Get ventilation sensitive – using a humidity sensor with your exhaust fan

Thinking about how to improve your bathroom might not be something you spend a lot of time dwelling on and if you do it is probably how you want to replace the vanity, that new shower head or even how you are going to completely remodel. Even when you clean the bathroom, probably more thought goes into what a hassle it is and how much mildew is building up after just cleaning it.

While a complete remodel of the bathroom might be out of reach, there is a fairly simple upgrade you can make to your bathroom that will at least help with the cleaning process – adding a humidity sensor to your exhaust fan.

A humidity sensor will automatically turn the exhaust fan on when the humidity level of the room reaches a preset point and will stay on until it falls below that point. Here is how it works; you start the shower, which instantly raises the humidity level of the room so the fan turns on. After your shower, there will still be residual humidity in the room, so the fan will continue to run until that humid air has been exhausted out of the home. This helps prevent the build up of mold and mildew, both like warm humid environments. As an added bonus, it is all automated, nothing for you to do.

Adding a humidity sensor can be done fairly easily. If you need to install a new fan or replace an existing one, there are many options that have a built in humidity senor. If replacing the fan is not something you need to do, humidity sensing wall switches are available. These simply replace the current switch the fan is wired to.

To learn more about integrated humidity sensing fans or humidity sensing wall switches, visit www.airkinglimited.com.

Time it right – using timer switches with your exhaust fan or heater

Have you ever had a conversation with your children or spouse about leaving lights on in the house? Okay maybe “conversation” isn’t the correct word but I think we have all been there and probably on both sides of it.

While we might not be able to help in all rooms, the bathroom is definitely one that has an easy solution – timer switches. A timer switch is an excellent and usually very easy upgrade to a bathroom that allows you to control as little or as much as you want.

Because bathrooms are used for a limited amount of time, timer switches make a lot of sense. Switches come in all forms and functions, from the traditional dials to programmable electronic ones. When choosing a timer switch, you want to consider a few things. 

1. Can the switch handle the power requirements needed. If you are using a timer switch to control a heater function (and we highly, highly recommend you do) you want to make sure the switch is rated for it. Switches will have a rating on them with the maximum amount of watts or amps it can handle. Simply match that to what you are controlling with the switch. For instance if you have a heater that uses 1350 watts - makes sure the switch is rated for at least that amount. 
2. What type of features do you want on the switch. When using with a combination fan and light, a useful function is a timer switch that turns the light off but allows the fan to run for an additional amount of time. This allows the fan to complete the ventilation process without having to have the light on during the entire time.
3. Make sure the switch can accommodate the amount of time you typically spend in the bathroom. If it takes you 40 minutes, a 15-minute timer is probably going to be more of a hassle for you than help.

To learn more about timer solutions, visit www.airkinglimited.com

Make the kitchen the ventilation center of the home - Continuous operation Range Hoods

The kitchen is many times considered the heart of the home. It also provides an excellent ventilation opportunity. New codes have gone into effect across the country (known as ASHRAE 62.2) that require a centralized exhaust fan providing continuous ventilation. 

Builders have a few options for how to solve for this. Many are installing a separate exhaust fan in the main living areas. They are typically very quiet and can barely be heard when running. This is a good solution as it meets the requirements and is usually not even noticed by the occupants of the home. The negative is that it is an additional item that needs to be installed and maintained within the home.

A second option is a dual speed fan installed in the bathroom. This is the “two birds with one stone” theory. These fans have a very quiet low speed that runs continuously to meet the requirements of ASHRAE 62.2 but also have a high speed – sometimes called boost speed that kicks in when the room is in use. They can be controlled by humidity sensors, motion sensors or just by a standard switch. While these work, the challenge is that typically bathrooms are not located in a “central location”. Basically the minute you shut the bathroom door, you have cut off the airflow from the rest of the home. The purpose of ASHRAE 62.2 is to provide air exchanges within your home, brining fresh air in and exhausting stale air out.

There is another solution however – a multiple speed range hood. Much like the two speed exhaust fan, these range hoods have an almost silent continuous speed that meets the ASHRAE 62.2 requirements. When the range is in use, the hood can be turned to an appropriate speed to provide the additional ventilation needed during cooking. As with two speed exhaust fans, using a range hood has the two for one benefit, there is no need to install a separate fan. The added benefit of using a range hood is that in many homes the kitchen is located in a centralized location or at least in a location that is not cut off from the rest of the home.

Air King was one of the first companies to offer a true ASHRAE 62.2 range hood solution and has multiple sizes, colors and shapes to choose from. To learn more about range hood solutions from Air King visit www.airkinglimited.com    

Look for the STAR – Benefits of ENERGY STAR® certified exhaust fans

You see the logo all over, that bright blue square seems to be on almost every appliance in the aisle but what does it really mean?

ENERGY STAR is a division of the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) that is concerned with the energy efficiency (among other items) of products. ENERGY STAR certified products meet strict requirements as put forth by the EPA.

For exhaust fans they must pass testing for energy efficiency (known as efficacy or CFM per watt), sound (sones) and air flow (CFM). The ratings are certified by the Home Ventilating Institute (HVI) – an ENERGY STAR certification body. Once a fan is determined to meet the requirements, it can then be marketed as ENERGY STAR certified.

Certified exhaust fans operate at lower sound levels, use less energy and last longer than traditional exhaust fans which takes a lot of the guess work out of choosing a fan. Not all fans are tested and held to any standard, but ENERGY STAR labeled fans are not only certified but also verified through open market testing. A main benefit of an ENERGY STAR certified product is that you can be assured that the fan has been tested and certified and will perform as advertised.

To learn more about Air King’s large selection of ENERGY STAR certified exhaust fans and kitchen range hoods, visit www.airkinglimited.com

How Energy Efficient is Your Home?

One of the joy’s of home ownership (and for many renters) are the wonderful reminders we receive each month of how much it costs to live where we live – bills.

Have you ever looked at your energy bill and asked yourself how it could be so high? Or worse, have not looked at it and just chalk it up to “it is what it is”.

Thankfully there are some easy steps that we can take that can greatly decrease our energy usage. ENERGY STAR® has developed some great resources to help you asses your home and look for ways to improve. Through the “My ENERGY STAR” program you can assess your home’s energy usage, find recommendations on how to improve it as well as a host of other information about saving energy. Most of the recommended items are very easy to complete but can have large lifetime impact on your energy usage. A large benefit of utilizing these tools is creating awareness that can have a positive influence on your decision making. The next time you need to buy an appliance, you might look a little more into what the energy usage is and make that a determining factor on which model you choose. How about the next time you need to replace a light bulb. Instead of just using what you have always used, see what changing to an ENERGY STAR certified LED will do.

The nice thing about saving energy is there is a multitude of ways to go about it and they all help. To learn more about the My ENERGY STAR® program visit the ENERGY STAR web site at www.energystar.gov. For more energy savings ideas and information on how Air King can help, visit www.airkinglimited.com