Ventilation

As seen in the Milwaukee Area

Home Ventilation

When creating an energy-efficient, airtight home through air sealing techniques, it’s very important to consider ventilation. Unless properly ventilated, an airtight home can seal in indoor air pollutants. Ventilation also helps control moisture—another important consideration for a healthy, energy-efficient home.

Purpose of Ventilation

Your home needs ventilation—the exchange of indoor air with outdoor air—to reduce indoor pollutants, moisture, and odors. Contaminants such as formaldehyde, volatile organic compounds, and radon can accumulate in poorly ventilated homes, causing health problems. Excess moisture in a home can generate high humidity levels. High humidity levels can lead to mold growth and structural damage to your home.

To ensure adequate ventilation, the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) says that a home’s living area should be ventilated at a rate of 0.35 air changes per hour or 15 cubic feet per person per minute, whichever is greater.

Venting and Energy Efficiency

Proper roof ventilation and a properly insulated attic help keep your home energy efficient. To understand why they both work together, we must first understand why a home may be inefficient when it comes to the amount of energy it uses. Your WE Energies bill can tell you a lot about how efficient your home is. Talk to your neighbors and friends and see if your energy bills are higher than theirs. How do your homes compare? The heating/cooling elements of your home only turn on and run when the temperature of the home is not equal to the display on the thermostat. The more often the furnace or air conditioner has to run, the higher your energy bill becomes. When your home is fully insulated and properly ventilated, the energy bill is at a minimal level. So, if you are writing big checks to WE Energies, and are tired of doing so, it is time to make improvements to your home.

Temperature Differences: Attic and Roof Contributions

Another tell tale sign that your attic needs more insulation or your roof needs to be better ventilated is the temperature in your home. Is the second story of your home warmer than the first? This is caused by the sun beating down on the roof all day long. Without proper ventilation and insulation, the warmth from the sun enters your home and battles with your heating and cooling system, ultimately winning the battle of the second floor. Your first floor may seem colder than your thermostat reads, or the second floor may seem like a boiler room. The reverse happens in the winter months, when snow covers the roof and makes the attic colder than the rest of the home. Taking measures to properly insulate your attic and vent your roof can significantly reduce the temperature difference between the first and second floors of your home.

Roof Ventilation

Another tell tale sign that your attic needs more insulation or your roof needs to be better ventilated is the temperature in your home. Is the second story of your home warmer than the first? This is caused by the sun beating down on the roof all day long. Without proper ventilation and insulation, the warmth from the sun enters your home and battles with your heating and cooling system, ultimately winning the battle of the second floor. Your first floor may seem colder than your thermostat reads, or the second floor may seem like a boiler room. The reverse happens in the winter months, when snow covers the roof and makes the attic colder than the rest of the home. Taking measures to properly insulate your attic and vent your roof can significantly reduce the temperature difference between the first and second floors of your home.

Another tell tale sign that your attic needs more insulation or your roof needs to be better ventilated is the temperature in your home. Is the second story of your home warmer than the first? This is caused by the sun beating down on the roof all day long. Without proper ventilation and insulation, the warmth from the sun enters your home and battles with your heating and cooling system, ultimately winning the battle of the second floor. Your first floor may seem colder than your thermostat reads, or the second floor may seem like a boiler room. The reverse happens in the winter months, when snow covers the roof and makes the attic colder than the rest of the home. Taking measures to properly insulate your attic and vent your roof can significantly reduce the temperature difference between the first and second floors of your home.