Yes, a vent hole without a damper will cost you heating dollars. Generally they should be closed with dampers. However, if the vent hole is not an uncontrolled leak but a planned part of the system necessary to create a high neutral plane, then a damper should not be used. It will cost you muc...
Answer One "Planned-holes-high-in-the-house" are part of buiilding science considerations as to how air moves in buildings creating pressure differences that can help to keep houses dry and mold free or can help to trap pollutants in the house or even in the walls.A planned-hole-high-in-the-house...
Answer Two Any power exhaust ventilator taking its air from inside the house (bathroom fans, kitchen fans, clothes dryers, central all-house exhaust fans) will raise the neutral plane whatever the location of its input or output -- although they will be more effective if they draw air from high i...
(Also called the neutral pressure point or the zero pressure point.)Cold air will generally sneak in (infiltrate) at the bottom of the house and warm air will leak out (exfiltrate) at the top of the house. This is called the "stack effect" caused by the rising effect of warm air. In between ...
Warm moist air leaking out of the house through the walls and ceilings is the major cause of condensation and water damage to the structure of the house. In the worst of cases it can cause paint to peel off the outside of the house, start mould growing in the walls, decrease the insulating v...
If there are larger holes in the top of the house than in the bottom of the house, the neutral plane will be raised.I guarantee that if the roof of your house were removed (still blocking the snow with a giant umbrella) there would be no condensation problems in the walls. (This solution is no...
The best household ventilation system is a constant operation fan powered balanced air-change system -- a central system that sucks stale air out an exhaust duct and blows an almost equal amount of fresh air into the house through an intake duct. These systems will usually require a heater o...
