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A Healthier Way to Ventilate Multi-Family Homes
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Comfort
Modern apartment and condo units require dedicated mechanical or natural ventilation solutions. Usually, this means occupants will rely on mechanical exhaust systems, or exhaust-only systems, to avoid stale, polluted indoor air. But there are significant differences in how those exhaust systems are designed and function.
Fantech offers many multi-family ventilation solutions that you can plug into your next project.
Bringing Fresh Air Into Multi-Family Homes
Despite regional code requirements, there are two typical methods for incorporating fresh air into apartment and condo units.
The most common method is to rely on bathroom exhaust, where stale bathroom air is replaced by outdoor air through gaps in windows and indoor hallway air from the bottom of the entry door.
This method works OK. But it provides the bare minimum of fresh air. It also is less likely to disperse fresh air throughout the unit because typically bathrooms are located closer to the entry—which means much of that fresh air is heading right back out via the exhaust fan rather than reaching the bedrooms.
There's a better way to improve indoor air quality in multi-family residences.
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Method 1 – Fine, But Not the Best
Method 2 – The Easiest & The Best
Using a fresh air appliance (ERV/HRV) is a more sophisticated option to yield a healthier and more reliable fresh air exchange.
If the ERV/HRV is installed with a dedicated exhaust port in the bathroom, separate bathroom exhaust isn't necessary. Instead, the bathroom exhaust duct is connected to a remote energy recovery ventilator or heat recovery ventilator.
The ERV operates continuously at a low speed, such as 30 CFM for an 80 CFM appliance, to ventilate the entire apartment. When the bathroom is in use, the user activates the bathroom switch to boost the air exhaust for 20 to 60 minutes.
Furthermore, the bathroom's outgoing air exchanges with (through separate channels) and tempers the incoming fresh air. The dedicated supply ports then disperse fresh air throughout the unit for occupants.
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FIT 70E ceiling-mounted energy recovery ventilator is an ideal option for multi-family applications such as this. It features a slim, lightweight profile, and the core, filters, fans, and electrical panel are easy to access for servicing. The unit's energy recovery core transfers heat and moisture from the outgoing exhaust air to the incoming fresh air reducing the energy required to condition it. In summer, the appliance removes humidity from the fresh air, while it retains humidity in winter.
The FIT ceiling-mounted energy recovery ventilator is an ideal option for multi-family applications such as this. It features a slim, lightweight profile, and the core, filters, fans, and electrical panel are easy to access for servicing.
The unit's energy recovery core transfers heat and moisture from the outgoing exhaust air to the incoming fresh air reducing the energy required to condition it. In summer, the appliance removes humidity from the fresh air, while it retains humidity in winter.
As the demand for healthier living spaces continues to grow, modern ventilation upgrades for multi-family housing retrofit applications have become essential.
Fantech’s multi-family ventilation solutions can help you create healthy indoor environments in apartments and condos by individually improving air quality, energy efficiency, and resident well-being.
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