What is infiltration in a home?

Another factor that must be considered when remodeling or work with energy for heating is infiltration. Infiltration is the amount of error allowed to enter or escape the home. Any air that is heated and allowed to exit the home or any cooler air that enters the house adversely affects the heating load on the heating system.

During a remodel, great care needs to be taken to insure that air infiltration is kept to a minimum. In most homes and kitchens, this is the single largest factor causing excessive heating costs. Yet it is the most expensive problem to fix.  With currently available materials it is possible to construct a building so tightly that there may not be enough air exchange to maintain a healthy indoor environment. In super insulated structures in the air to air heat exchanger is installed to ensure the proper air exchange. The exchanger moved polluted indoor air, via duct work, to the outside.

The two airstreams pass very near to one another in the exchanger. This allows him that he lost or gained to be exchanged between the air systems. This helps the exchanger to operate at a very high efficiency while providing healthy airport the structure.  Years ago, when buildings could not be billed as tight or efficient, there was no need for this type of air handling equipment.