A 1200 sq ft house built for Habitat for Humanity. Waal insulation is open cell foam with 14 inches of blown in cellulose in the attic.
The house earned a 2.1 on a blower door test. Very humid in the house this past summer. The owner does not like to open windows. Heating is baseboard HW ; no AC. The house is in southern New England.
Would an ERV or a HRV benefit the house? In the summer? In the winter?
Thank you
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Replies
nk
more needs described on the house. Slab, basement, crawl?
how do they live? Plants, aquarium, other moisture generators?
suprising that your jurisdiction allows a home that tight without ventilation.
here is a pretty good guide on the score spectrum:
ACH50 is used to adjust for house size-
<1.5 - very tight (requires mechanical ventilation)
1.5 to 3 – tight (requires mechanical ventilation)
3 to 6 - typical pretty good new construction or retrofit (may require mechanical ventilation)
6 to 10 - leaky
10 to 20 - very leaky
What is your recommendation
I am sorry tht I failed to mention that the house has two Panosonic whisper fns: one in each bathroom. I don't know how effective these are if the HO does not open windows, etc.. House has a basement nd HW baseboard heat. No sources of moisture other tht mother nature.
an HRV should help. Is the "humidity" just stale air or is there actual high humidity in the home?
If there's no way for air to get in then exhaust fans will be worse than useless. They will draw stale air in through cracks in odd places where the air is apt to be less than fresh.
(And note that if there are people in the house then there are plenty of "sources of moisture". The people themselves, bathing, cooking, etc. It adds up fast. Plus, even the driest basement will contribute some moisture.)
you keep mentioning that the homeowner will not open windows, where I live coastal south carolina, that just lets in 98% RH air in summer.
Is the home air conditioned? does it "make water" when it runs?
you keep mentioning that the homeowner will not open windows, where I live coastal south carolina, that just lets in 98% RH air in summer.
Is the home air conditioned? does it "make water" when it runs?
edit sorry I missed, no a/c.
has habitat does any other similar sized homes?
HO needs a cople of kids to leave doors open for ventilation.
Open windows in early morning in summer in NE is effective AC.
My advice to HO is open a window at a beneficial time and shut up.
Or quit growing the MJ that requires everything closed up to avoid detection. ERV/HRV will require an actiated charcoal cannister.
Does your building code there not require some sort of forced ventillation mechanism?