Today's high tech building solutions require a whole house system approach. With a huge emphasis on building it "Green"
and highly energy efficient, ventilation has become a necessity!
This is what we are building.
Mom always warned us not to put a plastic bag over our
heads... Why? We could die!!
Well, let's
see what happens.
First thing that accumulates
is moisture. You will immediately see it start to form in the bag. We exhaust moisture into the air when we breath and also
when we cook, wash, clean, water our plants, pets, and some comes in through the foundation.
But, the immediate danger is not the moisture. It's the build up of the unseen gases. This is the greatest danger.
Let's compare......
Bag over Head
vs. Tightly sealed Home
Moisture forms in the bag on the inside surface.
Moisture may form on cold surfaces. Windows, exterior
wall cold spots either inside the wall cavity or behind furnature where there is little heat flow.
Result: mold will grow and start to eat at structure and produce spores which affect health.
Oxygen is depleted and replaced by CO2 and other exhaust
gases.
Gases build up from many different sources including;
radon, formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, biological pollutants, pesticides, second hand smoke, etc...
Immediate effects may show up after a single exposure or repeated exposures. These include irritation of the eyes,
nose, and throat, headaches, dizziness, and fatigue. Certain immediate effects are similar to those from colds or other viral
diseases, so it is often difficult to determine if the symptoms are a result of exposure to indoor air pollution.
Other health effects may show up years after exposure has occurred or only after long or repeated periods of
exposure. These effects, which include some respiratory diseases, heart disease, and cancer, can be severely debilitating
or fatal.
Particle accumulation, unless you have dandruff, is not a
big concern since it's just your head in the bag.
Health Effects: Eye, nose, and throat irritation; asthma, respiratory infections and bronchitis; lung cancer.
Mold Spores magnified
Dust mite magnified major cause of asthma
So, what are the things that we need to consider......
Depressurization
Exhaust devices remove air i.e. dryer, bath fans, rangehood, furnace, fireplace, woodstove
Air out has to be matched by air in. So, where does it come back in?
If your new
home is really tight and air can only come back in at a few locations, say maybe your patio slider, basement, or garage entrance.
Is your whole home getting properly ventilated?
If you decide to go with an "Exhaust Only" approach to meet codes you not only have
this problem but you also get no heat recovery.
Balanced Ventilation
Balanced Heat Recovery offers you a cost effective way to make sure your whole house is getting
the Fresh Clean air that you need to breathe and get the heat recovery up to 95% efficiency that will keep your new home energy
efficient!
Fresh Air Ventilation Systems, LLC * 155 Spring St. Lewiston, ME 04240 * USA * Phone: (207) 786-9400
Venmar, venmar ventilation, venmar hrv, erv air exchange systems air exchangers. Residential ventilation. heat recovery
ventilators, energy recovery ventilators, air to air heat exchangers, air purifiers, air cleaners, indoor air ventilation,
air exchanger hrv and erv wet windows moisture on windows mold humidityThe information below is so that this page can easily
be found by Google. Venmar's corporate site. Venmar Constructo 2.0 specification sheet. VENMAR
AVS ERV CONSTRUCTO 2.0 QUATTRO Part #45115 REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE Venmar AVS ERV Constructo Quattro modular design makes it possible to remove all mechanical parts in less than 5
minutes. (to help the service companies quickly remove the guts and sell you and entire fan assembly rather than enable them
to fix the motor. The motor is not easily removable from the fan assembly.) The low power consumption PSC motor is permanently
lubricated (when the lubricant fails, it simply seizes up. Low power in this context just means small, not efficient - PCS
motors are wasteful). Even better, the entire motor sub-assembly can be removed in less than a minute for easier maintenance.
(this is true). WARRANTY The Venmar AVS ERV Constructo Quattro is protected by a 2-year warranty on parts only. (fans only
last two years which is why we only give two years). The energy recovery core is covered by a 5-year warranty. Venmar Ventilation Inc. Recalls Heat Recovery Ventilators Due to Fire
Hazard WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product
Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer
product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. It is illegal to resell or
attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. Name
of product: Heat Recovery Ventilators Units: About 75,000 Manufacturer: Venmar Ventilation Inc., of Quebec, Canada Hazard: The motors in these units can overheat, posing a fire hazard. Incidents/Injuries: Venmar Ventilation has received four reports of ventilator
motors overheating resulting in fires causing extensive property damage. One incident in Michigan reportedly resulted in about
$1 million in damages. Description: Heat Recovery Ventilators
are designed to exchange air between the inside and outside of a home in order to provide fresh air. The recall covers units
made from 1991 through 2001, and have the following brand names and model numbers: Brand Models Venmar AEXX,
EARC, 1XX, 30X, 40X, 40XXX Venmar AVS 1.X, 2.X, 30XX,
55XX Flair 30, 30XX, 55, 55XX, 85115 v�nEE 10, 1XX, 100X, 20, 20XX, 30XX, 90 Conformax 300, 350, 400 NuTone NUTR130 Carrier Bryant VXXXXXXXXX,
ERVXXXXXXX or HRVXXXXXXX Payne Day & Night VXXXXXXXXX Heil HEILXXXXX York 5263554XXXX Sears Brand OPTIMUM Guardian by Broan 100X, 200X Rheem Ruud Protech Weatherking � 84-ERV100, 84-ERV200, 84-HRV100, 84-HRV200 The model numbers are
written on a silver or black label on the outside of panel. The "X" digit used in the model numbers can be either
a letter or a number. Sold by: Heating, plumbing and
building supply distributors nationwide from January 1991 through December 2001 for between $700 and $2,500. Manufactured in: Canada Remedy: Consumers should immediately turn off and unplug their ventilators, and contact Venmar to receive instructions
on how to participate in the recall. Venmar will provide a free safety device that will shut off the ventilator if the motor
overheats. Consumer Contact: For more information, contact
Venmar Ventilation toll-free at (866) 441-4645 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. CT Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Web
site at www.venmar.ca
