Whole House Ventilation
RealEstateArchitect
| Posted in Mechanicals on
Is it possible to achieve satisfactory whole house ventilation using only ductless heat pump mini splits? (I assume this would be categorized as a “Balanced Ventillation System” as distinct from “Supply Only” or “Exhaust Only”)
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Replies
RealEstateArchitect,
A ductless mini split doesn't provide ventilation. It provides heating and cooling. The interior air of the home is brought in through the top of the wall mounted unit, is filtered, heated or cooled and then delivered to the room. There is no connection to outdoor air.
In order to ventilate one needs either bath fans, hood vents, dryer vents, etc. to create an 'exhaust only' style ventilation or supply air to the home for 'supply only' although the latter is very rare in residential construction. This is problematic as it draws air randomly from the outside via leaks and holes and the unconditioned air can lead to poor durability, health and comfort issues.
To ventilate per best practices one needs a separate machine to provide balanced ventilation with heat recovery. There are plenty of options to choose from on the market from through-wall systems to systems that provide the air to the return side of an air handler system or standalone dedicated, ducted systems.
RealEstateArchitect,
The machines Josh has described as supplying balanced ventilation are usually ERVs or HRVs.
https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/hrv-or-erv