checks, but be careful to check what exactly is included in the service; training may come at an additional cost to installation and handover.

Fourthly, ask whether or not the company has a stock of different ventilation equipment to meet your needs. In the case of generalist ventilation installation companies, they will often have a large number of different items in stock to cater to the broadest customer base. They will also likely have contact with international suppliers who will be able to deliver specialist products.

As the efficiency of your system will depend in part on the quality of the equipment, knowing what the installation company provides and why is important in gauging whether they are the right company to work with or not.

When you are thinking of hiring a company to commission or install ventilation systems in your property, these are just four of the questions that you should ask before making your final decision on whom to hire.

Experience is incredibly important, as is the ability to be able to cater to your very specific needs. Your chosen service provider should also be able to demonstrate how project management is handled efficiently, and let you know how much their training and maintenance services cost in addition to the commissioning and installation of your ventilation system.

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Source by Lorenzo Jones

5 Key Advantages of Natural Ventilation Systems in Buildings

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All buildings, whether residential or commercial,require adequate ventilation in order to protect the health of occupants in regular circumstances as well as in emergency situations such as fires or other contaminations of the air.

There are several types of ventilation systems, with the two main ones currently in use being natural ventilation and mechanical ventilation. Each of these is distinctly different in its way of working as well as the advantages and disadvantages it brings to the structure it is integrated into or installed in.

The presence of either of these systems is critical for a number of reasons, including the removal of stale air and toxic gases, the replenishing of fresh and clean air in an environment, the removal of moisture, and the elimination of odours, bacteria and excess heat.

Natural ventilation basically refers to any system that does not require the use of mechanical devices to displace air in the structure, instead using organic airflow and openings to draw stale air and pollutants through and out of the building.

In this lies the first of five major benefits that this type of system offers – potentially reduced installation costs compared to its mechanical counterpart. This only applies in certain circumstances however – if an effective system is designed as part of the structure before construction, then the costs are absorbed into the build.

It should be noted that mechanical systems can still offer better value for money where having the maximum surface area available is important for getting the largest commercial return, for example in car parks, some retail environments and other similar venues.

The second advantage to natural ventilation is also budget-related; mechanical installations can be very costly to operate, not only due to the need for fans, but also because of air conditioning units which can increase energy consumption costs by up to 30% per building according to reports.

On the other hand, more organic ways of optimising air circulation in structures can mean that this cost is practically eliminated, making it a financially-sound long term solution for companies that are looking to economise in all the areas that they can.

It is should also be noted that this type of ventilation is also a great deal greener than mechanical ventilation systems, as it uses significantly less energy to operate efficiently. For this reason, the third advantage of natural ventilation is the fact that it is the far more environmentally-friendly solution out of the two main choices, and is therefore also possibly a real solution for the future.

A fourth benefit that comes with using a more organic and already-integrated ventilation solution in a building is that fact that its rival – the mechanically driven system – requires regular maintenance to make sure that it is doing its job properly and that it meets the relevant healthy and safety requirements.

This is not so true for natural ventilation systems, which do not have as many essential parts that need regular upkeep and replacement on a frequent basis. Although all systems should be regularly inspected to ensure that they are working optimally, costly and lengthy maintenance work is virtually eliminated with this option.

The fifth and final advantage of natural ventilation is that it has been shown to be a popular choice of system with building occupants compared to the mechanical variety. The reason for this is thought to be due to the level of thermal comfort that each choice provides, with many finding that mechanically operated solutions often make a room too cold or too warm.

Conversely, the other option is often able to effectively maintain an ideal temperature, despite the fact that there are no controls apart from simply opening or closing a window.

All types of ventilation systems have their good points and bad points, and the natural solution is no exception. That said, it is an option that brings considerable cost savings, not to mention improvements in occupant comfort and less of a negative impact on the environment, making it a potentially ideal solution for a greener future and a thriving global economy.

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Source by Lorenzo Jones

The Importance of Ventilation in Your Home

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If we sealed our home completely, we should only get fresh air inside when we opened a door or window. We need ventilation to exhaust unwanted smells, water vapour and pollution, and replace them with fresh air, but we also need to control ventilation so that we can turn it on and off as we need it, and direct it where it is necessary. In this way we can prevent the waste of heat in the way that water is wasted through dripping taps. We then only lose the heat in air allowed to escape for ventilation purposes.

Conventional wisdom has established that an average-sized room requires at least one air change per hour when occupied. However this varies and is dependent on such factors as the number of occupants and the number and nature of the sources of pollution. Traditionally, ventilation was achieved with the use of air bricks and infiltration; however, as our energy conserving becomes more sophisticated, we need to develop a correspondingly more sophisticated ventilation strategy. Before listing the possible measures in a strategy, we shall look at ventilation for combustion and heat exchangers.

Permanent ventilation for combustion

It is a statutory condition that heating appliances which require air from inside a room for safe operation should have a permanent ventilator. The danger is that the fuel does not burn efficiently without sufficient oxygen; if toxic products of combustion are not exhausted, they can build up in a room and possibly prove fatal. In old houses the original ventilators are often papered over and it is obviously important that either they are unblocked or an alternative route is found for the incoming combustion air. One way of providing this alternative route is via a purpose-built duct delivering air directly to the appliance. Many modern appliances overcome this problem by having a balanced flue which draws air from the outside and expels it through the same fitting.

Heat exchangers

Is there any way we can save the heat lost through controlled ventilation? Heat exchangers are designed to do just this. They are a relatively new method of recovering the heat from warm air before it is exhausted to the outside, and are being used increasingly as part of an overall strategy for ventilation and energy conservation. The principle is simple: the outgoing air is extracted through a matrix of hollow tubes and fins which warm the incoming air contained within them. In larger systems, warm air is collected via ducts from various places around the house, such as bathrooms and kitchens, and the warmed fresh air is delivered to the living rooms. The heat exchanger can be placed anywhere in the house but the roof space is the usual location. Expert advice is essential if you are thinking of installing a heat exchanger.

Your ventilation strategy

Once you have identified individual problems in each room of the house, such as a heater requiring combustion ventilation or a room with too much humidity, it is necessary to draw up a ventilation strategy. Perhaps the most important decision you should make at the very beginning is whether to install a heat exchanger with ducts to various parts of your home. If you decide this then the problem is more or less solved in one go. This should be the most energy-efficient option. If not, consider all the measures below and try to balance the air flow in each room of the house so that you have an inflow and an outflow. If this seems complicated, persevere and find ways of simplifying the problem in your mind: for instance, if you fit controllable trickle ventilators to all your windows, leave gaps round the internal doors and install extractor fans in the bathroom and kitchen, this would be suffi¬cient. You will of course always have the option of simply opening windows as required. It is up to you how sophisticated a system you devise. Remember that in a tall house in very cold or very windy weather, whatever system you have will need to be closed right down as the pressure differences will force air through much smaller openings. Whatever you decide, it is important to develop a ventilation strategy that fits your home the way you use it. These are the possibilities for you to consider:

o Decide whether to install a heat exchange system.

o Fit controllable trickle ventilators in each room to obtain cross ventila¬tion (the ease with which these can be fitted to existing windows varies with the type of window).

Ventilation strategies.

o Install mechanical extractor fans in kitchen and bathroom, controlled by a timer or humidistat (moisture control switch).

o Install permanent ventilation for combustion appliances which rely on a supply of air from inside.

o Use defunct chimneys as channels for ventilation or ducting. This may be particularly useful if it is difficult to fit ventilators to the windows. Consider also using your chimneys to recirculate warm air to upper storeys or vice versa.

o Install air-cleaning measures: either mechanical or biological, ionisers or filters. If the main problem is humidity then consider using a dehumidifier and if lack of humidity then consider a misting humidifier or again the use of plants.

o Opening and closing windows as necessary: if external doors are constantly being used, this may provide sufficient ventilation for much of the day.

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Source by Tauqeer Ul Hassan

Roof Ventilation – Installation, Importance, and Costs

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Before we dig any deeper on how much does roof ventilation cost, let’s have a look at its importance. When a roof is built without air intake and exhaust vents, the sun’s heat can cause a buildup of warm air in the attic. This heat could radiate to other areas of a house, which could lead to unbearable indoor conditions during summer. On a typical day’s heat of 90°F, the temperature could rise to 140°F when there is poor airflow. In addition to heat, the existence of moisture in the attic could lead to serious problems in the future if proper venting is not installed.

Shingles and roof decking could suffer and prematurely deteriorate. Radiating heat could also mean air conditioning units and other cooling units need to work harder to keep the temperature down, ultimately increasing the electricity bill.

Uncovering how vents work

There are benefits to having a fully functioning ventilation system for the entire year. Roof vents work by allowing air to freely move from one point of the roof to another. This ensures that no moisture and heat is transferred out of the roof, keeping the house cool. These systems typically have several components systematically placed for optimal function. This air movement can be achieved in two different ways: mechanical and natural. Natural air movement is driven by either stack or wind effect. Meanwhile, mechanical vent systems utilize electrical motors.

Mechanical systems are the most effective. A powered system can effectively transfer hot out and cold air in. However, there are a few tradeoffs to this kind of venting solution. First, some fans require more than 100W of electricity to run. This could increase your electricity bill significantly. Installation is also more complicated, and in most cases, may require professional help. There are also solar-powered fans that allow off-grid operation but are a little bit costly.

How much roof ventilation do I need?

Having enough airflow in your attic definitely, keeps the electricity bills down during summer. Expelling hot air not only keeps the entire house cool, but it also protects the roof structure from moisture-caused damage. However, most homeowners are oblivious about how much airflow they need in their home. It is best to know how much you actually need. This is to ensure that you would have enough airflow to keep the temperature in your attic relatively tolerable.

It’s relatively easy to know just how much ventilation you need for your attic. Generally, you would need 1 vent area (around 1 square foot in size) for every 150 square feet. Assuming that your attic has around 450 square feet of space, you would need to install at least 3 roof vents.

The recommended allocation of vents is at 60% and 40%. The 60% vents would be located in the soffit area and in as cited in the example above, there should be 2 soffit vents installed. The other 40% is for a ridge vent. The type of ventilation may depend on the climate as well as your preferences. If you are still undecided, you should consult a professional to get a second opinion.

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Source by Matt Reardon

Kennel Ventilation – Supply and Exhaust

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Correctly designed ventilation can reduce or eliminate odors, reduce bacteria buildup, and help maintain that fresh clean smell in the kennel. Your pets will be happier and you’ll spend less time trying to dry floors and eliminating the odors. If you have trouble understanding information in this article, email us on the web at Sun Hill Pet Supplies.

No matter the size of your facility, ventilation will play a key role in the first impression of visitors to the kennel. Simply stated, ventilation is controlled, directed air movement.

Design basics:

  1. Air exchanges: change all of the air in the room four to six times an hour. Calculate the room volume in cubic feet, multiply the result by four, five or six, then divide by sixty to find the air volume, in cfm (cubic feet per minute).
  2. Exhaust pick-up points: most kennel odors are created at the same level as the dogs so position your exhaust pick up points lower than 30 inches to insure the odors are pulled downward, away from your nose. However, not lower than twelve inches from the floor to prevent cleaning water from entering the ventilation system.
  3. How many exhaust pick up points: Multiple points throughout the room insure air movement has the chance to properly circulate. Remember we are not talking about the return air duct to your heat system, we’re talking about exhaust vents to remove air from the room.
  4. Air supply: Install your air supply vents, high up in the room. This allows the air to flow downward to the exhaust pick up points, thereby pulling the odors down, and away from your nose. Remember, supply air must be filtered and tempered, (heated or cooled), not be raw outside air. Your HVAC contractor can install a unit that provides sufficient fresh air into the ventilation system to meet the supply requirements.
  5. Position of air supply and exhaust vents: Position the supply vents over the aisle ways and the exhaust pick up points at the back of the runs in the walls or as pipes coming down the walls. If the heating source is a “hot air” system, have one third of the heated air introduced at the floor and two thirds introduced via the vents over the aisle ways.
  6. Type and design of the exhaust fan: You’ll want to use a blower with a centrifugal wheel as the air mover. Fans and blowers that use a blade similar to that of a window fan won’t be able to overcome the static pressure created by the ductwork required for multiple pick up points
  7. Size the blower: Create a safety factor by multiplying the cfm you calculated in step #1, by 1.5 to insure your moving enough air, then choose the exhaust blower to move that amount of cfm at ½” of static pressure or higher. Static pressure is resistance to air flow, usually created by the duct system.
  8. Duct sizing: High air velocity in the system will insure good air flow so size the ducts for around 2000 fpm (feet per minute) air velocity. The easiest approach to sizing is to determine the size of duct needed to handle the total air flow, then, install that size as the primary duct, throughout the building. Determine the number of drops you want and divide the area of the primary duct by the number of drops. Each drop is then sized to that area. Use this formula to determine primary duct size: (cfm / 1500fpm) x 144 = duct area in square inches

Formula information: · http://www.Grainger.com is a great source for blowers.

· Area of a circle: radius squared times 3.14 ( [r x r] x 3.14) Example of area of 3″ round duct: (1.5 x 1.5) x 3.14 = 7.065 sq inches

· Convert square inches to square feet: divide square inches by 144. From the example above 7.065 square inches divided by 144 = .049 square feet.

Example:

1. Kennel room is 20 ft x 15 ft with a 10 ft high ceiling: 20 x 20 x 10 = 4000 cubic feet

2. Five (5) air changes per hour = 4000 x 5 = 20,000 cubic feet

3. Determine cfm (cubic feet per minute) 20,000 / 60 = 333 cfm

4. Safety factor air flow: 1.5 x 333 = 500 cfm

5. From Grainger’s: http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/2C946 This blower moves 537 cfm at ½” of static pressure, and is only $165.38 and can be plugged into most outlets.

6. Primary duct size in square inches: (500cfm / 2000 fpm) x 144 = 36 square inch duct. You could use 6’x 6″ square duct, or 7″ diameter round duct.

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Source by Glenn Adams

Sub Floor Ventilation – Effective Options Available

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It is always important to ensure that your surroundings are safe and are not a risk to your health. Buildings should always adhere to health and safety standards so that the occupants are free from the risk of disease. An important aspect of buildings that contribute to the health of the occupants is the sub floor ventilation. Proper ventilation will enable you to breathe in fresh air and will also keep termites away which can cause damage to the floor of the building.

Why Sub Floor Ventilation

A sub floor refers to an extra level of flooring that is positioned right on top of the floor joists, and another level of flooring is then placed over it which is the visible floor. A sub floor is usually added to a building so that the floor remains even and flat and also to increase its stability. When air between the floors absorbs moisture from the soil, the humidity of the air goes up which causes the flooring and the framing of the building to also absorb moisture.

Ventilation is therefore important in order to decrease the humidity of the air that is found between the floors. This can be done by replacing the dump air found between the floors with dry air from outside.

Need For Ventilation

Once you realize that your floor has mould and that there is a stale smell in the rooms of your home, then you may be in need of immediate sub floor ventilation. Dampness of the soil usually increases during wet weather, and the moisture easily gets absorbed into the floor and walls of your home. This dampness causes moulds that attract termites which end up destroying your floor.

Moulds can also discolor the tiles of your floor and the bricks that make up your home. Sub floor ventilation is therefore important to in reducing the maintenance costs of your home and also in retaining its value.

Types Of Ventilation

There are different methods that can be used for sub floor ventilation, and how much ventilation will be required will depend on the amount of humidity in that location. The use of air vents is widely used in ventilating the sub floor. This is where air vents are located on opposite sides of the sub floor and air can therefore get in through one side and out through the other.

There should be nothing blocking the movement of the air in and out of the sub floor. To make this system more effective, sub floor fans can be installed to ensure there is proper movement of air. The fans create negative pressure thus causing air to rush in from the vents.

You can decide to have fans which run throughout or ones which are timed. There are also fans which ran on solar energy which means that they do not run when it is cold. Fans should not run when it is wet since the air that comes in will be damp.

Another method of ventilation is compelled ducted ventilation, which causes air to flow freely in areas which are damp and those that are not easily reachable. Damp air is replaced by fresh, dry air from outside. This method uses fans and ducting connected to a power source.

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Source by Matt Reardon

Reduce Your Home Ventilation Bill With These Handy Tips

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Handy Tips To Reduce Home Ventilation Energy Costs

Have you recently installed a home ventilation system and feel like you are up to your neck in energy bills? Did you know that there are a few simple tips you can use that can cut your costs by half?

Why Your Energy Bills Are High

Below are common culprits that cause your home ventilation energy bills to escalate.

1. Leaks in your house. It doesn’t matter if you have invested in a top notch ventilation system, if you have several leaks around your house, it could cause the system to be ineffective. Such leaks tend to bring in cold air during winter, and hot air during summer, which in turn causes your ventilation system to work extra hard to create a balance. The extra hard work costs you more in terms of bills.

2. Faulty or poor choice of a ventilation system. You may either have installed a ventilation system that is subpar, or you may be working with one that is simply faulty. This could lead to situations where one part of the house is heated or cooled properly with the other parts being either too hot or too cold. This ineffective heating or cooling of your house means that you are racking up energy bills for nothing.

Tips For Reducing Home Ventilation Energy Bills

Now that you know what may be causing an increase in your energy bills, here are some tips that will help:

1. Seal of cracks underneath doors and windows. These are popular places where air escapes into and out of the house. Once you seal these spots, your ventilation system will not have to work too hard to balance the air out, which of course means a reduction in your energy bill.

2. Get your condenser unit professionally cleaned. If it is clogged with debris and dirt, your air conditioner will be forced to work extra hard.

3. Ensure that there is free flow of air around the exhaust fans. Any debris blocking the fans will cause your system to work overtime.

4. Schedule regular system checks by a professional. It is better to have your system checked for needed repairs or upgrades periodically, instead of waiting for it to malfunction in a major way that will be more costly to repair or replace.

5. All your air vents should be clean and should not be blocked by furniture or any other home appliance.

6. Ensure your furnace filter is kept clean at all times. A dirty furnace makes it harder for air to circulate, which in turn leads to higher energy costs.

7. Do not always rely on your ventilation system. You can let in cool air in the early mornings or at night and give your system a break.

8. If your ventilation system is old, you are better off purchasing a new one. Newer models on the market have more efficient ways of using energy, as opposed to older models.

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Source by Matt Reardon

Exhaust Fans For Basement Ventilation

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Exhaust fans are a type of exhaust or forced ventilation method. According to the ASHRAE Standard number 62.1 titled ‘Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality’, the air in homes must be of acceptable quality. The Government of Australia’s Department of Environment estimates that Australians spend about 90% of their time indoors. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) places the cost of poor indoor air quality at 12 billion Australian Dollars annually. This is borne both by the individual in their own capacity and as a taxpayer to the National Government.

So how can this be reduced significantly? One way is by using exhaust fans.

Exhaust fans fall under the category of exhaust only ventilation systems. This is how these systems work generally: they decompress the air in the room, creating an area of low pressure. As a result, outside air comes rushing in. Cleaner cooler air comes rushing in during the summer for instance, despite the heat. These fans can be fixed on the exterior part of the building, or with the ‘faces’ facing the air inlet or outlet.

Types of this fan are:

1. Inline Exhaust Fans

These line vents and propel the air that flows along them.

2. Ceiling fans

Fans that are fixed on the ceiling generally displace warm air downwards. In this case, that warm stale air is directed to vents on the roof of the basement where it is let out.

3. Exterior fans

These are installed and housed outside the building. Sometimes fans can be quite noisy, being mechanical devices. In this case, your home remains quiet since it works outside. They draw all the stale air from the home.

4. Wall fans

These are mounted on the walls inside the basement. They circulate the air in the room and expel the stale.

5. Multifunctional Exhaust fans

These have the ability to heat, light and ventilate. This feature is a big plus for this kind of fan.

Fans can also be graded as single point, two point or multiple point.

The required ventilation rate required by ASHRAE for an area like the basement should not exceed 200 feet per cubic meter.

The Department of Environment in the Australian Government lists organic compounds as the biggest pollutants. Some of these, concluded after research, are benzene, Carbon monoxide and mold. When carbon monoxide is inhaled in large volumes, it causes death. This is especially so in rooms with poor ventilation. It is the worst killer since it is odorless and colorless. The most likely sources of this gas are furnaces, fireplaces and cigarette smoke.

Exhaust fans, when used in basement ventilation, will solve these problems for you. They simply get rid of the pollutants and let in cleaner, fresher air.

As they work, these fans can be noisy as mentioned earlier. When selecting one, go for a silenced one or one with a sound rating of less than 1 on the sone scale. The last thing you need is constant banging and incessant grinding sounds when the fans rotate.

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Source by Matt Reardon

How To Make Perfect Ventilation In A Wooden Garage

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Your garage will always be in need of ventilation regardless of the time of year, and as such, you need to ventilate it. The garage will experience an increase in temperatures during the summers as well as a reduction during the cold months. Though wood is an excellent insulator, there are times when the temperatures can become unbearable, thus making it hard for you to work in your garage under those conditions.

A garage devoid of adequate ventilation will also encourage the increase of mildew as well as the build-up of chemical fumes which will affect your overall well-being and can make you sick. It is always good to work in ventilated environments which will enable you to be comfortable throughout the process and will also prevent occurrences of incidences such as heatstroke.

What problems can arise as a result of lack of ventilation?

Many serious problems could accrue from a non-ventilated garage, and they affect not only your health but also the lifespan of your investment.

Heat

During scorching summers, your garage can get so hot that working in it can become unbearable. You are looking at temperatures warm enough to cook an egg. Neither you nor any of your family and friends will want to be inside during the day, and this will limit the amount of time which you can spend in it.

People use these structures for fixing cars and many parents tend to bond with their children while fixing up cars in the summer. This bonding time will not be possible in such conditions. Your kids will be unable to practice their painting and music from the comfort of the garage, and it will be defunct in hot days, which is a waste of such an investment.

Cold seasons

The cold seasons can also make it hard for you and your family to enjoy the benefits of your garage by making the interior very cold. Once again, you would have to avoid it, therefore limiting its use to some months in the year when it is neither too hot nor too cold.

Another problem that comes with the cold seasons is that some supplies in the garage are susceptible to changes in the temperature and they can get ruined in the process.

Chemicals

Garages store a lot of supplies, some of which should not get exposed to heat. Take an example of paint. Paint should not be kept in an enclosed area as it can cause problems such as difficulty in breathing and dizziness.

Humidity

Your garage is an investment which can serve your needs and for the generations to come if well-maintained. Lack of ventilation can lead to humidity, depending on the region in which you live. Suppose you live in an area with high humidity and do not have any ventilation in place, mildew, as well as excess moisture, can build up and lead to rust and rot.

Sometimes, people notice the presence of such damage when it is too late, thus forcing them to reconstruct their garages. You can prevent this problem at an early stage and hold on to your investment.

Making the right choice

There are many ways which you can put to use to adequately ventilate your garage to avoid the above problems and more. When choosing the right ventilation for your garage, it is essential that you look at the material used in its construction, the size of the structure as well as the purpose.

You should also take the average temperatures as well as the humidity levels in your region of residence into consideration. For storage purposes, you can go for a simple ridge vent or a non-powered gable vent which will ensure that the temperatures remain controlled. However, if you plan to use the garage as a working space in an area where humidity levels are high, you should go for a powered vent as it will be more effective as compared to the previous options.

The size

The size of your garage will affect how much ventilation you require. Take an example of a small garage. This structure can maintain low temperatures with the use of a small solar-powered panel which would not work for a more massive space. In the same way, a turbine ventilator will be useful in the cooling of a large garage but it will not work for a small structure, and you have to make a choice accordingly.

How should you pick the right size?

You should consider the purpose of your garage as well as the type of vent you wish to use when making this decision. For storage purposes, a skylight or roof vent works just fine in maintaining the temperature at low levels and reducing the humidity levels.

For a space where you plan to spend a considerable amount of time working, use powered ventilation for enhanced efficiency. You can power the fans using solar or electricity to push out hot air while drawing in cold air from the outside. They also work to bring in warm air from the outdoors during the cold season.

Do not base your decision based on pricing as you could go wrong. First, delve into what you need, and from there you can work your way through the list of possible ventilators based on the pricing.

You will find that there are three popular ventilation options on the market and they all come with their set of advantages.

The Whirlybird Turbine Ventilator is a great option when looking for a ventilator which can quickly push hot air out during warm seasons. It does not require maintenance and can produce winds of up to 147 mph. The installation process is quite easy, and it can last a lifetime.

The Shed Cupola is another popular option, and it comes in a tower design for ease in pulling hot air out of the structure. With a vent on each side, you can get maximum airflow regardless of the direction of the wind. It is more aesthetically pleasing when compared to the whirlybird turbine, and it can move a lot of air.

The louver vent is more versatile regarding positioning when mounting and you can place it on one or both ends of your structure. You should install it towards the peak of your roof to enable hot air to leave the structure at a fast rate. Through the constant flow of air, humidity levels remain low as well as the temperatures.

Other options on the market include the venting skylight and the small solar-powered fan. Be sure to select a ventilator based on your purpose and the size of your garage to get one suitable for your wooden garage.

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Source by Monika Mandeikaite