But when a building is "airtight," air transfer, which brings fresh air in from outside, can't happen unless the windows or doors are left open. The reason for this is that buildings and homes have a level of natural airflow that circulates, which can positively impact IAQ. While minimizing heat transfer between the outside and inside maintains the high-efficiency level of the house, it can negatively impact air quality. Buildings are heavily insulated and wrapped in sheathing to ensure they're weatherproof and air leakage is kept to a minimum. In today’s new construction, energy efficiency is a top priority. Heat Recovery Ventilators And Energy Recovery Ventilators In an HVAC system, an air conditioner removes heat from the house and brings stale air outside while removing humidity.Ĥ. In the case of IAQ, some dehumidification isn't heating, cooling or treating the air, but simply removing humidity. It can be bypassed into an HVAC system so that moisture is removed from the air, and that air can be circulated and returned to the building or circulated within a specific room. Of course, dehumidification is most often thought of with regard to maintaining comfortable temperatures within a building.Ī dehumidifier can be standalone or tied directly into an HVAC system. The constraint surrounding a bypass system is the space required for ductwork and proper installation.ĭehumidification - taking the water out of the air - can improve air quality by inhibiting the growth of mold and dust mites.
That being said, they also have more moving parts that can break over time, and they must be plugged in to function, which uses electricity.Īlternatively, there's bypass humidification, which uses the natural airflow of the building’s HVAC system to humidify the air and requires little to no maintenance.
A fan-powered humidifier is more versatile, can be mounted almost anywhere and doesn't require any additional ductwork. There are two main types of humidifiers that I've found are regularly employed in buildings: fan-powered or bypass humidification.
Inside office building skin#
In cold weather, the humidity drops inside, and indoor air that isn't humid enough can manifest in a number of ways: air that never seems warm enough, static electricity, dry skin and hair and even respiratory effects. Ideal indoor humidity is often related to the outdoor temperature. Humidification - adding water to the air - also plays an important part in IAQ.
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