We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
WiseGEEK

Advertiser Disclosure

Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How We Make Money

We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently from our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Home

What is Whole House Ventilation?

By Alexis W.
Updated May 17, 2024
Our promise to you
WiseGEEK is dedicated to creating trustworthy, high-quality content that always prioritizes transparency, integrity, and inclusivity above all else. Our ensure that our content creation and review process includes rigorous fact-checking, evidence-based, and continual updates to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Editorial Standards

At WiseGEEK, we are committed to creating content that you can trust. Our editorial process is designed to ensure that every piece of content we publish is accurate, reliable, and informative.

Our team of experienced writers and editors follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure the highest quality content. We conduct thorough research, fact-check all information, and rely on credible sources to back up our claims. Our content is reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and clarity.

We believe in transparency and maintain editorial independence from our advertisers. Our team does not receive direct compensation from advertisers, allowing us to create unbiased content that prioritizes your interests.

A whole house ventilation system is a system designed to remove stale air from a home and bring in fresh air from outside by ventilating the home. Many builders and homeowners choose to build tightly sealed homes without "leaks" that would allow air in and out. Sealing a house tightly to prevent air from entering or leaving is often preferred because of the need to heat and cool homes: No homeowner wants air conditioning or heat escaping through gaps near windows or walls.

A tightly sealed home can create problems with indoor air quality (IAQ), however. Toxins, pollutants, bacteria, and odors are unable to escape the home, and fresh outdoor air is unable to enter. As a result, the air inside the sealed home becomes stale and, in some cases, unhealthy. A whole house ventilation system is used to allow a house to be tightly sealed and free of drafts, while still ensuring proper circulation so fresh air can enter the home and stale air can leave.

According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineering (ASHRAE), the air within a home should change .35 times per hour, or at least 15 cubic feet (.4 cubic meters) of new air should enter the home each minute for each person present. Kitchens and bathrooms are recommended to have even higher air turnover, up to the rate of 100 changes per minute, often achieved by the use of an exhaust fan. These "changes" require outdoor air to be able to enter a room, either through an window, a door, a fan, a window air conditioner, or a whole house ventilation system.

Homeowners who wish to ensure proper whole house ventilation have the option of using a mechanical ventilation system. Mechanical ventilation systems are designed to push air out of rooms and bring new air in. Such a system can be as simple as an exhaust fan in a bathroom or as complex as a multi-room system that precisely calculates the ventilation needs of each room in the house based on settings customized by the installer. Some mechanical ventilation systems even have heat-recovery devices built in that pre-heat the outdoor air as it enters the house in winter.

A whole house ventilation system thus provides a balance between energy efficiency and indoor air quality. Homeowners can maintain a draft-free home and not tax their heating and cooling system with unwelcome outdoor air. A ventilation system can allow them to still achieve sufficient air turnover to keep their home free of bacteria and odor.

WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
See our Editorial Process Share Feedback

Related Articles

Discussion Comments

By Drentel — On Mar 13, 2014

The mechanical ventilation system that was talked about in this article sounds like a good system, something I would want in my house. However, I imagine the price of such a system would be steep. And the price would be even more with the whole house ventilation recovery system.

By Animandel — On Mar 12, 2014

When we built our house we wanted to make it as tight as possible. I grew up in an old home and keeping the cold air out during the cold months was a constant battle. My father winterized the home each year, but the windows always let air into the house, and there were other areas in the house that were not completely sealed.

Anyway, we succeeded in building our new house airtight. At the time, I thought an airtight home was a good thing because it meant we would have lower heating and cooling bills, and we would be more comfortable in the house. Then I learned of the drawbacks; the same ones mentioned in the article, and we had to make adjustments.

We don't have a sophisticated whole house ventilation system, but we added roof ventilation and fans throughout the house. This has made a big difference, and I feel better about my family's health and well being.

WiseGEEK, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGEEK, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.