Homes Need Ventilation

Most modern homes need mechanical ventilation systems to provide satisfactory indoor air quality. Many poorly ventilated homes have mold and mildew growing in wall cavities, high levels of airborne chemicals, combustion byproducts, or high utility bills. It’s...

What is Draft

What is draft? Draft is important to combustion efficiency and safe combustion. If draft isn’t adequate, chimneys can backdraft or spill.  We measure draft between between two places in a combustion heating system. For example, we measure draft between the a...

LBNL “Smart Ventilation” Research

Lawrence Berkeley National Lab (LBNL) scientists, led by Max Sherman and Iain Walker, are investigating whole-house ventilation options to support California’s Zero Net Energy Homes initiative. This research project is called Smart Ventilation for Advanced...

IAQ Priorities for Existing Buildings

For energy upgrades to existing homes, homeowners should follow logical priorities, including indoor-air quality (IAQ). If a home has one-half a natural air change per hour  (0.5 ACH50) of air leakage, an expensive central ventilation system makes no sense. With a...