Whole-home Ventilation
Whole-home Ventilation | Ventilation and Air Quality | Heating and Air Conditioning | Sewanee
Nestled atop the Cumberland Plateau, Sewanee homes face a unique mix of cool mountain breezes, summer humidity, and pollen-laden air. HEP’s whole-home ventilation, heating, and air-conditioning solutions keep every room at the perfect temperature while continuously refreshing the air you breathe. By integrating energy-recovery ventilators, variable-speed heat pumps, and hospital-grade filtration, we balance comfort with efficiency—so you can open the windows for the view, not because you have to.
Our technicians are local experts in ventilation and air quality, fine-tuning each system to handle Sewanee’s changing seasons and rich biodiversity. Real-time sensors track humidity, CO₂, and airborne particles, automatically adjusting airflow to protect your family’s health and your home’s structure. Schedule a free in-home assessment today and discover how HEP can make your mountain retreat cleaner, quieter, and effortlessly comfortable all year long.
FAQs
Why is whole-home ventilation especially important in Sewanee’s humid mountain climate?
Sewanee sits on the Cumberland Plateau, where warm, moisture-laden air from the valley meets cooler mountain temperatures. Without controlled ventilation, this humidity can become trapped indoors, encouraging mold, mildew, dust-mite activity, and that persistent “damp” smell common in older plateau homes. A balanced, mechanical ventilation system exhausts stale, moist air while supplying fresh, filtered outdoor air, helping maintain a healthy 40–50 % indoor relative humidity year-round and protecting both your family’s respiratory health and your home’s structure.
How does an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) integrate with my existing heating and air-conditioning system?
An ERV is installed in the ductwork, usually near your air handler. It draws in outdoor air and expels an equal volume of indoor air through separate airstreams that pass across a heat- and moisture-transfer core. In winter, the outgoing warm air pre-heats and humidifies the incoming cold air; in summer, the outgoing cool, drier air pre-cools and dehumidifies the incoming hot, humid air. The unit’s dedicated fans run at low wattage, so your main HVAC blower doesn’t have to stay on continuously. Most ERVs come with controllers that tie into smart thermostats, allowing you to schedule or boost ventilation when cooking, showering, or entertaining without complicated rewiring.
What indoor air contaminants are common in Sewanee homes, and how does ventilation address them?
Typical pollutants we measure during Sewanee IAQ audits include elevated radon from the plateau’s geology, pollen from surrounding hardwood forests, wood-burning stove particulates, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by paints and cleaning supplies sealed tightly inside energy-efficient homes. Mechanical ventilation systematically dilutes these pollutants by exchanging indoor air 0.35–0.5 times per hour. Combined with MERV-13 (or higher) filters and optional activated-carbon media in the fresh-air stream, the system captures fine particulates and adsorbs odors and chemical vapors before they circulate through the living space.
Will adding mechanical ventilation raise my monthly energy bills?
A modern ERV or HRV typically consumes 40–120 watts—about the same as a couple of LED light bulbs—and recovers 60–80 % of the heat that would otherwise be lost during air exchange. Field data from Sewanee installations show net heating cost increases of under $3 per month in winter and slight cooling savings in summer because the ERV helps pre-dehumidify incoming air. When paired with a properly sized, high-efficiency heat pump or gas furnace, most homeowners see negligible changes in utility bills while enjoying noticeably fresher air.
How often should I service or replace filters and other ventilation components?
In Sewanee’s pollen-rich spring and leaf-heavy autumn, we recommend inspecting ERV filters every 90 days and replacing them at least twice a year. The enthalpy core should be vacuumed or rinsed annually, and the condensate drain checked for clogs each cooling season. Fan motors are generally sealed and require no lubrication, but a qualified HVAC technician should verify airflow, balance dampers, and clean supply/exhaust grilles during your regular fall or spring HVAC tune-up.
Can an older Sewanee home be retrofitted with balanced whole-home ventilation without major remodeling?
Yes. Most retrofits use small-diameter, flexible ducts run through attic spaces, crawlspaces, or closet chases, minimizing drywall disruption. Compact, wall-mount ERVs can serve cottages under 1,500 sq ft, while larger plateau homes may use a trunk-and-branch layout tied into existing HVAC supply ducts. A pre-installation blower-door test guides our design, ensuring we target the right airflow rate (typically 60–120 CFM) without over-ventilating. The entire project often completes in one to two days, and many homeowners qualify for federal tax credits covering 30 % of the installed cost up to $1,200 under the Inflation Reduction Act.