HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning, with ventilation being a crucial part of the package. But all we see and hear is just heating and air conditioning. Not many of us are even aware of what “Ventilation” does. Our ignorance, however, does not make it any less important. Therefore today, we aim to enlighten our readers about the importance of ventilation and how it impacts your HVAC comfort.
What Is Ventilation?
So what is ventilation? It is the process of bringing air into a room. In any home, the standard ventilation equipment consists of the exhaust fan in the washroom, ceiling fans in the living areas, and the electric chimney in the kitchen.
When it comes to HVACs or central heating and cooling systems, the ventilation system handles, circulates, or impacts air, with the primary focus being on maintaining good air quality. Therefore, its typical ventilation system consists of the air handler, blower assembly, air ducts, vents, and registers. These parts work together with the AC or the furnace to provide artificial or mechanical ventilation. It aims to bring down the humidity level and standardize the temperature in the home or any other building.
What ASHRAE Has To Say About HVAC Ventilation
ASHRAE is the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning. According to it, every heating and cooling system must heat, cool, humidify, dehumidify, clean, and ventilate as is necessary to provide indoor comfort. Furthermore, it also emphasizes that ventilation is essential because there will be no influx of fresh air in its absence, and the indoor air will become unhealthy and stagnant.
What Happens When There Is No Ventilation
When adequate and proper ventilation is lacking, you are likely to notice the following things:
- The indoor air becomes stale.
- Your family will fall sick with greater frequency. It can be anything from an ordinary ailment to severe allergies and illnesses.
- When indoors, you might even feel lethargic and tired.
The Need Mechanical Ventilation When The Windows And Gaps Can Provide Natural Ventilation
Yes, the gaps or cracks in the building allow the air from outside to mix with indoor air and vice-versa. Nevertheless, the quantity of this mixing is not enough. And yes, opening the windows can provide adequate ventilation, but it also results in loss of treated air. Your HVAC continues to work hard as the desired indoor temperature is never reached.
Open windows, gaps, cracks in the walls, poor insulation, and leaky ducts will provide natural ventilation but trash the efficiency of the HVAC system. You will get high energy bills and nothing to show for it in terms of indoor comfort.
Fortunately, there is an alternative called “Mechanical Ventilation,” as provided by HVAC systems. In this arrangement, the complete mechanical system brings in fresh air without losing any of the treated air. Using ducts and fans, fresh air is drawn in and circulated throughout a closed space.
Benefits Of Mechanical Ventilation
1. Healthy Indoors – One of the primary benefits of mechanical ventilation is full control over the capacity and the source of the influx of fresh air. This control ensures that only a limited amount of air enters the home from the greenest or the cleanest area. Hence, when the fresh and healthy air from outside mixes with the indoor air, there is no apparent drop in comfort. It only adds to the indoor air quality, removes stagnant air, and makes for all-around happy people, both health-wise and temperament-wise.
2. No Loss Of Treated Air – When you depend on mechanical ventilation, you can rest assured that there will be minimal loss of treated air. The incoming fresh air will only add to the environment inside the building without bringing about any drastic drop or increase in indoor temperature. It ensures that the HVAC system can continue working as-is, and your energy bills will remain more or less the same.
3. No Additional Strain On The HVAC System – There is a substantive influx of fresh air when you open the windows for ventilation purposes. It forces your HVAC system to work longer. The continuous mixing of treated and untreated air does not permit the indoor environment to achieve the temperature set on the thermostat. These long working hours put tremendous strain on the heating and cooling system, due to which the power consumption increases, and so does its wear and tear. Strain also results in frequent breakdowns with increasingly higher repair costs. When you make provision for mechanical ventilation, everything is so well controlled that you don’t have to worry about any stress on the system. No stress means no major issues, less power consumption, minimal wear and tear, and nominal need for maintenance.
Mechanical Ventilation Is Definitely A Better Option
If we were to list the advantages of minimal ventilation simply, here’s what you will get:
1. Healthy indoors without sacrificing comfort.
2. Uniform desired temperature throughout the home.
3. Less to no strain on the heating and cooling system.
4. Less wear and tear of the HVAC system.
5. The heating and cooling system will demand fewer repairs.
6. Better management of indoor humidity.
7. Improved indoor air quality.
Clearly, the ventilation provided by the HVAC system wins hands down as compared to its natural sources. If you want to live in a climatically controlled environment, the best solution is mechanical or artificial ventilation.
In West Palm Beach, Florida, the elite team of HVAC professionals at Aztil Air Conditioning aims to make your indoors as comfortable as possible. Be it a commercial or residential building; we are dedicated to helping you find a viable and economical solution for all your heating, cooling, and ventilation problems. HVAC installations, repairs, and maintenance, together with duct cleaning and air quality solutions, provide a full suite of services. Partnering with us gives you the guarantee that we have your back in all things HVAC-related. To book an appointment, give us a call at +1-888-729-8452. We are always open so call at any time of your convenience.
