I have no idea why Matt doesn’t have 500k subs. He’s by far the best contractor channel on YT. And that’s coming from a commercial contractor! Great videos Matt!
Thank you for discussing a more moderately priced solution to getting fresh air inside the home. Straightforward and realistic for most current home owners or moderately priced new homes.
I put something similar in my HVAC. It's important to remember the filter needs to be right at the air handler if you're connecting this to the return plenum. I wired mine in to the HVAC fan with a manual switch in my utility room so whenever the switch is on it will use fresh air when HVAC kicks on. I can turn the switch off if air quality outside is bad
This is one of many ways and Matt has suggested others in more detail. I am having more trouble finding qualified contractors to implement the suggestions that Matt presents.
I did this with my very first house, except that I did not use a motorized damper. In the evening if it was cool outside, I would go into the basement and connect my 6" fresh air pipe into my cold air plenum ( I had a 6" round takeoff installed on the side of my cold air return right next to the filter rack for this purpose) I then went to my thermostat and turned the fan switch from auto to on and let it run all night drawing in cool outside air. To my surprise, the next morning the air temp inside the house was almost unchanged. So I got smart and installed a damper in the cold air return so I could "force" the furnace to draw in more air from the fresh air pipe and less from the houses return ductwork, In fact, at one point I had the damper closed all the way so that the furnace was taking in almost 100% outside air, again, to my surprise, the air temp in the house was hardly affected. I tried running the bathroom exhaust fan all night as well, thinking it would help expel the air from the house and help alleviate the positive pressure build up inside the house, it did not help. The house I was doing this to was a small house as well, about 1200 square feet, I was also using 6" round smooth metal duct so that there would be less resistance to airflow as well. I eventually gave up and went back to the old school method of opening some windows at night. 🤷♂
Interesting. I am surprised your attempt to draw cooler air in the evening failed. I tried to resolve the same. ERV seems to solve the issue. I am looking for a lighter solution.
Nice video. By the way, air-conditioning includes dehumidification. Air conditioning is not just cooling. It’s “conditioning” the the air, which humidification and dehumidification fall under.
Matt - would love to see a series about tips/techniques on how to tighten up the envelope on a older home (south masonry construction) without teardown. Great channel!
I have a 1950 brick over studs house in Houston I gutted and renovated. The exterior was sheathed in cellotex boards with tar paper, it was in ok shape and would have cost a ton to redo the brickwork to replace it. I patched any holes and rotten sections with 1/2 blue foam board, then foamed in any gaps, openings, seams, and around the new doors and windows. Also foamed all the penetrations through the top and bottom plates. Then I put in sprayed cellulose and new drywall. It is quite air tight now, no more nasty drafts like before. I did my own research and work, and it passed the various inspections just fine. Still need to insulate the attic and do a blower door test, and hopefully it does well. If you have an actual brick structure, then furring out the interior walls and using foam board or cellulose or rockwool should help.
As an hvac tech, we suggest closing the dampers in the summer, otherwise you're bringing in humidity and extra load with the outside hot air coming in. The only correct way, like you mentioned is the dehumidifier setup.
This assumes that filtration is happening at the air handler rather than the air return filter boxes. Alternately a filter box could be added to filter the air prior to it entering the intake plenum.
This model has been discontinued. The company is still around but the model number has changed to FAD-6 They also make ERV and HRV systems as well. I will be looking at a HRV with a 02 sensor in it.
Heading towards being an economizer. It wants to be an economizer. Just needs to be increased in size to the same size as the return air inlet, and have two more same sized dampers. With the conditioned attic you would need an exhaust duct as well. Here in Southern California an economizer would be a very valuable addition! With the house well sealed, and no relief damper, I would say that that little damper isn't going to let in much air.
NICE VIDEO! Once you start actually MEASURING iaq, it starts becoming apparent that CONTROL occurs from PRESSURIZATION. And in green grass climates, dehumidification of incoming air is really important, particularly in low load weather. We've stopped installing erv's and hrv's, and recommend against them as we've seen extreme uncontrollable spikes in humidity and VOC with them.
I had an environmental engineer tell me that he always finds mold in ERV's (I live in Georgia. And my house is on low lying property so extra humid) which makes sense if you are going to cool the incoming humid air. How could condensation not form? and then how could mold not eventually grow on the dust/dirt/pollen etc that accumulates on the ERV? so instead, I want to install a ventilating dehu from Ultra aire. 1982 house and I'm convinced we need to positively pressurize the house to stop sucking in crap from the exterior wall cavities (which probably includes some kind of nasty chemical from the adhesive in the old composite "wood" siding). thoughts?
@@coppulor6500 Do you think you might have leaking ducts in attic? I recently discovered that when my AC is working, it pulls the OUTSIDE air into my dryer via the dryer vent. And I know that my duct is leaking somewhat. I suspect that my AC sucks in more air that returning it to my home, thus creating negative pressure.
@@Elena-mk6bf great suggestion. However, the reverse could be the case as well. Granted, not as likely given the amount of supply ductwork versus return, but also returns can pull in attic air from where they penetrate the ceiling. In my case, my system was replaced 4 years ago by a company that is very knowledgeable about IAQ. They installed the system more in compliance with code and actually beyond, then I have ever seen in 25 years as a home inspector. However, you did make me consider the possibility that the return and the ceiling of The upstairs Hall might be pulling attic air from around the scuttle hole entrance. The entrance which I have not air sealed because I am about to install pull downstairs. At which point I will fully air seal and then cover with an insulated zipper tight cover. I've been considering having all the insulation in the Attic replaced, the attic sterilize and treated with antimicrobial, all openings and penetrations sealed, and then re-insulated with cellulose. I don't trust foam like I do cellulose. Plus, his tree with boric acid to repel insects etc. Soooooo.....thank you for your help/point. It could help. Who knows but it just might. So thank you again very much 😊
Also, I've discovered and removed or treated several areas of localized microbial/mold growth since the previous post. We're doing better but not done yet
The only thing I don't like is having to turn on the main HVAC blower to distribute the air. Might be a good idea in the south where its humid, but in California here, its not as necessary imho. We often size our kitchen exhaust fans to allow for whole house ventilation for code purposes. Especially in tract houses. What would be cool is a zero noise kitchen exhaust fan, tied to a makup air vent and auto damper, and a controller that comes on periodically as needed for ventilation.
I agree with Mario Gallegos and Ryan Kelly, an ERV would be the best bet. It's an extra $170, but would you'd easily recoup that in a year or year and a half. I'm on Social Security and would save up for the ERV rather than install a FAS-6. Matt, I've watched a lot of your videos and think that you're one of the most ethical contractors out there. I say that from a former life as a handyman. Keep up the good work and great vids.
I had one of these on a house I once owned in Henderson, NV...what interval do you recommend for bringing in fresh air? I think I had my set to bring in fresh air for 15 minutes every 4 hours.
Hello Matt, I am building a 30'x40' garage/shop this coming spring in Cody, WY. I plan to use SIPS for the envelope and roof. It will only have two 3'x3' windows, single entry door, and a large insulated 16'x10' roll up door. I will insulate the slab and plan to build a very tight building in an effort to keep it warm all winter. My question is, how can I get fresh air into the space without HVAC? I am concerned as I would like to keep it heated with a wood pellet stove but not sure the best way to introduce fresh air without defeating the purpose of the tight building. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
You've mentioned sealing the house and conditioning the attic as a means to keep outside air out and prevent the leaking air to cause negative pressure. I'm curious when fresh air is introduced, where does the stale air go? If it balances through the fresh air connection in the return, does fresh air actually move into the home then?
You can simply get a barometric damper instead of another electrical device to maintain . It has no drive motor, it simply opens when your furnace/air handler is operating . There are more extensive systems like air exchange , but for this application shown here , there is no need for this electrical device that let's face it , people are not going to be using right anyway which makes your furnace turn on and off far more frequently . And it's not the running of a furnace that wears it down , it's the constant on and off that is shortening the life of the unit . Install a barometric , zero maintenance , never have to think about it , much cheeper to install , and does the same thing .
This is bad for the equipment especially on the hottest and coldest days of the year. For example if it's 99° outside your AC will be trying to cool 90° degree air, which they are not designed to do and WILL reduce efficiency considerably. And vise versa in the winter. Let's say its 20° outside, your unit will be trying to heat 30-50° air, again very inefficient. The electric damper allows proper and efficient control over the damper so your not constantly trying to condition outside air.
A naive question: Once inside and outside pressures are at equilibrium, why would this vent to bring in fresh air? What is exhausting the stale air? Is this the bathroom vents? What is the expected cfm range for a vent like this? What is the expected installation cost for a vent like this? I was sticker-shocked by some erv installation quotes and would love an alternative solution.
If the house is built so efficiently tight that you have to add electro- mechanical cooling to counter the effect, what was accomplished? Does the tightness exceed the electrical/global warming gases/maintenance/eventual replacement of the dehumidifier in the south?
Adam Hamilton so true!!! I built a brand new house and got upgraded spray foam insulation and regret the heck out of it! I mean what’s the point if I have to pay extra for spray foam ... and then I had to turn around and pay even MORE for them to drill vent holes in my house. And even that might not be enough. I might have to add a dehumidifier now for another 3-4K. They can take that spray foam and stick it... I hate that stuff!
What was accomplished is controlling the source of the air intake. In a house that isn't insulated tightly you get the furnace pulling in air from multiple "dirty" locations like through the attic, through your joist cavities, through your basement cavities, etc. One way or another the house needs to breathe. That's why in older homes you get the signature "drafts" because the HVAC system has to makeup the air it's exhausting one way or another. By not having a fresh air intake the air that infiltrates pulls in through all those non-conditioned spaces and can bring in dust and all kinds of other dirty air. With a fresh air intake you can balance the houses supply of air and make sure its being cleaned properly. Sure you'll have to pay more for a setup like this, but you're making sure the air is clean and you don't get drafts of dirty air circulating through your house.
Matt with todays tight houses and the need for "make up" air kits for high volume vent hoods over kitchen ranges is there a way to tie the Field Control system in so that it is activated when the vent hood is turned on?
I live in an old house built in the 30s in NY. We get WAAY too much humidity in summer/fall and there is WAAY too little humidity in winter. The storm windows don't really open in winter. I don't think the HVAC system can run without the heat, Trying to find an inexpensive way to get fresh clean air in the house. Also tons of mold and pollen here that I wouldn't want coming into the house.
Wouldn't you want to incorporate heat exchanger with this as well to help keep that new fresh air closer to the temperature of your conditioned space, and to reduce the amount of energy you would have to use to get this air close to that temperature? De-humidifier too bad they don't make any of those that would work efficiently in the winter.
Would it be possible to also parallel wire the range hood, so this opens when the hood is running, to avoid having to install another, very similar, makeup air damper?
What would be the best placement for the intake on the outside? Am I correct in assuming that under eve is best? Or is roof or other location better? Also would it be best on the south north east west for placement with sun exposure or should wind direction to be taken into account.
Great vid. Question. What would a person use to bring in fresh air in a climate controlled, air tight clean room that uses a mini split system for heating/cooling?
Does this regulate the amount of air so that you don't get high pressure in the house? Can you get too much air in the house? Is there a pressure gauge on it?
What if I completely seal my house with closed cell spray foam and don’t have an HVAC system. Just electric wall heaters. How do I get fresh air without an hvac system
I live in the high desert of Southern Colorado. In the 95° or more summer heat, my ac will run into the wee hours just to maintain 72° That's even when the outside air is way below 72°. Seems like if I could pull in some fresh outside -72° air, after dusk with one of these, my ac could take it easier. Does this controller have an outside thermostat to tell it when to open?
Field Controls FAS-6 Fresh Air System Including HHSC Plus & FAD-6 Brand: Field Controls 4.0 out of 5 stars 1 rating Currently unavailable. We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock. FAS-6 has been discontinued Discontinued October 27, 2019 This product was discontinued by the manufacturer.
Adding a whole house dehumidifier, and it has an optional outside air intake but there is no filter in the furnace. Also if I route the Dehumidifier from return to supply, do you include a damper to avoid short cycling? Butterfly do you put them on both sides?
*I have a suffocated basement with humidity and musky odor where some mold has started to grow. The vents are I guess not enough. Which product is good to solve the problem?*
@@jameswalker590 Already done and it has taken care of the issue but we found the root cause. It was the FUCKING application of spray foam that we used in the basement after removing the fiberglass insulation. The moisture, if any, gets trapped behind the spray foam and causes the humidity. I have done research and found out that many other home owners have ran into the same issue. Removal of that foam is now a humongous task that is very labor tedious- but at least I've learned my lesson. NO SPRAY FOAM ANYWHERE IN MY HOUSE - EVER AGAIN !!
Any smell issues with that spray foam? I just had my entire roof sprayed 3 weeks ago with open cell and that urethane smell is still in the house. I’m now worried about installing the drywall
If you use an UltraAire dehumidifier with fresh air intake does it only pull in fresh air when the dehumidifier is running or does the dehumidification and air intake operate separately?
Whats the pipe in the attic when you have your head through it? Fire suppression? Also shouldn't those junction boxes be covered and lastly is that air handler have a pan for overflow collection?
That's a nicely made motorized damper. I have Suncourt dampers and they are disappointing. The unit is well made enough but the seals are a joke: literally a narrow strip of peel-and-stick foam weatherstripping that unsticks itself within a year. For just a little more effort the company could have made something durable.
Yes, the air handler fan will draw the fresh air in only while it’s running. During times of good weather and not having to run the AC, just open a few windows or doors to get fresh air flow through the house.
My first thought too--especially for a new, air-tight home. Any kind of balanced ventilation system seems like it would be a huge improvement, but ideally an ERV as others mentioned. Curious what level of air-tightness these homes are achieving.
I have a similar system, but I don't understand with a tight house and one opening for fresh air how any fresh air is going to come into the house if there is no way for stale air to escape (tight house). My house installation is really dumb, it has two ducts on the return one with a supply fan, but both ducts come from a single duct from the outside even though there are two vents to the outside, one unused.
@JCstudios I got a CO2 meter and the 1000 ppm alarm immediately went off. The home ventilation fan was wired to only run when the kitchen hood was on, AQ-1 timer completely bypassed. AQ in bedrooms particularly bad. All the doors to outside are weather sealed tight. After rewiring AQ-1 timer to work correctly with our kitchen hood, running the furnace blower continuously on a higher than default cfm, and adding bypass return vents to the bedrooms we have good air quality, but we lived in a new sick house for a few years not knowing. Our power bill is higher, though.
Yest AC does provide humidification. However, having a unit like Ultra-Aire freshair/dhumidifier helps your AC become more energy efficient and you get fresh positive pressure on top of that.
Of course it does, that’s all the humidity water being dumped to the outside though the small drain pipe. The fresh air duct will of course being drawing in air from outside but it mixes with the return air, runs through the filter then air handler evaporator coil to dehumidify. Make sure there are no air leaks near the handler sucking in air especially in a garage or attic space. I bought a clock at Home Depot that has both a humidity and temperature reading I keep near my thermostat. Thermostats also have an offset adjust because the temperature reading on it can be off and adjusted up to 5 degrees! Place a digital thermometer next to it and compare.
Maybe I'm thinking about this incorrectly, but doesn't just having an air intake into the home HVAC system create a positive pressure in the Home? To create a non-pressurized system, don't you also need an exit for the air that's equal to the intake from the outside? I know you mentioned that you also have a dehumidifier with afresh air intake but no mention of an HRV or a system that has both both an intake and an exit for the air. Please set me straight on this.
I agree with you. What Matt said is a "shortcut" way to get fresh air and maybe suitable for someone who needs makeup air when using a high cfm kitchen/bathroom exhaust. For those using this in cold weather, should also add an inline duct heater, to warm up the incoming cold air before it reaches the furnace. For whole house ventilation, a HRV or a ERV is a must! The best investment one can make towards indoor air quality.
Best option - Depending on where you live, if you mostly use air conditioner throughout the year, get a ERV. If you mostly use heating, get a HRV. Second best option - If you intend to add a dehumidifier to your HVAC system, then get a whole house dehumidifier that has a fresh air intake. Ultra-aire makes some really nice ones.
Jeff Orshalick, yes this is a positive pressure ventilation solution, at least in this installation, though with system commissioning and control of bath and/or other exhaust fans it could be a balanced system. Depending on duct location (ie outside of the house's conditioned air envelope) and duct leakage rates this solution may still run the gamut of negative pressure ventilation, to balanced (though poorly), to positive pressure ventilation. It could even hit all three in the same house. The advantages to this approach are it is cheap, allows you to filter the outdoor air, and provides darn good air mixing so that CO2 levels and air pollution levels will be pretty similar throughout the house, also if you have an attached garage the positive pressure can help keep garage pollutants out of the house. The downside to it is that it uses more energy than a balanced system with an HRV or ERV, and it could possibly lead to a condensation issue where/if there is inadequate insulation and/or air sealing, especially in cold(er) climates where the indoor air is humidified. If you are balancing first cost with operating costs many HRV/ERV systems don't make economic sense, and they can also increase maintenance requirements for the homeowner, this system keeps the required filter changes to just those of the heating and air conditioning system. That could be especially important for low knowledge homeowners, increasing the likelihood of regular filter changes being performed.
I'm not sure it's a good idea to cycle outdoor air through the system without the AC or furnace running. Opening the vent using the fan signal makes more sense to me and doesn't require a $185 controller.
Seems pretty dumb to run a dehumidifier and the AC at the same time. They should just make a thermostat that uses "real feel" as the temperature set points more humid, run set a little cooler. Less humid, set a little warmer, and reversed when heating. Running a dehumidifier when also running the AC is just wasteing energy.
What if there is no fresh air outside, if the house is next to a factory, a neighbor who offgases dangerous chemicals (VOC's), in a polluted city in China/India or next to a freeway? The VOC's would need to be removed before they are used as the fresh air source... how is this done so the fresh air is actually fresh, no polluted with dangerous VOC's?
@@jcon6115 Having positive pressure is better because the house isn't sucking in air from the outside, which may be too cold, too hot, too humid, dirty with too much smoke/pollen, etc. When a house has positive pressure it's actually leaking air to the outside versus negative when you're feeling those cold or hot "drafts" from the outside.
Usually great info, but you don't mention the MORE CRITICAL reason for outside air, which is for COMBUSTION! If you route the outside air to the return plenum, you no longer supply air to the Gas-Fired Furnace and/or Water Heater! This could allow negative pressure to suck post-combustion air back into the house, POISONING the occupants.... Most people still have unsealed gas/oil-burning appliances. My furnace has a separate outside air intake pipe, but my water heater does not.
Do you realize that "fresh air" in the winter is 20 to 30 degrees and makes the house freezing and stops the heat from working? Just don't weatherization your house. That will cost 0.
You need to install a media filter at the furnace and stop using those 1 inch ones at the return. Just use the cheap fiberglass at the return to remove the large particles and let the 5 inch media filter do the smaller particles.
noticed this is a high end Mitsubishi furnace most prob... a ( Zuba) Why not instal A real VRC ...whith all my respect this is a bad idea...(sorry) oh iv been in the hvac Biz for 30 years + certified General Contractor....
Why don't you come down to Corpus Christi Texas area and build a house to see if you can compete against Braselton and Hogan homes to see who will buy your house?
Yes, that is true. So, what do you do when you go outside into the real world? Wear an air filter and conditioner over your nose and mouth? I suppose if you spend your entire life in an airtight bubble inside your house, then you can only breathe conditioned air.
@@brettrun8575 Let the morons that don’t want to learn open a window while running their AC all summer. Lmao like to be a fly on the wall when they open their electric bill! Or better yet, leave it air tight all summer and wonder why they feel like crap.
Fearmongering much? Comparing the air volume inside a car to the air inside a whole house is ridiculous. You'll almost _never_ get condensation from outside air getting in. For that to happen, your walls would need to be _colder_ than the incoming air. Long story short: if you don't need a pollen filtration or building a passive house with heat recovery systems just open your windows for 5 minutes every now and then and you're golden 👌
If your inside walls are 75 degrees (because you're in the south and need the air conditioner on 9 month out of the year) and air comes in that is 85-105 degrees and 90-100% humidity (as is common in southern climates) Then guess what? The walls are COLDER than the outside air and you'll get condensation. In the south, the winters aren't long or dry enough to dry out the building like it is in the north, so condensation and mold can become a huge problem. Matt lives and works in hot humid Texas where pollen levels get crazy high. He's describing how to dehumidify, cool the air, and remove pollen before it gets into the house. How is understanding your own climate fear mongering? Maybe get out of your "I'm from the north and air only needs to be heated here" bubble and you might just learn something. Why the hell would you "open your windows for 5 minutes" when the inside air is 70 degrees and relatively clean and the outside air is 100 degrees and 95% humid and the pollen count is so high your car is yellow in the driveway? Why would you need "heat recovery" in this scenario? You're trying to GET RID of heat, not recover it FFS! How do you not understand that there are regional differences in how to best make a house energy efficient? You think you should build a house in Hawaii the same as one in Ontario? One in Oslo the same as in Miami? If anyone is fear mongering it's you. You're trying to get people to not trust people who do CLIMATE SPECIFIC energy efficient homes so that they are more reluctant to transition to it.
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I have no idea why Matt doesn’t have 500k subs. He’s by far the best contractor channel on YT. And that’s coming from a commercial contractor! Great videos Matt!
+mrmatalino thanks buddy! I'm getting there. Doubled my subscriptions in the last year. It takes a while but I really appreciate the kind words!
He needs to figure out how to appeal more to dumb people. Right now he seems only to be attracting smart people... :-)
mrmatalino u gotta be joking.....seriously
anddddd he has 500k subs. haha
To Mr. Matalino: And after 4 years, your comment is still so visible, as your wishes and prayers are doubled.
Thank you for discussing a more moderately priced solution to getting fresh air inside the home.
Straightforward and realistic for most current home owners or moderately priced new homes.
Unfortunately, it's not helping in summer.
So glad there are options out there for fresh air. There are a lot of days of the year that the air quality is perfect.
I put something similar in my HVAC. It's important to remember the filter needs to be right at the air handler if you're connecting this to the return plenum. I wired mine in to the HVAC fan with a manual switch in my utility room so whenever the switch is on it will use fresh air when HVAC kicks on. I can turn the switch off if air quality outside is bad
This is one of many ways and Matt has suggested others in more detail. I am having more trouble finding qualified contractors to implement the suggestions that Matt presents.
Absolutely. Contractors are more of a challenge than understanding green building techniques.
Same in India
contractors are a PITA
I did this with my very first house, except that I did not use a motorized damper. In the evening if it was cool outside, I would go into the basement and connect my 6" fresh air pipe into my cold air plenum ( I had a 6" round takeoff installed on the side of my cold air return right next to the filter rack for this purpose) I then went to my thermostat and turned the fan switch from auto to on and let it run all night drawing in cool outside air. To my surprise, the next morning the air temp inside the house was almost unchanged. So I got smart and installed a damper in the cold air return so I could "force" the furnace to draw in more air from the fresh air pipe and less from the houses return ductwork, In fact, at one point I had the damper closed all the way so that the furnace was taking in almost 100% outside air, again, to my surprise, the air temp in the house was hardly affected. I tried running the bathroom exhaust fan all night as well, thinking it would help expel the air from the house and help alleviate the positive pressure build up inside the house, it did not help. The house I was doing this to was a small house as well, about 1200 square feet, I was also using 6" round smooth metal duct so that there would be less resistance to airflow as well. I eventually gave up and went back to the old school method of opening some windows at night. 🤷♂
Interesting. I am surprised your attempt to draw cooler air in the evening failed. I tried to resolve the same. ERV seems to solve the issue. I am looking for a lighter solution.
In Ontario the use of a heat recovery ventilator is code mandated on new homes
Nice video. By the way, air-conditioning includes dehumidification. Air conditioning is not just cooling. It’s “conditioning” the the air, which humidification and
dehumidification fall under.
Matt - would love to see a series about tips/techniques on how to tighten up the envelope on a older home (south masonry construction) without teardown. Great channel!
+Chris Perez thanks Chris. Let me consider that.
I have a 1950 brick over studs house in Houston I gutted and renovated. The exterior was sheathed in cellotex boards with tar paper, it was in ok shape and would have cost a ton to redo the brickwork to replace it. I patched any holes and rotten sections with 1/2 blue foam board, then foamed in any gaps, openings, seams, and around the new doors and windows. Also foamed all the penetrations through the top and bottom plates. Then I put in sprayed cellulose and new drywall. It is quite air tight now, no more nasty drafts like before. I did my own research and work, and it passed the various inspections just fine. Still need to insulate the attic and do a blower door test, and hopefully it does well. If you have an actual brick structure, then furring out the interior walls and using foam board or cellulose or rockwool should help.
Who done that spray foam job? Didn't you feel like telling them to tidy up?
+rory lobban was disappointed in that too
As an hvac tech, we suggest closing the dampers in the summer, otherwise you're bringing in humidity and extra load with the outside hot air coming in. The only correct way, like you mentioned is the dehumidifier setup.
This assumes that filtration is happening at the air handler rather than the air return filter boxes. Alternately a filter box could be added to filter the air prior to it entering the intake plenum.
This model has been discontinued. The company is still around but the model number has changed to FAD-6 They also make ERV and HRV systems as well. I will be looking at a HRV with a 02 sensor in it.
Heading towards being an economizer. It wants to be an economizer. Just needs to be increased in size to the same size as the return air inlet, and have two more same sized dampers. With the conditioned attic you would need an exhaust duct as well. Here in Southern California an economizer would be a very valuable addition! With the house well sealed, and no relief damper, I would say that that little damper isn't going to let in much air.
NICE VIDEO!
Once you start actually MEASURING iaq, it starts becoming apparent that CONTROL occurs from PRESSURIZATION.
And in green grass climates, dehumidification of incoming air is really important, particularly in low load weather.
We've stopped installing erv's and hrv's, and recommend against them as we've seen extreme uncontrollable spikes in humidity and VOC with them.
Why would this system be different from an HRV or ERV in terms of introducing unwanted humidity?
I had an environmental engineer tell me that he always finds mold in ERV's (I live in Georgia. And my house is on low lying property so extra humid) which makes sense if you are going to cool the incoming humid air. How could condensation not form? and then how could mold not eventually grow on the dust/dirt/pollen etc that accumulates on the ERV? so instead, I want to install a ventilating dehu from Ultra aire. 1982 house and I'm convinced we need to positively pressurize the house to stop sucking in crap from the exterior wall cavities (which probably includes some kind of nasty chemical from the adhesive in the old composite "wood" siding). thoughts?
@@coppulor6500 Do you think you might have leaking ducts in attic? I recently discovered that when my AC is working, it pulls the OUTSIDE air into my dryer via the dryer vent. And I know that my duct is leaking somewhat. I suspect that my AC sucks in more air that returning it to my home, thus creating negative pressure.
@@Elena-mk6bf great suggestion. However, the reverse could be the case as well. Granted, not as likely given the amount of supply ductwork versus return, but also returns can pull in attic air from where they penetrate the ceiling. In my case, my system was replaced 4 years ago by a company that is very knowledgeable about IAQ. They installed the system more in compliance with code and actually beyond, then I have ever seen in 25 years as a home inspector. However, you did make me consider the possibility that the return and the ceiling of The upstairs Hall might be pulling attic air from around the scuttle hole entrance. The entrance which I have not air sealed because I am about to install pull downstairs. At which point I will fully air seal and then cover with an insulated zipper tight cover. I've been considering having all the insulation in the Attic replaced, the attic sterilize and treated with antimicrobial, all openings and penetrations sealed, and then re-insulated with cellulose. I don't trust foam like I do cellulose. Plus, his tree with boric acid to repel insects etc. Soooooo.....thank you for your help/point. It could help. Who knows but it just might. So thank you again very much 😊
Also, I've discovered and removed or treated several areas of localized microbial/mold growth since the previous post. We're doing better but not done yet
The only thing I don't like is having to turn on the main HVAC blower to distribute the air. Might be a good idea in the south where its humid, but in California here, its not as necessary imho. We often size our kitchen exhaust fans to allow for whole house ventilation for code purposes. Especially in tract houses. What would be cool is a zero noise kitchen exhaust fan, tied to a makup air vent and auto damper, and a controller that comes on periodically as needed for ventilation.
I agree with Mario Gallegos and Ryan Kelly, an ERV would be the best bet. It's an extra $170, but would you'd easily recoup that in a year or year and a half. I'm on Social Security and would save up for the ERV rather than install a FAS-6.
Matt, I've watched a lot of your videos and think that you're one of the most ethical contractors out there. I say that from a former life as a handyman. Keep up the good work and great vids.
ERV’s are much more expensive than $170 and also are far more labor-intensive to install which drives up the cost even further.
I had one of these on a house I once owned in Henderson, NV...what interval do you recommend for bringing in fresh air? I think I had my set to bring in fresh air for 15 minutes every 4 hours.
Fantech makes (made?) something just like this for make-up air when exhaust systems are used (range hood).
Do you have a good suggestion for a filter to use on the fresh air intake. When I moved into my home they used a sponge to cover the opening.
Hello Matt, I am building a 30'x40' garage/shop this coming spring in Cody, WY. I plan to use SIPS for the envelope and roof. It will only have two 3'x3' windows, single entry door, and a large insulated 16'x10' roll up door. I will insulate the slab and plan to build a very tight building in an effort to keep it warm all winter. My question is, how can I get fresh air into the space without HVAC? I am concerned as I would like to keep it heated with a wood pellet stove but not sure the best way to introduce fresh air without defeating the purpose of the tight building. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
You've mentioned sealing the house and conditioning the attic as a means to keep outside air out and prevent the leaking air to cause negative pressure. I'm curious when fresh air is introduced, where does the stale air go? If it balances through the fresh air connection in the return, does fresh air actually move into the home then?
I'd assume it creates a positive pressure situation since there's no balancing going on
You can simply get a barometric damper instead of another electrical device to maintain .
It has no drive motor, it simply opens when your furnace/air handler is operating .
There are more extensive systems like air exchange , but for this application shown here , there is no need for this electrical device that let's face it , people are not going to be using right anyway which makes your furnace turn on and off far more frequently . And it's not the running of a furnace that wears it down , it's the constant on and off that is shortening the life of the unit .
Install a barometric , zero maintenance , never have to think about it , much cheeper to install , and does the same thing .
This is bad for the equipment especially on the hottest and coldest days of the year. For example if it's 99° outside your AC will be trying to cool 90° degree air, which they are not designed to do and WILL reduce efficiency considerably. And vise versa in the winter. Let's say its 20° outside, your unit will be trying to heat 30-50° air, again very inefficient. The electric damper allows proper and efficient control over the damper so your not constantly trying to condition outside air.
A naive question: Once inside and outside pressures are at equilibrium, why would this vent to bring in fresh air? What is exhausting the stale air? Is this the bathroom vents? What is the expected cfm range for a vent like this? What is the expected installation cost for a vent like this?
I was sticker-shocked by some erv installation quotes and would love an alternative solution.
If the house is built so efficiently tight that you have to add electro- mechanical cooling to counter the effect, what was accomplished? Does the tightness exceed the electrical/global warming gases/maintenance/eventual replacement of the dehumidifier in the south?
Adam Hamilton so true!!! I built a brand new house and got upgraded spray foam insulation and regret the heck out of it! I mean what’s the point if I have to pay extra for spray foam ... and then I had to turn around and pay even MORE for them to drill vent holes in my house. And even that might not be enough. I might have to add a dehumidifier now for another 3-4K. They can take that spray foam and stick it... I hate that stuff!
What was accomplished is controlling the source of the air intake. In a house that isn't insulated tightly you get the furnace pulling in air from multiple "dirty" locations like through the attic, through your joist cavities, through your basement cavities, etc. One way or another the house needs to breathe. That's why in older homes you get the signature "drafts" because the HVAC system has to makeup the air it's exhausting one way or another. By not having a fresh air intake the air that infiltrates pulls in through all those non-conditioned spaces and can bring in dust and all kinds of other dirty air. With a fresh air intake you can balance the houses supply of air and make sure its being cleaned properly. Sure you'll have to pay more for a setup like this, but you're making sure the air is clean and you don't get drafts of dirty air circulating through your house.
Matt with todays tight houses and the need for "make up" air kits for high volume vent hoods over kitchen ranges is there a way to tie the Field Control system in so that it is activated when the vent hood is turned on?
AirCycler makes one! It's called RangeRelief and I've installed one in my house.
Brent, you will need a CURRENT SWITCH installed in the range hood, to tell the damper to open then the hood is ON
Where is the furnace getting the air to burn w/o the fresh air system? Also, Advice to ventilate basement vs radon fans?
I live in an old house built in the 30s in NY. We get WAAY too much humidity in summer/fall and there is WAAY too little humidity in winter. The storm windows don't really open in winter. I don't think the HVAC system can run without the heat, Trying to find an inexpensive way to get fresh clean air in the house. Also tons of mold and pollen here that I wouldn't want coming into the house.
My house from the 70s in Alberta has unregulated fresh air ducted into return air directly...the floor is cold all winter in that one spot
Wouldn't you want to incorporate heat exchanger with this as well to help keep that new fresh air closer to the temperature of your conditioned space, and to reduce the amount of energy you would have to use to get this air close to that temperature? De-humidifier too bad they don't make any of those that would work efficiently in the winter.
Would it be possible to also parallel wire the range hood, so this opens when the hood is running, to avoid having to install another, very similar, makeup air damper?
What would be the best placement for the intake on the outside? Am I correct in assuming that under eve is best? Or is roof or other location better? Also would it be best on the south north east west for placement with sun exposure or should wind direction to be taken into account.
Great vid.
Question. What would a person use to bring in fresh air in a climate controlled, air tight clean room that uses a mini split system for heating/cooling?
SEA Barnes - I’d use an *Energy Recovery Ventilator* or ERV coupled to your pre-conditioned and pre-filtered air inlet.
Does this regulate the amount of air so that you don't get high pressure in the house? Can you get too much air in the house? Is there a pressure gauge on it?
What if I completely seal my house with closed cell spray foam and don’t have an HVAC system. Just electric wall heaters. How do I get fresh air without an hvac system
This item has been discontinued, what are you using these days?
What if I have hot water baseboard, and an air conditioner in the attic? What would work?
I live in the high desert of Southern Colorado. In the 95° or more summer heat, my ac will run into the wee hours just to maintain 72° That's even when the outside air is way below 72°. Seems like if I could pull in some fresh outside -72° air, after dusk with one of these, my ac could take it easier. Does this controller have an outside thermostat to tell it when to open?
Can you put this in a apartment to? Is there someone to hook it up?
Should be filtering the outside air intake as is done on commercial economizers
I dig the electro house intro song
You can’t install this in a house already built and occupied ?
Field Controls FAS-6 Fresh Air System Including HHSC Plus & FAD-6
Brand: Field Controls
4.0 out of 5 stars 1 rating
Currently unavailable.
We don't know when or if this item will be back in stock.
FAS-6 has been discontinued
Discontinued October 27, 2019
This product was discontinued by the manufacturer.
What if you don’t have duct work just mini splits
Adding a whole house dehumidifier, and it has an optional outside air intake but there is no filter in the furnace. Also if I route the Dehumidifier from return to supply, do you include a damper to avoid short cycling? Butterfly do you put them on both sides?
*I have a suffocated basement with humidity and musky odor where some mold has started to grow. The vents are I guess not enough. Which product is good to solve the problem?*
dehumidifier
@@jameswalker590
Already done and it has taken care of the issue but we found the root cause.
It was the FUCKING application of spray foam that we used in the basement after removing the fiberglass insulation.
The moisture, if any, gets trapped behind the spray foam and causes the humidity.
I have done research and found out that many other home owners have ran into the same issue.
Removal of that foam is now a humongous task that is very labor tedious- but at least I've learned my lesson. NO SPRAY FOAM ANYWHERE IN MY HOUSE - EVER AGAIN !!
Do you have a filter for that opening?
I need something for an apartment that I can just put in a window like a window AC unit type of thing.
It would be helpful to show in the name of the video that it's for furnace
Any smell issues with that spray foam? I just had my entire roof sprayed 3 weeks ago with open cell and that urethane smell is still in the house. I’m now worried about installing the drywall
Did that smell ever end up residing?
If you use an UltraAire dehumidifier with fresh air intake does it only pull in fresh air when the dehumidifier is running or does the dehumidification and air intake operate separately?
Wow Mitsubishi with fresh air independent. How you run fan in Mitsubishi? Why it not lossnay
I don’t want the fresh air heated or cooled. I want to use this to bring cooler or hotter air from outside in and brought through my hvac fan
Hi Matt,
Wouldn’t this cause a house to be under positive pressure If it was fairly well sealed up?
yes positive pressure is a good thing, you want stale air, vocs and microbes to be pushed out of the house.
Whats the pipe in the attic when you have your head through it? Fire suppression? Also shouldn't those junction boxes be covered and lastly is that air handler have a pan for overflow collection?
Neil Heuer it’s new construction. It’s not done yet
I figured that a little but was surprised to see them not closed. Its hard to tell how complete that home is.
Neil Heuer it's not done yet
Covers on junction boxes don't go on until outlets and switches are installed. As everyone else said, the house isn't done yet
That's a nicely made motorized damper. I have Suncourt dampers and they are disappointing. The unit is well made enough but the seals are a joke: literally a narrow strip of peel-and-stick foam weatherstripping that unsticks itself within a year. For just a little more effort the company could have made something durable.
You didn't do the outro. :'(
So if I have this correctly, I could use this to bring in cooler air (Tucson, Az) in the evening after the sun has gone down or before sunrise?
Not enough to cool house. Why not open windows and install a fan in one of them to draw in cooler air?
What is the best ACH 50 you ever achieved Matt?
@ Mrmatalino, your right I have learned a lot from matt.
Does the AC have to be on when bringing in fresh air?
Yes, the air handler fan will draw the fresh air in only while it’s running. During times of good weather and not having to run the AC, just open a few windows or doors to get fresh air flow through the house.
I think an HRV unit would work better.
Steve Nason
And you'd be wrong.
Nope! In our market, would go with an ERV.
My first thought too--especially for a new, air-tight home. Any kind of balanced ventilation system seems like it would be a huge improvement, but ideally an ERV as others mentioned. Curious what level of air-tightness these homes are achieving.
Steve Nason I think that's why he calls this a good cheap option. ERV/HRV is still probably the better option.
Erv is junk around my area. Doesn't play well with cold weather. So yes, hrv is the way to go.
I have a similar system, but I don't understand with a tight house and one opening for fresh air how any fresh air is going to come into the house if there is no way for stale air to escape (tight house). My house installation is really dumb, it has two ducts on the return one with a supply fan, but both ducts come from a single duct from the outside even though there are two vents to the outside, one unused.
It will, out through cracks around doors and windows or those bathroom or other vents.
@JCstudios I got a CO2 meter and the 1000 ppm alarm immediately went off. The home ventilation fan was wired to only run when the kitchen hood was on, AQ-1 timer completely bypassed. AQ in bedrooms particularly bad. All the doors to outside are weather sealed tight. After rewiring AQ-1 timer to work correctly with our kitchen hood, running the furnace blower continuously on a higher than default cfm, and adding bypass return vents to the bedrooms we have good air quality, but we lived in a new sick house for a few years not knowing. Our power bill is higher, though.
What about using a make up air system for homes with boilers? How do you heat it?
Shouldn’t your AC provide enough dehumidification during the summer months?
Yest AC does provide humidification. However, having a unit like Ultra-Aire freshair/dhumidifier helps your AC become more energy efficient and you get fresh positive pressure on top of that.
@@naz220 Are you a Ultra-Aire salesman? 🤣
Of course it does, that’s all the humidity water being dumped to the outside though the small drain pipe. The fresh air duct will of course being drawing in air from outside but it mixes with the return air, runs through the filter then air handler evaporator coil to dehumidify. Make sure there are no air leaks near the handler sucking in air especially in a garage or attic space. I bought a clock at Home Depot that has both a humidity and temperature reading I keep near my thermostat. Thermostats also have an offset adjust because the temperature reading on it can be off and adjusted up to 5 degrees! Place a digital thermometer next to it and compare.
The most innovatively modern Cutting-edge FRESH AIR solution for a house is
...
A WINDOW !!!
Yes when the weather is good.
Maybe I'm thinking about this incorrectly, but doesn't just having an air intake into the home HVAC system create a positive pressure in the Home? To create a non-pressurized system, don't you also need an exit for the air that's equal to the intake from the outside?
I know you mentioned that you also have a dehumidifier with afresh air intake but no mention of an HRV or a system that has both both an intake and an exit for the air. Please set me straight on this.
I agree with you. What Matt said is a "shortcut" way to get fresh air and maybe suitable for someone who needs makeup air when using a high cfm kitchen/bathroom exhaust. For those using this in cold weather, should also add an inline duct heater, to warm up the incoming cold air before it reaches the furnace.
For whole house ventilation, a HRV or a ERV is a must! The best investment one can make towards indoor air quality.
I have a 900sq ft new and VERY tight house... I need fresh air. Best option?
Best option - Depending on where you live, if you mostly use air conditioner throughout the year, get a ERV. If you mostly use heating, get a HRV.
Second best option - If you intend to add a dehumidifier to your HVAC system, then get a whole house dehumidifier that has a fresh air intake. Ultra-aire makes some really nice ones.
Jeff Orshalick, yes this is a positive pressure ventilation solution, at least in this installation, though with system commissioning and control of bath and/or other exhaust fans it could be a balanced system. Depending on duct location (ie outside of the house's conditioned air envelope) and duct leakage rates this solution may still run the gamut of negative pressure ventilation, to balanced (though poorly), to positive pressure ventilation. It could even hit all three in the same house.
The advantages to this approach are it is cheap, allows you to filter the outdoor air, and provides darn good air mixing so that CO2 levels and air pollution levels will be pretty similar throughout the house, also if you have an attached garage the positive pressure can help keep garage pollutants out of the house. The downside to it is that it uses more energy than a balanced system with an HRV or ERV, and it could possibly lead to a condensation issue where/if there is inadequate insulation and/or air sealing, especially in cold(er) climates where the indoor air is humidified. If you are balancing first cost with operating costs many HRV/ERV systems don't make economic sense, and they can also increase maintenance requirements for the homeowner, this system keeps the required filter changes to just those of the heating and air conditioning system. That could be especially important for low knowledge homeowners, increasing the likelihood of regular filter changes being performed.
open a window.
I'm not sure it's a good idea to cycle outdoor air through the system without the AC or furnace running. Opening the vent using the fan signal makes more sense to me and doesn't require a $185 controller.
It's very bad to bring heat from the outside your system will work extra hard and possibly not able to cool
Hi mr, where, may a have the fresh air dumper
se dice un "damper" no dumper guey rsss
Seems pretty dumb to run a dehumidifier and the AC at the same time. They should just make a thermostat that uses "real feel" as the temperature set points more humid, run set a little cooler. Less humid, set a little warmer, and reversed when heating. Running a dehumidifier when also running the AC is just wasteing energy.
What if there is no fresh air outside, if the house is next to a factory, a neighbor who offgases dangerous chemicals (VOC's), in a polluted city in China/India or next to a freeway? The VOC's would need to be removed before they are used as the fresh air source... how is this done so the fresh air is actually fresh, no polluted with dangerous VOC's?
Move….eom🤣
10 lbs activated charcoal filter right behind main filter
Does this not slightly pressurize the house?
Yes. And that’s a good thing.
brett run
Could you please tell me why that is a good thing?
@@jcon6115 Having positive pressure is better because the house isn't sucking in air from the outside, which may be too cold, too hot, too humid, dirty with too much smoke/pollen, etc. When a house has positive pressure it's actually leaking air to the outside versus negative when you're feeling those cold or hot "drafts" from the outside.
@@jcon6115 Because you’re filtering and dehumidifying the fresh air and pushing out stale air through cracks instead of sucking it in.
Thank goodness my windows are the kind that open. ;)
Only when AC or heat isn’t needed.
Stay away from REMOTE CONTROL . It all crap. It won't work eventually. Stick to Manual
But my return side is a air filter in a hallway...
Usually great info, but you don't mention the MORE CRITICAL reason for outside air, which is for COMBUSTION! If you route the outside air to the return plenum, you no longer supply air to the Gas-Fired Furnace and/or Water Heater! This could allow negative pressure to suck post-combustion air back into the house, POISONING the occupants.... Most people still have unsealed gas/oil-burning appliances. My furnace has a separate outside air intake pipe, but my water heater does not.
Do you realize that "fresh air" in the winter is 20 to 30 degrees and makes the house freezing and stops the heat from working? Just don't weatherization your house. That will cost 0.
For fresh air to come in, stale air has to go out somewhere. Where does it go?
Even the most air tight homes usually have bathroom vents and dryer vents which go directly outside.
Where the sun don’t shine?😆
“I’m going to show you how to install” then doesn’t show it installed lol
Yep
It is a good system but no filtration.
Yes it does
You need to install a media filter at the furnace and stop using those 1 inch ones at the return. Just use the cheap fiberglass at the return to remove the large particles and let the 5 inch media filter do the smaller particles.
@@billybassman21 Agreed. I use a n 8 inch filter that has to be replaced once a year.
I'd rather get an ERV but the chepaest on is $500!!!!!!
noticed this is a high end Mitsubishi furnace most prob... a ( Zuba) Why not instal A real VRC ...whith all my respect this is a bad idea...(sorry) oh iv been in the hvac Biz for 30 years + certified General Contractor....
What if you got chain smoking neighbors??
When we want fresh air we open the windows and doors like...everyone else i know
And the air from your windows is unfiltered and not conditioned. Knob.
what Brett said. you really want to open the windows in July/August? or here in Atlanta, April-September? seriously? get real dude.
Why don't you come down to Corpus Christi Texas area and build a house to see if you can compete against Braselton and Hogan homes to see who will buy your house?
Here's a better idea. Have Braselton or Hogan start a TH-cam channel and they can show US how they build homes like Matt does!
Balnk1326 I wish they would but since Braselton and Hogan homes own the monopoly here when it comes to homes in CC Tx.
He only builds customs from high end architects. No spec houses.
+Cruz Mascorro don't be intimidated. People who are an educated buyer will pay for a Better built home.
Headline CC, TX: Home Builders Braselton and Hogan Fainted in Public Today When Asked To Do TH-cam Vids on How They Build Homes.
Just open up a window for fresh air 😂
That air is unfiltered and not conditioned. But I’m guessing you knew that.
I had same thought.
Yes, that is true. So, what do you do when you go outside into the real world? Wear an air filter and conditioner over your nose and mouth? I suppose if you spend your entire life in an airtight bubble inside your house, then you can only breathe conditioned air.
@@ShikokuFoodForest 😅😅😅comment of the year!!
@@brettrun8575 Let the morons that don’t want to learn open a window while running their AC all summer. Lmao like to be a fly on the wall when they open their electric bill! Or better yet, leave it air tight all summer and wonder why they feel like crap.
Well I’m one of the dumbest people when it comes to my house. 😜🤪🙄😳 Janet
"pretty inexpensive".. Uh, no, its over 300 dollars for an electric damper and a little control box. Insane.
Overkill, kiss, keep it simple stupid.
a/c is d LOL
Remember the good old days when houses had windows?
boring its about him we watch these channels to learn not live his life who what when where
Fearmongering much? Comparing the air volume inside a car to the air inside a whole house is ridiculous. You'll almost _never_ get condensation from outside air getting in. For that to happen, your walls would need to be _colder_ than the incoming air.
Long story short: if you don't need a pollen filtration or building a passive house with heat recovery systems just open your windows for 5 minutes every now and then and you're golden 👌
speckdratz Matt's against air in the house but water in the ceiling he's all for..ijs
speckdratz u got it rite....hes a self richeous fear mongerer
If your inside walls are 75 degrees (because you're in the south and need the air conditioner on 9 month out of the year) and air comes in that is 85-105 degrees and 90-100% humidity (as is common in southern climates) Then guess what? The walls are COLDER than the outside air and you'll get condensation. In the south, the winters aren't long or dry enough to dry out the building like it is in the north, so condensation and mold can become a huge problem. Matt lives and works in hot humid Texas where pollen levels get crazy high. He's describing how to dehumidify, cool the air, and remove pollen before it gets into the house. How is understanding your own climate fear mongering? Maybe get out of your "I'm from the north and air only needs to be heated here" bubble and you might just learn something. Why the hell would you "open your windows for 5 minutes" when the inside air is 70 degrees and relatively clean and the outside air is 100 degrees and 95% humid and the pollen count is so high your car is yellow in the driveway? Why would you need "heat recovery" in this scenario? You're trying to GET RID of heat, not recover it FFS! How do you not understand that there are regional differences in how to best make a house energy efficient? You think you should build a house in Hawaii the same as one in Ontario? One in Oslo the same as in Miami? If anyone is fear mongering it's you. You're trying to get people to not trust people who do CLIMATE SPECIFIC energy efficient homes so that they are more reluctant to transition to it.