There are many people that subscribe to the theory that making a house airtight is a bad thing.
Well, yes and no.
If a home was built to modern environmental standards, the answer would be no, not necessarily – mainly because it is likely that an air exchanger would be a significant addition working in tandem with a home’s heating and cooling systems, efficiently and effectively.
The so-called ‘too tight’ theory holds that houses need to ‘breathe’. Traditionalists can point to old houses and claim the only reason they’re still standing is because air leaks amount to natural ventilation that dries everything out – and keeps the house healthy.
In reality, air leaks mean you’ve lost control of air movement. Air and moisture can be forced into wall and ceiling cavities where water vapour condenses and fosters the growth of harmful and often dangerous mould. Warm air exiting the top of the house can draw in cold air to replace it, wasting heat and energy. In many ways, uncontrolled air movement wastes energy and increases the risk of long-term damage to building components.
However, effective air and moisture barriers reduce those problems, but they do come with one or two caveats: tight houses do require mechanical ventilation (air exchangers) to ensure a supply of fresh air to keep people healthy; and, existing houses should not be tightened without assessing whether the existing combustion appliances have an adequate source of combustion make-up air.
Regarding insulation it could be argued that there is a theoretical point of ‘too much,’ but in most cases, the majority of buildings have too little. At the very minimum, insulation should meet recommendations of the Ministry of Energy, but adding more is usually always a good thing. Properly insulated buildings are cheaper to heat and cool.
At aplusair.ca Heating, Air Conditioning & Ventilation they want to help you make informed decisions when it comes to the comfort and enjoyment of your home. With expert staff and second-to-none service, they can provide all your residential, commercial or institutional heating and cooling solutions. For more information, visit www.aplusair.ca.