The exhaust fan market in the United States is experiencing steady and sustained growth. While often overlooked as a simple mechanical component, exhaust fans have become increasingly critical in building design, energy efficiency strategies, and indoor air quality (IAQ) management. Exhaust fans along with the wider HVAC industry is growing at approximately 6.9% per year and reflect a shift in how buildings are designed as well as code enforcement across the country*. So yes, the exhaust fan market is growing. A few key factors are driving this growth:

1. Increased Focus on Indoor Air Quality (IAQ)

One of the most significant drivers is the growing awareness of indoor air quality. Homeowners are prioritizing healthier indoor environments, particularly after heightened attention on airborne contaminants and ventilation. Homes now require better air exchange systems to remove moisture, pollutants, and odors, functions that exhaust fans directly support. This is especially critical in residential kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and main living spaces. Improved IAQ is no longer a luxury, it’s becoming a standard expectation.

2. Stricter Building Codes and Regulations

Government regulations are playing a major role in market expansion. Energy efficiency standards and ventilation requirements such as those developed by ASHRAE and the U.S. Department of Energy are pushing building owners to upgrade or install compliant systems.

These regulations often:

   • Mandate minimum ventilation rates

   • Require energy-efficient fan technologies

   • Drive retrofits of older buildings

As a result, many upgrades are no longer optional, they’re required for compliance, creating a consistent demand base. While these codes are not necessarily new, the increased enforcement of them has pushed the exhaust fan market forward.

3. Growth in Construction and Renovation Activity

Both new construction and renovations in residential housing are major growth engines. As homeowners are upgrading (new and existing construction), the ventilation system is now a focus, and as was stated above, part of code compliance. The need for residential homes continues to increase in the United States, so the need for proper ventilation through exhaust fans is also increasing.

4. Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Trends

Energy efficiency is now central to building design. Homeowners are now more educated on ventilation systems and indoor air quality, and are asking for better products. These include increased energy efficiency, lower sound, and automated functions such as humidity-sensing fans that turn the fan on and off depending on the humidity level of the space. These innovations help meet sustainability goals while lowering operating costs and increasing convenience, making upgrades financially attractive.

5. Retrofitting Aging Infrastructure

A large portion of U.S. buildings were constructed decades ago and are now being upgraded to meet modern standards, and are now required to conform to current codes. As more and more homes are being renovated, exhaust fans are either being added or upgraded to better, more efficient models. It is unheard of for a contractor to reuse an exhaust fan when doing any type of renovation. That results in an increased need for exhaust fans.

U.S. Exhaust Fan Market Conclusion

The exhaust fan market in the U.S. does not show any signs of slowing down, supported by both regulatory and consumer-driven requirements. Consumer education and code compliance are creating new growth opportunities. The U.S. exhaust fan market is no longer just about basic ventilation; it is evolving into a critical component of building performance. Driven by indoor air quality concerns, regulatory requirements, energy efficiency goals, and technological advancements, the market is positioned for sustained growth over the next decade.

To learn more about Air King exhaust fan solutions for kitchens, bathrooms, laundry rooms, and other living spaces, visit airkinglimited.com.

*source: https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/us-hvac-systems-market

7 Misconceptions About Exhaust Fans — What You Should Know

There are a lot of misconceptions about exhaust fans out there. Exhaust fans are one of the most underrated—and misunderstood—features in a home. They quietly remove moisture, odors, and stale air, helping to improve indoor air quality and prevent long-term structural issues. Yet despite their importance, many homeowners have misconceptions about how they work and what they’re designed to do. These misunderstandings can lead to improper installation, reduced performance, and even hidden damage to the home. Let’s clear the air—literally and debunk some common misconceptions about exhaust fans.

Misconception 1: Exhaust fans are only for removing odors.

Yes, exhaust fans remove odors, but their primary purpose is to remove humidity and moisture. In bathrooms, excess moisture from showers and baths can lead to:

• Mold and mildew growth

• Peeling paint

• Damaged drywall

• Premature wear on fixtures and finishes

Reality: Exhaust fans maintain healthy humidity and air quality.

Misconception 2: Exhaust fans don’t need to be vented outside.

Some homeowners (and unfortunately even some contractors) believe that venting an exhaust fan into an attic or wall cavity is fine. But what you’re actually doing is dumping warm, humid air into a confined space, where it can condense and cause:

• Mold growth

• Wet insulation

• Wood rot

• Attic structural damage

Moisture doesn’t disappear—it relocates.

Reality: Exhaust fans must be ducted to the exterior, NOT into attics, crawlspaces, or wall cavities.

Misconception 3: Leaving the door open does the same thing.

Leaving the bathroom door open after a shower may help a little, but it doesn’t quickly or effectively remove moisture. Exhaust fans create a controlled, directed airflow that pulls moisture out of the room and out of the house.

Reality: Natural ventilation is not a substitute for mechanical ventilation.

Misconception 4: Bigger fans are always better.

A fan that’s too powerful for a small bathroom can actually cause problems:

• It may create uncomfortable drafts.

• It might pull conditioned air out of the house too quickly.

• It could overload ductwork, leading to noise and reduced efficiency.

Correct sizing is everything. A fan should be appropriately rated based on the room’s square footage and usage.

Reality: Proper sizing matters more than power.

Misconception 5: Exhaust fans only need to run while I’m in the room.

Moisture remains in the air long after the shower is off. Turning the fan off too soon traps humidity in walls and ceilings. A good rule of thumb:

Run the fan for at least 20–30 minutes after showering.

Even better? Install a humidity-sensing fan or a timer switch.

Reality: Exhaust fans need time to do their job completely.

Misconception 6: Exhaust fans don’t need maintenance.

Dust, lint, and debris build up on fan blades and in ductwork, reducing airflow and increasing noise. A clogged fan can’t exhaust moisture efficiently. Simple yearly maintenance (vacuum the grille and fan blades) keeps performance high and noise low.

Reality: Like any mechanical system, fans need periodic cleaning.

Misconception 7: Exhaust fans cost too much to operate.

The energy efficiency of exhaust fans has come a long way. Choosing an ENERGY STAR® certified model ensures that the energy usage is low. Many fans on the market today use between 10 to 40 watts of energy. The national average cost for a kilowatt of electricity is $0.18. Here are some calculated costs:

• Exhaust fan operating 3 hours/day: between $2 - $8 per year

• Exhaust fan operating 24 hours/day: between $16 – $70 per year

When you compare the costs of repairs, mold remediation or other problems caused by not using an exhaust fan, the cost to operate is low.

Reality: The benefits of an exhaust fan far outweigh the cost of energy needed to power them.

Final Thoughts on Misconceptions about Exhaust Fans.

When installed and used correctly, exhaust fans protect your home from moisture damage, improve indoor air quality, and reduce the risk of mold. Yet when misunderstood or neglected, they can contribute to the very problems they’re meant to prevent. If there’s one takeaway, it’s this: Exhaust fans are not just conveniences—they are essential components of a healthy home.

Ensure your fans or being used, use them for the correct amount of time, maintain your fans, check your ducting and make sure they’re vented outdoors—your home will thank you. For more information about Air King’s energy efficient exhaust fan solutions, visit airkinglimited.com

Don’t Fall into Bad Indoor Air Quality

As the trees start to change colors and the leaves fall in many parts of the US, it is important that you don’t allow your home to fall into bad indoor air quality. Many homes across the US have been enjoying having windows open and fresh air coming into the home as well as spending time outside. As cooler weather starts to arrive, those windows close and more time is spent inside rather than outside. While many celebrate the arrival of sweater weather, the indoor air quality of the home might not be considered. The good news is with a few simple considerations, you can turn that bad indoor air quality to good.

Ensure your exhaust fans are in proper working order and are clean.

The changing of seasons can serve as a great reminder to clean your fans. Some simple maintenance can ensure that your exhaust fans operate as expected and extend their life. Make sure to read your specific owner’s manual for proper safety and cleaning procedures. In general, a good washing of the grill and vacuuming out the interior of the fan will do the trick. Having a constant exchange of fresh air into your home is vital for good indoor air quality. As we close and seal up our homes for the winter months, we lose that natural air exchange and the air in our homes becomes stagnant, allowing contaminants such as mold, mildew, germs and more to linger in the air we are breathing. When exhaust fans are working and utilized properly, those contaminates are pushed out of the home.

Check your HVAC air filters.

If you have a central air heating or cooling system, it has an air filter. This should be replaced every 3 to six months depending on usage. If you can’t remember the last time you replaced the filter, or if you are only now realizing that your system has a filter – it’s probably time to change it. Dirty filters will not only contribute to bad indoor air quality, they will diminish the effectiveness of the unit, costing you more money.

Have your HVAC system professionally serviced.

Many homeowners will bypass this to save a few dollars. A good HVAC technician will be able to identify and repair any deficiencies in your unit’s operation. They will check your filter and replace it if needed, they will also ensure the system is working at optimum efficiency. Another benefit of servicing your unit is they will check for any leaks or anything that could be contributing to bad indoor air quality coming from your system.

Add an air filtration system.

For homes that do not have a central HVAC system or for additional air quality to ones that do, adding a portable air filtration unit can be a great option. There are many options on the market today with a wide range of features and costs from something simple like the Lasko FF305 Air Flex to something more advanced like the GermGuardian AC3200 Airsafe+. Our recommendation it to make sure it includes at least a MERV 10 filter. This will filter out most common household contaminates. To learn more about MERV and air filters, click here to read our post Making Sense of What Air Filter to Use.

Monitor and adjust.

While there are products out on the market that will monitor your indoor air quality, we feel the best monitor is you. Does your home feel musty? Does your home have some unpleasant odors? Is everyone in your home getting sick more often? These can all be signs of bad indoor air quality that if you identify them quickly and utilize the points listed above, could have a very simple solution. The longer you let it go, the longer it will take to solve.

The changing of seasons to fall and the beautify landscapes, that brisk air and the return of pumpkin spice (okay, we’ll let you determine if pumpkin spice is a good or bad thing) should be a time of joy and not worrying about indoor air quality. By taking the few steps we outlined above we hope you and your home enjoy a healthy fall and winter. To learn more about indoor air quality, please read through our extensive library of blog posts on the Air King website.

5 Benefits of Exhaust Fans in Your Home

The benefits of exhaust fans in your home are many. They are one of the simplest yet most effective ways to improve comfort, safety, and air quality inside your home. Whether installed in the bathroom, kitchen, or laundry area, these fans effectively work behind the scenes to remove excess heat, humidity, odors and other contaminates. Here are five key benefits of exhaust fans in your home:

1. Improves Indoor Air Quality

Exhaust fans pull stale, humid and polluted air out of a room and replaces it with fresher air. In kitchens, range hoods help remove smoke, grease, fumes and other contaminates that happen during the cooking process, while in bathrooms, they eliminate odors and moisture. The laundry room can be a forgotten area when it comes to exhaust fans. A laundry room traditionally has many contaminates including heat from the dryer, moisture from wet clothes, and a buildup of chemicals from detergents and other cleaning products that are typically stored there. By improving airflow, exhaust fans reduce airborne irritants that can trigger allergies or breathing issues.

2. Reduces Mold and Mildew Growth

Moisture buildup is a common problem, especially in bathrooms and laundry areas. Without proper ventilation, condensation can lead to mold and mildew, which not only damage walls and ceilings but also pose health risks. Exhaust fans clear out humidity, which reduces the chances of mold and mildew buildup. It is important that the exhaust fan has enough airflow (CFM) for the room size and operates for the proper amount of time. As a guideline, the fan should operate for at least 20 minutes after a shower – longer depending on the amount of moisture generated and the relative humidity in the room. Exhaust fans with a humidity sensor built into the fan or a fan connected to a wall mounted humidity sensor can be an easy way to ensure the proper amount of ventilation is taking place.

3. Protects Your Home’s Structure

Excess moisture doesn’t just encourage mold—it can also weaken paint, wallpaper, wood, and even drywall. If you are experiencing peeling paint or wall paper in your bathroom or laundry room, the culprit might be there is too much moisture and you either need to install an exhaust fan or upgrade the one that is already there. By controlling humidity, an exhaust fan helps protect your home’s finishes and structural integrity, saving you money on costly repairs in the long run.

4. Increases Comfort

There are two main ways an exhaust fan increases comfort in your home. The first is what is known as local ventilation. This is an exhaust fan installed in a bathroom, kitchen or laundry room to remove contaminates when the room is in use. It will make a bathroom more comfortable by removing the excess moisture, odors and heat. In a kitchen it will remove steam, grease and odors. In a laundry room it will remove excess moisture, contaminates and odors (think about when your children throw their sports equipment in there). The second why to increase your home’s comfort is wholehouse ventilation, which is a fan in a central part of the home that runs continuously, ensuring that there is a constant exchange of stale air with fresh air for the entire home. When sized and operating properly, you will experience a home that just fells “fresher”. When used properly, exhaust fan creates a more comfortable space that you actually want to be in.

5. A Healthier Home

Indoor air quality can have a direct effect on the health of the people living in your home. Poorly ventilated homes are more likely to cause illnesses. Whenever mold or mildew is present and it is being breathed in by the occupants of the home, that can lead to all kinds of health items. Doing everything you can to prevent mold and mildew as well as other contaminates in the home is always going to be the best strategy. The common saying: "Treat the cause, not the symptoms" holds very true. In a past blog post we went a little deeper into this subject and looking at what is called Sick Building Syndrome. You can read that post by clicking here.   

Final Thoughts

The benefits of exhaust fans in your home are many. From increasing your indoor air quality to extending the life of your home, exhaust fans play a key role in maintaining a clean, comfortable, and efficient living environment. For more information about Air King’s solutions for bathroom ventilation, laundry room ventilation and kitchen ventilation, visit airkinglimited.com.

Is a Bathroom Exhaust Fan Upgrade Worth It?

As a manufacturer of ventilation products, you might expect us to automatically say “yes” to a bathroom exhaust fan upgrade. But before we jump to conclusions, let’s explore why upgrading your bathroom exhaust fan could be a smart move—and when it might not be necessary.

Why Consider Upgrading Your Bathroom Exhaust Fan?

There are typically two main reasons to upgrade:

1. Your current exhaust fan has stopped working.
2. Your current fan is underperforming—too loud, too weak, or just outdated.

Let’s take a closer look at both scenarios.

Your Exhaust Fan No Longer Works

If your existing fan is no longer operational, this is a great opportunity to decide whether a simple replacement is enough—or if it’s time to upgrade.

Here are some questions to ask:

Did the old fan meet your needs?

If so, a one-to-one replacement might do the trick.

Is an upgrade worth the cost?

Sometimes, for just a bit more, you can get a fan that’s quieter, more energy efficient, or has additional features.

Will installation require changes?

Upgrading might mean enlarging or reducing the size of the opening in the ceiling or wall. Consider whether you're comfortable with DIY or if hiring a professional makes more sense. Labor for replacing a fan typically runs between $250–$400, depending on complexity—not including the cost of the fan itself.

Your Fan Isn't Performing Like It Should

Maybe your fan is technically working, but it’s not working well. Here’s how to diagnose and decide:

Noise Level

If your fan sounds like a jet engine, it may be time for a quieter model. Fan noise is measured in sones:

0.5 sone or lower – Nearly silent
1.0–2.0 sones – Quiet operation
3.0–4.0 sones – Noticeable, like a conversation
4.0+ sones – Loud and potentially disruptive

Ventilation Power

If your mirror constantly fogs up or you're seeing mold or mildew, chances are your current fan isn’t providing enough airflow. Fan strength is measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute). A general rule of thumb is 1 CFM per square foot of bathroom space. So, a 10' x 10' bathroom needs at least a 100 CFM fan. But that’s just a starting point. You may need more power (up to 20% more) depending on:

• How frequently the shower is used (how many people utilize it)
• Water temperature (more steam = more ventilation needed)
• Local humidity levels

A good solution to ensure proper ventilation is a humidity-sensing fan, which turns on and off automatically based on the room’s humidity.

Energy Efficiency

Most bathroom fans don’t consume a lot of power, so energy savings alone may not justify an upgrade. But if you're replacing the fan anyway, it’s smart to look for ENERGY STAR®-certified models, which offer efficient performance with lower long-term energy use.

So, Is a Bathroom Exhaust Fan Upgrade Worth It?

In many cases, yes. Whether your current fan has stopped operating, is too loud, or is just not cutting it in terms of ventilation, an upgrading can provide:

• A quieter, more comfortable bathroom
• Better protection against mold and mildew
• Smarter energy use and potentially lower bills
• A more automated and convenient user experience

Now that you have all the information, it might be the perfect time to go beyond a basic replacement. To learn more about Air King exhaust fans, visit airkinglimited.com. Also read through our other blog posts on CFM and sones.

Is a Dirty Exhaust Fan a Good Thing?

It might seem like an odd question, but is a dirty exhaust fan actually a good thing? The simple answer is no, but to answer the question fully, we need to look at it a little differently.

What is the Purpose of an Exhaust Fan?

The main purpose of an exhaust fan is to improve the indoor air quality of the room by removing moisture, odors and contaminates from the living space. This means that particles are going to be traveling through the exhaust fan and ducting.

How is a Dirty Exhaust Fan a Good Thing?

A dirty exhaust fan, or one that has a build-up of dirt on it is a good thing in the sense the fan is operating correctly and effectively. As contaminates travel through the fan, they are inevitably going to build up on the inner workings on the fan. Most commonly on the fan blade and the fan grill. In its simplest form, this means the exhaust fan is doing its job and removing the unwanted contaminates from the living space. If you exhaust fan runs for any length of time (months/years) and you never need to clean it, it means one of two things. One, you live in a home that has no dust, no contaminates, no pets, and probably no people. Second, the fan is not being used as much as you think it is or should be.

How is a Dirty Exhaust Fan a Bad Thing?

Before the screaming, yelling and rebuttals start pouring in – yes, we agree that a dirty exhaust fan is not a good thing for the overall function of the fan. As dirt and debris builds up in and on the exhaust fan as well as the ducting, the performance of the fan is going to reduce. You will typically see a decrease in the amount of airflow the fan is able to produce and an increase in the sound level. As we mentioned before, the most common place for dirt build-up is on the fan blade in the form of what is going to look like lint. This build-up on the fan blade adds weight and causes the motor to have to work harder. This not only can reduce the effectiveness of the exhaust fan; it can also shorten the motor life. The same holds true with build-up in the other areas such as the grill and especially the ducting. The narrower the openings become, the less effective the exhaust fan will be.

What Should I Do?

The best way to combat a dirty exhaust fan is to have a regular cleaning schedule. Most maintenance can be done by the average homeowner. There are however a few steps to take to reduce the chance of injury or damaging your fan.

First and foremost, consult the cleaning instructions for your particular model. While most cleaning instructions for exhaust fans are similar, there are differences. Fans with a light will have slightly different instructions than one without. In general, never use water or liquid cleaning products directly on the fan motor. For parts you can use a liquid cleaner or soap/water to clean, always makes sure they are completely dry before reinstalling and restoring power.

Second, always make sure to turn the power off to your exhaust fan before starting any cleaning or maintenance.

Third, if you are unsure of how to clean your exhaust fan, consult a HVAC or Electrical professional. Duct cleaning service can also be another resource to consult.

While we will admit, asking the question – Is a Dirty Exhaust Fan a Good Thing, is a bit of a leading or trick question, it does prove that it is doing what it is supposed to be doing. As we outlined, taking a few steps to ensure your fan is clean and properly maintained will benefit your home’s indoor air quality as well as the life of your fan.

Learn More

To access Air King user manuals, including maintenance instructions, visit the User Manuals section of the Air King website. To learn more about Air King exhaust fans, visit the exhaust fan section of the Air King website.

Most homes across North America have at least one exhaust fan and eventually it will need to be replaced which begs the question – should I upgrade the exhaust fan? When we say upgrade the exhaust fan, we are referring to replacing it with a model that might be quieter, have more airflow or features like a humidity sensor. There are a few considerations when upgrading.

Is my old fan no longer working?

This is probably the most common reason why exhaust fans are replaced. In this case you have basically two options – replace it with the exact or similar model or upgrade it to a better model. A few simple questions can direct you to the decision that is best for you:

Did you have any issues with mold, mildew or the steam from showers clearing fast enough? If the answer is no, then you probably have the right amount of airflow. This is measured in CFM (cubic feet per minute). If not, this is a good time to upgrade the amount of airflow.

Was the current fan too loud? Sound in exhaust fans is measured in Sones. One sone is about the sound a refrigerator makes, two sones is twice that and so on. A fan that is at 0.3 sones is almost silent.

Do you have a light or do you want to add one? If the room is dark and you want to add lighting, this would be an opportunity to add a fan/light combination. Depending on how you want it to function (light working independent of the exhaust fan or not), this might require additional wires to be run to the fan.

Would the room benefit from having a humidity sensor? A humidity sensor either as a wall control or integrated into the fan is very helpful in rooms that always seem to struggle with moisture. The humidity sensor will turn the fan on or off depending on the humidity level of the room. This is really helpful is situations where the fan doesn’t get turned on or is not left on for the proper amount of time. A humidity sensor automates that process.

Is my current fan not effective?

Unfortunately, when it comes to the exhaust fans in a home, builders will cut corners a bit and install the least expensive model on the market. While for the most part they are still okay, there is a lot of room for improvement. You might look to upgrade the exhaust fan if the fan is not properly clearing the room of moisture or odors, the fan is too loud, or something is not mechanically working with it. While replacing a fan has its challenges, for the most part it is something that an average do-it-yourselfer can accomplish in a coupe of hours. A lot will depend on if you can access the fan from above (attic), the physical size of the fan and if the old fan’s ducting matches the new one. When deciding to upgrade, you can use the same criteria discussed in the section above.

Do I need to add an exhaust fan?

You might run into a situation where an exhaust fan wasn’t installed. In years past the building code only required that a window be the bathroom. The theory was that if you open the window, it provided the airflow to clear the room of moisture and odors. While there is some truth to that, thankfully we have evolved to understand that a mechanical solution (exhaust fan) is a much better and more controlled way to provide ventilation. Getting back to the question of if you don’t have an exhaust fan installed, this is a great opportunity to make sure you choose one that will fit your needs. Once again, you can use the same criteria as was outlined in the “Is my old fan no longer working?” section to ensure you make the right choice.

Determining if you should upgrade the exhaust fan of your home does not need to be a difficult one. Hopefully the information provide in this post will help you through the process. To learn more about Air King’s exhaust fan solutions and upgrade options visit airkinglimited.com

Can I Use a Duct Reducer With My Exhaust Fan?

You decide it is finally time to replace your old exhaust fan in your bathroom. You go out and buy the new model and are excited to get it installed. One issue. When you take out the old one you notice that the duct size is different – now what? This is a common issue when replacing exhaust fans. Codes have changed over the years and where 3” duct might have been common, it is now 4” duct. Many codes and builders across the USA are even going up to 6” duct as standard. So what do you do if you have smaller size ducting in your home than the duct coming from your exhaust fan?

A common solution is to use a duct reducer. This attaches to the duct collar coming off the exhaust fan and reduces the duct size down. For instance, if your fan has a 6” duct collar but your ducting is 4”, you can use a 6” to 4” reducer. Seems simple and easy – right. Well, unfortunately it is not that simple. Many fans are not designed to be used with a duct reducer. By reducing the ducting you are creating more resistance and not allowing the air to flow as freely as it was designed to do. This will cause the amount of air you can move to be reduce and in many cases will increase the sound level of the fan. It will also make the fan work harder and possibly reduce the lifespan. This falls into the category of if it is your only option other than replacing all of the ducting and the wall or roof cap, then you might consider it.

A better option is to try and get ahead of the game so to speak. When researching a replacement for your fan, try to determine what size ducting you already have in place. There are a few ways you can do this.

1. Find the model number of the fan you are replacing and do a search online to find out the duct size. This is generally accurate but you do need to keep in mind that the person who installed it could have also used a duct reducer. 

2. When you remove the old fan you can see what size duct was used and if a reducer is in place. The issue with this is we know most people like to have the new fan on hand before taking the old one out.

3. If you have access to the fan from above (attic) you can measure the size of the existing ducting.

What about if the ducting in my home is bigger than the ducting from the exhaust fan? In almost all situations going form smaller to larger ducting will not create any issues. You will need to have an adapter installed to properly connect the smaller ducting to the larger but you shouldn’t see any increase in sound or decrease in airflow.

To learn more about exhaust fans and ventilation visit airkinglimited.com or consult a professional in your area.

Anatomy of Exhaust Fans

Exhaust fans play a pivotal roll in maintaining the indoor air quality of our homes. Utilizing them decreases contaminates, reduces moisture and makes our homes healthier to live in. So how do exhaust fans work?

Having an understanding of how exhaust fans or as they are sometimes called – bath fans work is an important component to making sure they are utilized correctly. The basic principle of an exhaust fan is to take the “bad” air inside your living space and move it (exhaust it) out. That air is then replaced with fresh air. It is a fairly simple concept.

The exhaust fan’s main component is a blower of some type. Lower end units will utilize a fan blade that looks similar to a typical portable fan. Higher end units will utilize a blower wheel or as some people refer to it, a squirrel cage. Blower wheels generally are able to produce more ventilation at a quieter sound level. In either case the wheel or blades turn and generate airflow that is directed through the fan’s duct collar.

The next part of the exhaust fan is the duct collar. Exhaust fans must be ducted to the outdoors and run through ducting in the home to either a wall cap or a roof cap. While these components are not necessarily part of the fan, they are integral components that are required. The duct collar of the fan is connected to the ducting from the home. Ducting can range from 3 inches to 6 inches in typical residential homes. More and more new construction is moving to 6 inch ducting as it provides better airflow with less resistance. It is important to match the ducting size to the size of the exhaust fan. For instance if you have 4 inch ducting but have a 6 inch ducted exhaust fan you will need to reduce the ducting down to fit. This will make the fan work harder, reduce the airflow and increase the sound level.

A second part of the duct collar is the backdraft damper. This is a flap that closes to prevent drafts from coming back into the home. Backdraft dampers are usually either gravity closing or spring loaded. The way they work is when the fan is operating and blowing air out of the collar the force of the air opens the damper. Once the unit is shut off the damper will either “fall” down on gravity type dampers or close with spring-loaded dampers, sealing off the ducting.

The next component of an exhaust fan is the housing. The housing holds everything together and is what is installed into the ceiling. Housings come in many different sizes and are installed in different ways. Common installations include hanger bars that slide into a channel on the housing and then extend out to connect to the ceiling joists. A second mounting type is mounting tabs. These are tabs on the housing that install directly to the ceiling joist. Other mounting types are ones such as with the Air King BFQ series that have a snap-in bracket.

So far all the components we discussed are ones you won’t see once the fan is installed. The one that you will see is the grill. Like housings, grills come in all different sizes and shapes. The grill has a few functions. First is to cover up and protect all the inter workings of the fan. Second is to be aesthetically pleasing - no one wants an ugly hole in their ceiling. Lastly the grill provides a balance of décor and function as it needs to be able to allow enough air to come into the fan without restricting that air.

These are the main components of an exhaust fan. In addition some fans will have extra features like a light, heater function, humidity sensor, motion sensor and more. For more information about the exhaust fans available through Air King visit airkinglimited.com.

How Does ENERGY STAR® Certified Ventilation Help?

For the most part almost everyone in the United States has at least seen the ENERGY STAR® logo and many understand what it signifies. Many people however only think that certification is for things like TVs, computers and appliances. While they are some of the more “big ticket” items, there are many categories of products that can earn certification including ENERGY STAR® certified ventilation.

So what sets certified ventilation apart from typical products? Here are a few of the main items. ENERGY STAR® certified ventilation must perform at a higher efficiency than standard ventilation solutions. Efficiency is measured by taking the amount of air the unit moves (measured in CFM – cubic feet per minute) and dividing that by the amount of energy (Watts) needed to operate the unit. To put this in perspective a standard low end or entry-level exhaust fan operates at about 1 watt per CFM or worse. In contrast a certified unit has to operate at a minimum of 2.8 CFM per watt with some units exceeding that and operating as high as 19 CFM per watt.

A second way ENERGY STAR® certified ventilation products stand out is they are required to offer a longer warranty. While this might not sound like a big deal, it actually is. With a longer warranty, there is more peace of mind that that product is going to last a lot longer and is constructed of high quality parts. In the case of ventilation products that typically means a better motor.

For units that have a light feature, which include some exhaust fans as well as most range hoods, the light bulb must be included or integrated with the unit and it must be a certified LED bulb. The lighting in these units can sometimes be the biggest energy draw of the unit. For instance changing from a 60-watt incandescent light bulb to an equivalent 8 watt LED is saving approximately 52 watts.

Lastly, and this one might seem a little out of the ordinary is that there are sound restrictions on the units. For most units, they must operate at or below 2 sones. Sones are the unit of measurement for sound in ventilation products. We have explained sones in some of our previous posts but basically 1 sone is the sound your refrigerator makes and 4 sones is about the sound of a typical conversation.

When you put all this together, it is hopefully clear that ENERGY STAR® certified ventilation is going to be a much better product than a standard one. For more information regarding ENERGY STAR® certified ventilation solutions from Air King including exhaust fans, range hoods and fresh air intake, please visit airkinglimited.com. For more information about ENERGY STAR®, please visit energystar.gov.

Fighting VOCs

If you are reading this post, you probably either have a little bit of an understanding of what VOCs are or at least are interested in finding out why we need to be fighting VOCs. VOC stands for Volatile Organic Compounds. Volatile is not a word generally used in the everyday language and it sounds a little scary. Let's first understand what a VOC is.

Volatile Organic Compounds are all around us in many of the products we use. The most common use is in paint products as well as cleaners. VOCs dilute or dissolve other ingredients in those products to make them more effective. Paint is probably one of the most recognized ones but VOC are also used in items like mattresses and building materials as flame-retardants. A common alternative name for VOCs is off-gas. This happens because VOCs have a high vapor pressure that allows them to evaporate easily. For instance when paint is put on a surface it immediately start to off-gas as part of the drying and curing process, that is what you are smelling. With paint, this off-gas is a byproduct but with items like perfumes and fragrances, the off-gas is part of the design. It is what allows them to “smell” nice for longer periods of time.

Why do we need to be fighting VOCs as the title of this article suggest? Part of the off-gas process means that the “bad” stuff is entering into the air that we are breathing. This can cause minor symptoms like coughing or eye irritation but can also escalate to things like headaches, decreased lung function or a metal fog and in extreme case even more serious health issues.

Now that we have most of the bad news out of the way we can turn our attention to fighting VOCs. The first step is to try and reduce your exposure to VOCs by looking a little closer at the products you are using. Here are a few tips on what you can do:

1. Look for paint that is VOC free or at least low VOC. While these are still going to have some VOCs (even the VOC free ones – sorry), they will be greatly reduced from the standard paints.
2. Look for fragrant-free cleaners and especially laundry detergent. Have you ever gone into your laundry room and been “hit” with the smell of flowers or fragrance – that is your cleaners and/or detergents off-gassing their VOCs into the air. This is usually intensified in a laundry room due to the fact that it is a smaller and typically enclosed room.
3. Avoid items that come in the form of an aerosol. VOCs are detrimental due to them being able to easily enter the airflow. Aerosols by nature put product into the airflow. Aerosols also typically have some type of product like formaldehyde or some of the other nasty chemicals in them.

A second step in fighting VOCs it to look to the ventilation of your home. Having a well ventilated home is essential to having a better living environment. VOCs as well as other contaminates are going to build up in you home. That is part of living. Having a plan in place like a ventilation system and a way to bring fresh air into the home will great reduce your risks and exposure. Even opening a window while cleaning if you can is a great way to help your indoor air quality. Many home are already equipped with exhaust fans in their bathrooms and kitchen. This is great and they should be utilized. More and more homes are now also utilizing a continuous running exhaust fan in a central location of the home. It is actually part of the building code. The goal is to exhaust as much as possible out and then bring fresh air in to dilute anything that remains. Most would agree that these methods make sense and many practice them, here is where a lot of homeowners lose a little sight. For many homes the largest source of VOC’s is typically located in the laundry room. As we mentioned above these rooms are usually small and enclosed so the amount of VOCs that build-up is significant. Adding a small exhaust fan that vents to the outdoors in these rooms can have a tremendous effect on lowering the amount of VOCs in the room.

While we would like to suggest avoiding VOCs all together, that is almost impossible to do in our currently living environment. VOCs in some form or fashion are all around us. Doing what you can to limit your exposure to them is step one, improving your indoor air quality with ventilation and fresh air is step two.

For more information about the indoor air quality of your home and how you can improve it, please read through the many articles we have written over the years. Visit airkinglimited.com for information regarding Air King exhaust fan and fresh air intake solutions.

Is Your Home Clean?

Seems like a simple question – Is your home clean? Many of us would say yes, for the most part it is clean. There might be a loose sock or two lying around and the kids might have just dragged some grass or dirt in, but its not like there is an inch of mud on the floors. Asking if your home is clean is a bit of a loaded question because the answer always NO. Now we are not here to judge your house but we are here to help you understand what factors make it not clean. Notice we are not saying dirty. While dirt does contribute to the uncleanliness of a house, it is not the only factor.

When we refer to a clean house we are looking at things you can see as well as things you can’t. Some are easier than other. For instance when your white rugs look closer to brown than white, they are not clean. If there is dirt and dust all over, it is easy to see that the home is not clean. Where it gets tricky is when you are dealing with unseen or very hard to see contaminates. These would include things floating around in the air like viruses, particulate matter and so forth. Even something like dust is actually hard to see until it piles up on surfaces.

There are numerous items that cause our homes to not be clean. Just daily living in your home is going to cause it to not be clean. Add in pets, kids, guests and so forth and the battle to keep it clean increases exponentially. Here is where we can go one of three ways. First is to ball up in a fetal position and tell yourself you're doomed. We don’t recommend that. Second is to try and clean everything constantly, hose off the dog and kids every time they come in from outside and basically drive yourself crazy. Again, not what we recommend. Third is to create a strategy to minimize contaminates and increase your indoor air quality. How do you do this?

1. Look at your home and what activities are causing contaminates. As we have spoken about at length in other blog posts, cooking is one of the top contributors to contaminates in the home. If you are finding grease or other build-up on or around the cooktop that is an indication that you haven’t been using the range hood, don’t have one, or need a better one that vents to the outdoors.
2. Are you using your bathroom exhaust fans? Exhausting contaminates including moister decreases the possibility of mold and mildew from forming. They also help to remove any off-gassing from things like cleaners.
3. Do you make everyone take off their shoes when they come into the house so they don’t drag dirt in? Do you brush the dog regularly to decrease the amount of hair floating around (large dog owners we understand, this can be a full time job with a shedding dog in the summer months – do your best).
4. Do you burn candles? They can be a major contributor to poor indoor air quality. You can read more about that here.
5. Do you have a regular cleaning routine. We talked about obsessive cleaning and it being a bit unrealistic, but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be part of a regular routine. When using cleaners look for ones with low VOC’s and utilize the exhaust fans of the home (bathroom fans as well as kitchen range hoods) to exhaust any of the cleaning chemicals that are released into the air during the process. On good air quality days, opening a window is also a good option.

So we come back to the first question – Is your home clean? The answer is always going to be no, but hopefully we have given you some things to consider and look for to increase the cleanliness of your home which will have a positive effect on the overall indoor air quality of your home.

For information about exhaust fans, range hoods and fresh air solutions visit www.airkinglimited.com

What Makes Particulate Matter So Harmful?

A term that has gained popularity lately is particulate matter or as it is sometimes known – PM2.5. So what is PM2.5? They are tiny particles or droplets in the air that are 2.5 microns or less in width. To give that perspective there are about 25,000 microns in an inch. Okay, so we know they are small but how does that affect my health?

Particles that small are able to travel deep into the respiratory tract and end up in the lungs. Our noses are able to trap particles in the 10 micron range. Since PM2.5 are a quarter that size or smaller, they are able to bypass our first line of defense and travel to the lungs. You don’t need to be a doctor to realize that particles getting trapped in our lungs does not sound like a good thing. It’s not. There are short-term health effects such as eye, nose and throat irritation, coughing, sneezing and runny nose. A more serious effect can be shortness of breath. Long-term effects can be even more serious and include lung and heart issues.

So now that we have you completely paranoid about particulate matter let’s take a closer look at where it comes from and how we can lessen exposure. PM2.5 is all around us so completely eliminating it is basically impossible. Main outdoor producers are items that use combustion (burning of fuel) like cars, trucks, construction equipment as well as fires. Unfortunately there are also indoor items that also produce PM2.5. Main culprits are cooking, fireplaces, smoking (as well as second hand smoke) and burning candles. This is why lung cancer is directly linked to smoking as all the particulate matter generated during smoking goes directly into the lungs. While a single particle is way too small to see, we are able to identify concentrations as well as situations that are producing them. Outdoors when the air is hazy and visibility is decreased it could be because of an increase in PM2.5. Urban settings are going to see this more in times of heavy traffic and especially if there isn’t any wind to dilute the build-up of particles. In rural settings heavy pollen counts can cause a similar situation. Increases in wildfires are also a heavy contributor. Fires are especially concerning as wind can blow the smoke hundreds of miles away from the source, affecting a much larger area. Inside it is a little harder to identify. If your kitchen is filled with smoke from burning dinner – yes that is all particulate matter and is fairly easy to identify. The challenge is that during normal cooking you might not be able to identify how much PM2.5 you are producing.

Okay, enough with all the bad stuff. How do we combat particulate matter? As we mentioned PM2.5 is all around us so we need to look for ways to reduce it as best we can. We have been talking about two categories throughout this post – outdoor and indoor. Outdoor is a little harder to control and we need to take a more knowledge-based approach. Most states have a resource that informs the residents of the fine particle levels on a given day. Checking that before going outside can help. If you are in a high level area, avoid things like exercise or anything that will increase your air intake. Maybe postpone that hike until the levels drop. In urban setting, look to schedule outdoor activities on lesser traffic days or times. For instance if you like to run in the city, do it during lower traffic times where you won’t be breathing in as much of the contaminates coming from car exhaust. Same would hold true if you are in an areas that has stagnant air in the morning but then gets afternoon breezes that will carry away or at least dilute a lot of the contaminates.

Indoors is where you have a lot more control. The simple thing to do is stop PM2.5 from being produced. Unfortunately that is a lot easier said than done. We still need to cook and use things like clothes dryers. Eliminating smoking inside (doesn’t help the smoker but will benefit everyone else), stop burning candles, cook less fried foods are all good things. For the rest of the particles the key is to remove or dilute them. The easiest way is to exhaust them out of the house. The biggest contributor to PM2.5 in the home is the cooktop. Having a properly functioning and sized range hood that exhausts to the outside is your best defense. Some range hoods just recirculate the air back into the kitchen and are not effective at removing the particles. Over the counter microwaves, while convenient, do not do a great job of removing particles. Exhaust fans are generally installed in a bathroom, which is great, but they can and should be used in other areas of the home like laundry rooms. With all the exhaust going out, you also need a solution for the air coming in the home. As we discussed earlier, the outdoor air might not be any better than the air going out. Having a fresh are solution that can also filter the air – removing the PM2.5 is critical.

Air King offers solution for all your exhaust and air intake needs. Air King range hoods are perfect for almost all residential kitchens while a full array of exhaust fans offer solutions for any room of the home. Air King fresh air intake solutions offer controlled and filtered air to replace the exhausted air and filter out almost all of the PM2.5 that would come in from the outside (when using a MERV11 or MERV16 filter).

For information about fresh air or ventilation solutions visit airkinglimited.com.

Is Fresh Air Fresh?

We say it all the time – I’m going outside for some fresh air or, open the window to let the fresh air in. But is that air fresh? It is a question with many answers and we are going to take a look at some of them.

First, what is fresh air? As defined by the Google Oxford Languages dictionary it is “the air outside as opposed to that within a room or other enclosed space.” Great so as long as we are outside the air is fresh – case closed, thanks for reading. Well we think it is a little more involved than that. We know that the air inside a home or office can be 5 times more contaminated than outside air so does that confirm that outside air is fresh?

Here is where it gets a little complicated. What is in the outside air? If you live in a city with a lot of air pollution from cars, businesses and so forth, it is hard to call that fresh. Now let's go the opposite direction to a rural area. That air has to be fresh – right? While it might not have the man-made contaminates, there could be a host of other contaminates like pollen, dust, and more.

Great, so we know that the air inside is bad and the air outside might not be any better, what do we do? Here is where we take a step back, relax and realize we can’t control everything so let's concentrate on what we can. The reason the air inside our homes can be so bad is because it takes everything and concentrates it. Even the “polluted” outside air is going to have less concentration of contaminates than the indoor air (unless you are standing right next to a car tailpipe or under a building exhaust system). You have contaminates you generate (cooking, showering, breathing, and just living) plus contaminates coming in from the outside. Without a mitigation strategy they build up and linger inside the home. A very easy solution is a properly operating ventilation system. Using exhaust fans in the bathrooms, a range hood in the kitchen and exhaust fans in any other areas where contaminates build up such as laundry and craft rooms. The ventilation system will take the bad air out but we still need to deal with the air coming in.

The air coming into the home will dilute the remaining contaminates that the exhaust fans do not get. The key is controlling the air coming into the home. Opening a window or door will definitely bring air in but you will not have any control over it. On days where the pollutants such as pollen, dust and so forth are high, you might not want to open the windows. Utilizing what is known as a mechanical solution puts the control into your hands. A mechanical solution is just a fancy term for a fan that brings air into the home. Some HVAC systems have an intake that pulls air in from the outside, which is then filtered as it goes through the system. Standard HVAC filters capture items like dust, dander, pollen, and larger contaminates. Upgraded filters can capture items like viruses. Read our “The Air Filter Debate – Is Too Much Too Much” blog post for more information about air filters. For HVAC systems that do not have an outdoor intake function or need more air, utilizing an air intake system with a filter is a great way to control the amount of air coming in as well as ensuring it is as “clean” as possible.

So where does this leave us? Is fresh air fresh? Maybe instead of using a generic term like fresh air we should be asking if the air is the best we can do? Having a good strategy in place for your home such as proper ventilation as well as air intake will allow you the peace of mind that you are doing everything you can to provide the best indoor air quality you can.

For information about fresh air, exhaust fan or range hood solutions visit the Air King website at airkinglimited.com.

COVID has shut down countries and disrupted lives. In a word, it stinks (technical term). As we are hopefully nearing the end of COVID, or at least learning to live with it, there is a temptation to put everything into a history book and call it a day. While COVID stinks (there’s that technical term again), it has taught us some very valuable things about our living environment. The biggest is the indoor air quality (IAQ) of our homes and work places.

Prior to COVID not much attention was paid to our indoor environment. How many times did colds or the flu make it’s way through families or work places. No one really did much as the common practice was to “let it run its course”. You might have had that one person who doused themselves with sanitizer and ran around the office with a can of disinfectant spray, creating a dense fog that you could barely see through anytime someone sneezed but in general you just hoped it missed you.

While concerns with indoor air quality are not new concepts, COVID has allowed them to finally get some prominent airtime with the general population. The goal is to create a better living environment no matter what is happening with pandemics, endemics or any other viruses floating around. So what have we learned? Proper ventilation and airflow inside your home creates a better living space. Properly utilizing bathroom exhaust fans, kitchen range hoods and having a system for bringing fresh air into the home, will exponentially increase your indoor air quality.

So how do we properly use these components? Well the first step is to use them. As comical as that sounds it does need to be the first thing on the list. There is a long list of reasons these are not used – they're too loud, it doesn’t cross my mind to turn it on, I’m only warming something up, and the list goes on. Our response to all of those excuses is they are all bad. There are a lot of really good, efficient, quiet and affordable options on the market today to upgrade to.

A second step is to make sure they are working properly. You might be noticing a trend here. These are some really basic things we are highlighting. Something like noticing if your exhaust fans are even working seems very basic and it is but it’s always amazing how many times you walk into a home and the fans are not working.

Finally, you need to make sure the exhaust fans are installed and functioning properly. This one is a little more difficult and a lot less obvious. The main culprit with this is the kitchen range hood. To maximize your IAQ it should vent to the outside. Many range hoods do not; instead they recirculate the air back into the kitchen. While this is better than nothing, it does very little for the IAQ of the home and can actually give you a false sense of security. The fans throughout the home should also be working in harmony with each other. Air King’s Total Ventilation System is a great way to ensure this is happening. See how it all works here.

While COVID has been difficult, it is up to us to make sure the lessons learned are not wasted. To learn more about Air King’s Total Home Ventilation System, Air King Range Hoods, Exhaust Fans and Fresh Air Systems click on the links in the menu bar above.

Sick Building Syndrome Solutions

A term that is being used a lot more these days is Sick Building Syndrome or SBS. What is Sick Building Syndrome? Wikipedia defines it as: “A condition in which people in a building suffer from symptoms of illness or become infected with chronic disease from the building in which they work or reside.” Sounds a little scary. SBS can affect the health as well as the productivity of people working in the building. This is not a new concept and now it is expanding to Sick Home Syndrome.

As more people are spending more time indoors making sure your home or workplace is “healthy” is even more important. A lot of issues boil down to the Indoor Air Quality of the area. There are some fairly simple things you can do to identify issues in your workplace/home. They can be broken down into three areas of concentration:

Common Symptoms Between Occupants
Are there any common symptoms with people sharing the area? Do people complain about headaches, dizziness, being stuffy and so forth? Do they say it gets better when they are outside of the space? Many of these symptoms can look the same as allergies but can also be a tell tale sign of something bigger. Common symptoms are a big one as if people are experiencing symptoms; it probably means something needs to be addressed immediately.

Physical Signs
Are there any signs around the office or home such as mold or mildew growing or large areas of dust or dirt build-up? Are there items being stored indoors that shouldn’t be – gas, paint, cleaners or other odor emitting items? We refer to this as stopping it at the source.

Smells
Are there any smells that seem stagnant or just bad – think old socks. Some people will describe a “moldy” smell – that is not good and means that something is contaminating the air. Even good smells can be harmful (not all, but some can). Scented sprays, candles, aromas from cooking can smell good, but can also be contaminating the air.

Okay, now that we have identified the issues, what do we do now? Some solutions are certainly simpler than others. In the case of contaminates being stored indoors – move them outside the living or working area. Others are a little more complicated and difficult to address. We suggest a three-phase approach:

Remove
As we already stated, remove any contaminants that are contributing to bad indoor air quality but remove can also apply to the air. Properly using all of your exhaust fans (bath fans, range hoods and so forth) can have a huge effect on your IAQ. Exhausting stale, bad air removes it from being breathed in or staying stagnant. A good example of this is a smoky bar. Thankfully most bars and restaurants no longer allow smoking inside but go with us with this. If there is no ventilation, the bar continues to fill up with smoke to a point that you can’t see two feet in front of you. Now you and everyone else in that bar are breathing in the cloud of smoke (contaminants). Add ventilation to the mix and that smoke is directed out of the bar greatly reducing or even eliminating any smoke in the room. While most workplaces don’t allow smoking indoors, people are exhaling carbon dioxide and other contaminates are building up just from the normal daily activities. If they are not being directed outside of the building, that means they are staying stagnant inside and being breathed in just like that cloud of smoke in the bar example.

Dilute
Part B of Remove is diluting or more accurately, replacing the air you remove with fresh air. This can be done by opening a window or door or using a mechanical solution such as the Air King fresh air intake products that brings controlled and filtered air into the space. This creates a constant exchange of air that prevents contaminants from building up in the space.

Filter
Making sure the HVAC system is properly fitted with effective air filters that are maintained on a regular basis is a must. The system should be using the highest rated filter that is can without decreasing the performance of the unit. In older systems adding additional filtration devices might be necessary.

So the bad news is that SBS is a real thing that needs to be addresses and can cause issues at home and work. The good news is that it can be addresses and improved. While there is no magic solution or one size fits all remedy, using the technics suggested can have a positive impact on the Indoor Air Quality of your home or workspace. If you believe your building or home is “sick”, we suggest consulting a HVAC expert who can assess and test your space and help you identify how to increase your indoor air quality.

To learn more about Air King’s exhaust fans, range hoods and fresh air intake solutions, visit www.airkinglimited.com.

Ventus – A Ventilation Story

When the typical person hears the word ventilation it can call to mind different pictures. For most it probably is thought of as a fairly new technology routed somewhere in the mind 1900’s. The fact that you are reading this blog probably means ventilation means exhaust fans and range hoods. You would not be wrong, but we are going to go a little deeper and look back through the ages at ventilation.

Let's start with the word “ventilation”. It comes from the Latin word ventilatio which has its root in the word ventus, meaning wind. In the ventilation field we use terms such as exhaust and air movement which at its root is wind (moving air).

Next, we’ll trace back to the origins of ventilation devices. It might come as a surprise that it can be traced back to thousands of years BC. As humans began to bring fire into the houses/structures they built to either heat them or cook with, it quickly became evident that they had to get rid of the smoke created. The first form of ventilation was a chimney. Archeologists have found examples throughout the years of chimneys being used. The earliest is probably in China approximately 4000 BC. Other significant finds include Roman homes that had a hole in the roof to direct smoke. Thousands of years later we are still using this same technology. A little updated to the times, but in essences the same basic principle.

Another milestone in the history of ventilation was in the 17th century. King Charles I of England recognized that poor ventilation was causing health problems and he decreed that the ceilings in homes must be at least 10 feet high and that windows must be higher than they are wide to allow for ventilation.

Skipping ahead a few hundred years and we come to the 1920’s/1930’s where modern ventilation was created. While chimneys were okay, they were not as effective as they needed to be. The solution was to add a motor to the chimney and force the smoke up and out of the home. This was the first range hood. With most homes now having indoor bathrooms and especially showers, the need for ventilation increased even more and the same technology was now being used in the bathrooms to exhaust steam and odors.

From that first range hood in the early 1900’s we have seen a lot of advancements in the ventilation field. Technology has allowed exhaust fans and range hoods to become more energy efficient, quieter and more effective. Recently even more emphasis has been placed on indoor air quality. Ventilation is a key component of good indoor quality and the more we continue to learn, the more we are finding that a properly ventilated home is a much healthier home. I guess King Charles I did know what he was talking about hundreds of year ago.

To learn more about indoor air quality or ventilation fans browse through the Air King blog or visit www.airkinglimited.com.

Is the Code Enough? Part 3

Over the past few blog posts we have been looking at code compliance and the difference between meeting the code and exceeding the code. In this post we are going to look at the ASHRAE 62.2 ventilation standard. In past blog posts we have described aspects of the standard such as local ventilation and continuous ventilation. In short ASHRAE 62.2 is a national ventilation code to promote air exchanges in your home to better the indoor air quality (IAQ). The basics of the code are to have an exhaust fan running continuously at a low speed, then using other fans throughout the house to take care of higher ventilation needs like cooking or when the shower is in use. Meeting the code means that you have an exhaust fan installed in a centrally located area of your home.

Great, that sounds fairly easy and for the most part it is. A popular way to solve for this is to install a two-speed exhaust fan in the bathroom. This is a fan that runs constantly on low speed at an almost silent sound level then when more ventilation is needed boosts to high speed. This can be done by a switch, humidity sensor, or motion sensor that is integrated into the fan.

So far so good; I think we have it covered. Code met, let’s move on to the next item. Here’s the thing (okay, you didn’t really think we would end it there did you?), while to the letter of the code, this installation might meet it, we need to look at it a little closer. First we need to think a little about how air travels and where contaminates are located in the home. Generally, the kitchen cooking area is going to be the location of the largest amount of contaminants generated in the home. If you are installing the continuous running exhaust fan in a bathroom, it is generally going to be on the other side of the home as the kitchen. This means that the exhaust is going to be pulling air from the kitchen throughout the home and through the living spaces. Not exactly an ideal solution. Here is another issue. What happens when the bathroom door is closed? Now you have either cut off or severely restricted the airflow. Let’s take it one step further. If the fan is installed in a master bathroom, that typically means two closed doors to navigate through.

Some installers will place the fan in the living room or a hallway. This is better as you won’t have to deal with the closed-door issue as much, but you are still drawing air that you want to exhaust through living areas. So I guess we are doomed. Can’t install it in the bathroom, can’t install it in a living area, where then?

There is a solution that takes all these issues into account. Place the continuous ventilation in the kitchen. There are reasons the kitchen is called the heart of the home. Typically the kitchen will be in a central location of the home or at least open to the rest of the home. This makes it a perfect location. There are now range hoods available that have multiple speeds. They have a continuous operation speed that will solve for, as the name states – continuous airflow. The sound level at this speed is barely detectable. When the cooktop is being used, they have higher speeds to take care of the additional airflow needed to properly ventilate while cooking. Now you have the ventilation placed at the source of one of the largest contaminators of the home. The added benefit is that the continuous speed will take care of the residual contaminants in the air after the cooking is done. While we would like to think everyone is properly using their range hood, we also know that is not always the case. These range hoods install the same as traditional range hoods, so if you are installing one anyway, why not solve two things at once. The only consideration is that they are going to cost more than an entry-level basic range hood. The counter to that is if you go the bathroom route, a two-speed exhaust fan is also going to cost more than a standard exhaust fan also. Another point is that you will also have a much quieter operating range hood.

When it comes to solving for ASHRAE 62.2 continuous ventilation, there are options. Some designed to meet the code, some designed to exceed the code. Hopefully this gives you some things to consider. For more information about continuous operation range hoods or ASHRAE 62.2 solutions visit www.airkinglimited.com

Is the Code Enough? Part 1

There is a commonly used four-letter word in the building industry that typically elicits a range of emotions – code. Building codes are good things. They ensure our homes are built to a standard that will keep us safe and provide a good living environment. For the most part, just using common sense and proper building techniques will meet a lot of the building codes. But, are the codes good enough? Over the course of the next few blogs we are going to take a look at a few specific areas of the home and some of the general ventilation building codes that apply to them.

At the time of this blog, there is a large company using the slogan “just okay is not okay”. We can have this same approach when it comes to code compliance. In general building codes are a minimum standard but sometime we should be looking closer at what that minimum means for our standard of living. Let's take a look at typical exhaust fans. There are a lot of codes across the country in regards to bathroom ventilation. Some codes just say you need a window in the bathroom and you are good. If this is the code in your area, we would highly recommend exceeding the code. In earlier blogs we have gone into detail as to why you need an exhaust fan in your bathroom so we are not going to say much in this blog. Most of the codes will call for an exhaust fan to be installed in the bathroom. This is a good thing, sort of. Something is better than nothing, but it is conceivable that you can meet code but not be effectively ventilating your bathroom.

Here is the scenario. You have a 10ft. x 10ft. bathroom. That is a total of 100 square feet. The minimum sized exhaust fan you will need is 100 CFM (cubic feet per minute). That should meet your building codes, but will it be effective? If you live alone in a mild climate and take short showers, it probably will be very effective. If there are 4 people sharing the same bathroom, who all take hot showers, 100 CFM might not get the job done. Going up an extra 10-50 CFM could be the difference between effectively removing the moisture from the bathroom or not.

Most people do not spend time thinking about their exhaust fan (it’s okay, we don’t take it personally). The fact of the matter is that your exhaust fan is something that is or should be used on a daily basis so it stands to reason it should be effective. Before we go any further we will come right out and say it – yes, generally exceeding the minimum requirements will mean a more expensive exhaust fan. Let's put that into context however. Let's say you need to spend an extra $50 to upgrade your exhaust fan if you are building a new home. The average cost of a new home in 2019 was around $300,000 (varies depending on what source you use). When you add $50 or even $100 to a $300,000 home, it seems like a fairly easy choice.

Okay, what do you get for that extra $50 to $100? We already talked about more effective ventilation depending on your living style but there is also a comfort level to it. Upgrading your ventilation usually includes lowering the sound level and even the power consumption. Meeting the minimum code might include a fan that you will definitely hear running. Exceeding the code opens up options for fans that you can barely hear running.

Building codes are in place to ensure safety and health and we are very thankful that we have men and women working very hard to keep up with them and pushing the industry forward. The next time you hear the phrase “meets code” just stop and think  - is meeting the code all I really want to do? For more information about Air King exhaust fans visit www.airkinglimited.com.

Increase the Effectiveness of Your Exhaust Fan

If you are looking to renovate a bathroom or are building a new one, something that can often get overlooked is the exhaust fan placement. While the shiny fixtures and fancy tiles can and probably should get most of the attention, taking a few minutes to determine the best place to install an exhaust fan will have years of benefits – maybe even longer than the shiny things.

First, make sure an exhaust fan is being installed. We have spent plenty of time in our past blogs exploring the benefits of utilizing an exhaust fan and the dangers of not having one. It is critical that one is installed. Having a fan anywhere in the bathroom is miles better than not having one, but we want to concentrate on maximizing its effectiveness.

It sounds simple, but you want to locate the exhaust fan as close to the source of the most contaminates as possible. When we talk about contaminates in a bathroom setting, the biggest one is moisture. While odors are also a concern, moisture is what will cause the most damage if not properly mitigated. With this in mind, the best place for an exhaust fan is generally going to be inside the shower or right over the tub. This puts the exhaust right at the source.

Great – that was easy now we can get back to the shiny things and the fancy tiles. Well not so fast. In order for the exhaust fan to be installed inside a shower or over a tub, it has to be approved for that use. Not all exhaust fans are – especially if you have one that has a heater function to it. You want to make sure the fan says “UL approved for installation over a tub or shower” or “certified for wet locations”. If it is not and water hits the fan, it could cause a short or worse. If you have a fan that is not approved for wet locations, it can still be used, but not directly over the tub or shower. In this case, you want to place the fan as close to the shower as possible so it catches as much of the moisture coming out from the shower as it can. The further away from the shower, the less effective it will be. At that point, you will need to look at using a fan that is actually over powered for the room, which can cause other issues.

So far we have looked at a “typical” bathroom. In some cases, the shower and the toilet are separated – especially in larger bathrooms. In this situation, you might want to look at installing two exhaust fans. A smaller one to handle the toilet and a larger one to handle the moisture. This allows you to place exhaust fans at the two main sources of contaminates in the bathroom and control them independently.

For more information or to see the line of Air King bathroom exhaust fans, visit www.airkinglimited.com