All About Whole-House Ventilation and Ventilators

By Anne Fonda

HVAC stands for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning. The V in HVAC doesn’t get as much attention as the heating and air conditioning aspects of a home comfort system, but it should. Learn why you might want to increase ventilation and the types of whole-house ventilation systems available.

Ventilation refers to the exchange of indoor air for fresh outdoor air. Ensuring your home has adequate ventilation can improve your indoor air quality (IAQ) and help you avoid some of the issues that can come with poor ventilation, including:

• Lingering cooking smells and pet smells
• Stale feeling to the air
• Condensation on the inside of your windows
• Mold growth
• Respiratory symptoms

Some of these problems can also be linked to high indoor humidity or allergens in the air. An HVAC professional can help you find a whole-house solution. That could include:

• Whole-house ventilation system
• Whole-house dehumidifier with ventilation option
• Whole-house air cleaner
• Or a combination of those HVAC add-ons.

Natural ventilation such as opening your windows and doors is a short-term ventilation solution but may not be feasible during hot and humid weather or if you don’t feel safe doing so. In addition, newer, tightly sealed, and well-insulated homes may need mechanical ventilation more than an older home that has more outdoor air infiltration.

This article will focus on mechanical ventilation, which uses fans and ductwork to ventilate certain rooms or your whole house. There are two main types of mechanical ventilation - spot ventilation and whole-house ventilation.

Spot ventilation is a type of mechanical ventilation that targets one room or area of your home. When properly vented, these systems can help remove moisture, heat, and other pollutants from a small area.

Examples include:

• Bathroom exhaust fan
• Stove/range exhaust fan
• Attic ventilation fan
• Basement ventilation system

This is our focus today. A whole-house ventilation system uses a mechanical ventilation system to exchange stale air for fresh air for your entire home. A whole-house ventilator can provide multiple air exchanges a day and is most effective when connected to your HVAC system, including your smart thermostat. 

HVAC ventilation systems are whole-house solutions. This type of system is the best option for improving your home’s IAQ, removing moisture, and improving energy efficiency. 

Exhaust ventilation systems depressurize your home. These systems use exhaust fans to exhaust air from your home while fresh air infiltrates back into the home through cracks, open windows, roof ventilation systems, and passive vents. 

Because they don’t have any sort of filter, exhaust ventilation systems may draw in pollutants such as smoke, dust, and pollen from the outdoor air. They also do not condition the outdoor air before circulating it in your home or remove moisture from the air.

Exhaust ventilation systems are not appropriate for hot, humid climates. Trane does not recommend an exhaust-only ventilation system.

A supply ventilation system does the opposite of an exhaust system. A supply ventilator works to pressurize your home and draw fresh air inside. A supply ventilation system can minimize outdoor pollutants in your indoor air and prevent back drafting of combustion gases from fireplaces and appliances. 

Supply ventilation systems also filter outdoor air to remove pollen and dust and can provide humidity control as well. The Trane Inline Ventilator is a supply ventilation system. Key features include:

• Adjustable airflow from 30-130 cubic feet per minute (CFM)
• Accommodates ventilation needs for homes up to 3,500 sq. ft.
• No balancing dampers required
• Can interlock with HVAC system fan for even air distribution
• MERV 8 filter captures pollutants
• Optional heater for extremely cold climates
• Full ECM motor
• On-board LCD “Logic” controller
• High/low temp and high humidity lockout options

An energy recovery ventilation system is a balanced ventilation system that provides whole-house ventilation while reducing heating and cooling costs.  The system has two fans - one acts as a supply system, drawing in fresh outdoor air, and the other fan acts as an exhaust system, blowing stale indoor air to the outside. 

There are two types of energy recovery ventilation systems: heat recovery ventilators (HRVs) and energy recovery ventilators (ERVs). Both types include a heat exchanger, also known as an energy transfer core, fans, and controller.

An HRV is an HVAC ventilator that transfers heat energy during the ventilation process. Using a heat exchanger, it recovers any residual heat left in the furnace exhaust or air handler exhaust in the winter, warming the outside air being brought in. In summer, it cools down fresh air being brought in before sending it through your HVAC system.

The heat recovery ventilation process not only provides adequate ventilation for newer homes, but it can also save you money on your heating and cooling costs by reducing demand.

An ERV is a whole-house ventilation system that takes things a step further than an HRV system.  In addition to transferring heat, the energy recovery ventilator also transfers a certain amount of water vapor.

This means the ERV can add moisture to dry winter air, acting as a humidifier. In warmer months, the energy recovery ventilator removes some moisture from the air, acting as a dehumidifier. 

The Trane Energy Recovery Ventilator is an industry leader for ERVs. Key features include:

• Constantly delivers fresh air while removing stale indoor air regardless of HVAC operation
• Can be free-standing or connected to the HVAC system return air ducts
• IAQ filter is included
• Three sizes to fit homes up to 4.500 sq. ft.
• Flexible mounting in the basement, attic, or garage
• High-efficiency cross-flow energy transfer core
• Slide-out, cleanable filter
• High-performance motor
• Automatic timed ventilation plus manual controls

According to energysaver.gov, a branch of the Department of Energy (DOE), most energy recovery ventilation systems can recover 70-80% of the heat energy in the indoor air and transfer it to the incoming fresh air. 

These systems are a great solution for ventilation in newer, tightly-sealed homes as well as homes that have undergone insulation upgrades and sealing and caulking. If you have any of the issues mentioned at the beginning of this article, you may want to explore your options to improve your indoor air quality.

If you’re considering a whole-house ventilation system or a whole-house dehumidifier with ventilation options, work with the HVAC experts. A careful evaluation of your home’s current HVAC system, ventilation, and humidity levels is key to getting the comfort you deserve. Get expert recommendations and expert installation. Contact your local Trane dealer now. 

Anne Fonda, Content Writer

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A Content Writer with Trane Technologies, Anne Fonda researches topics and writes for Trane® and associated residential HVAC brands. She works in collaboration with Trane Technologies subject matter experts, offering easy-to-understand, informative content on complex topics. Her goal is to help consumers make informed decisions on the products and services they need.

She has written for HVAC and other service provider websites for over 16 years. Before transitioning to web content writing, Anne had a 14-year stint as an award-winning journalist. She graduated cum laude from the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Journalism.

When she’s not working, Anne enjoys playing word games, reading, gardening, spending time with family, and visiting gardens and museums.

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