Ventilation / Green Building & Sustainable Home Renovation Information & Advice

An Old Brick Faced Home Tricky To Air Seal - Image © Blackstone Edge Studios
Air and vapour barriers

How to Air Seal Older Homes for Better Energy Efficiency

...ventilation and moisture The most common homeowner concern about air sealing is that they will 'over-seal' their home, leading to indoor air quality problems; this is only a concern if you don't add proper ventilation. Air sealing is just the first step: taking control of the air exchange. The second step is to provide...

Flooded basements; how to start fixing a basement flood
Basements improvements

Basement full of water? How to start fixing the damage from a basement flood

...ventilation and dehumidification. Bear in mind that regular drywall once soaked in water will probably need professional removal and disposal. Again, this is something to agree between your insurance loss adjuster and your contractors before stripping anything down other than the basic damage caused by accessing and fi...

Basement foundation with exterior dimple membrane for water protection
Basements

Should you buy a home with a finished basement?

...ventilation systems. Vapor barriers never should have made their way down into the basement. That simple mistake is causing an easily avoidable and catastrophic failure in the North American house stock.  Home features of a well-built house and basement to look for and ask builders about Exterior waterproof membranes ...

How to Vent Roofs - the Methods, Vent Types, Fans
Roof assemblies - new construction

Why roofs need to be ventilated and how to ventilate a roof properly

...ventilation? No, as a general rule you cannot have too much attic ventilation, but it does need to be balanced. There can never be too much intake ventilation through soffits but too much exhaust ventilation without enough supply air can be a problem, as that can leave the attic depressurized. In that case, the air wil...

Wildfire Smoke & How to Keep it Outside Homes
Healthy indoor air quality

How to keep wildfire smoke out of homes with mechanical ventilation systems

...ventilation systems. Since indoor air cannot be replaced easily under these conditions, internal sources of air pollution must be avoided as well. Ventilation systems and HRV / ERV systems should be equipped with suitable filters, and a portable air cleaner is also recommended. Particulate matter is one of the main haz...

The importance of Cleaning HRV intakes
HRV and ERV

How to keep your HRV clean and operating efficiently

...ventilation systems. Find all you need about indoor air quality in the Ecohome Green Building Guide, or see these pages: How to maintain safe indoor air quality in homes What to check before calling a furnace repair service How to choose between an HRV and ERV ventilation system How to prevent mold while buildi...

Problem areas of air leakage in a home and blower door test being cond
Air and vapour barriers

Airtight construction of homes is essential: "your house sucks." "Oh yeah? your house blows!"

...ventilation? How to choose which is best All about balanced ventilation with Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) or Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) systems The difference between an air barrier and a vapor barrier Learn the importance of barriers and how to install them for airtight homes  

DIY air exchanger installation video
HRV and ERV

DIY Lunos HRV air exchanger installation video

...ventilation systems. Find all you need about indoor air quality in the Ecohome Green Building Guide, or see these pages: How to maintain safe indoor air quality in homes How to choose between an HRV and ERV ventilation system Building guide page: Understanding home ventilation Find HRVs and ERVs here in the Eco...

Lunos Ductless Heat Recovery Ventilation HRV Lunos video
HRV and ERV

Are ductless HRV air exchangers any good?

...ventilation requirement of about 27 L / s (58 cfm) and 3 pairs of Lunos e² to ensure a sufficient supply of fresh air. Now you know more about home ventilation options for renovations. Find all you need about indoor air quality in the Ecohome Green Building Guide, or see these pages: How to maintain safe indoor a...

Improving internal air quality in a home with an air purifier is easy
Healthy indoor air quality

A comprehensive guide to air cleaning and filtration in homes

...ventilation systems - ARe HEPA filters worth the money? Is spray foam insulation safe in homes or toxic and dangerous? Maintenance and cleaning of home ventilation systems for efficiency and health What to do if you find asbestos in your home Get Surgically Clean Air JADE 2.0 Price on Member Promotion Find mo...

Condensation on windows leads to mold & mildew in homes, ERV & HRV systems help
Ventilation

Ventilation & air exchangers

...ventilation systems to remove moisture and provide sufficient fresh air for occupants. Ventilation systems- what is an HRV? Mechanical ventilation systems are known as heat exchangers, HVACs (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning) or HRVs (Heat Recovery Ventilators). The point of these systems is to remove moisture...