Ventilation Systems

Elements of effective ventilation systems

To be effective, a ventilation system has to incorporate a number of important characteristics:

Must be able to provide a continuous base level of ventilation sufficient to meet the requirements of normal everyday living.
Ventilation air should be supplied to all rooms.
Must have additional ventilation capacity above the continuous base level which can be automatically turned on when required (at social gatherings, when lots of cooking is done, long showers etc…).
The system must not impose significant positive or negative pressures on the house which would cause combustion gas spillage in fuel fired heating equipment.
Air to be exhausted from areas of highest pollutant generation such as kitchens, laundry, and bathrooms.
Fresh air supply to be cleanest possible.
System must operate quietly.
System must be cost effective to operate.

The only ventilation system to fully meet these requirements is a properly designed and installed heat recovery ventilation system (HRV) as required in all R-2000 Homes. HRVs are not required by the Manitoba Building Code but are installed in approximately 30% – 40% of new homes in Manitoba.

For capital cost reasons, the majority of new homes still have the code minimum central exhaust fan system installed.