How the Right HVAC System Creates High Indoor Air Quality For Your Energy Efficient Home in Raleigh
Clean indoor air in a new construction home relies on efficient systems to heat, cool, filter, and circulate the air. When these systems work together to regulate temperature, humidity, and pollutants, your indoor air will be noticeably easier to breathe, especially if you suffer from any respiratory conditions like allergies or asthma. At New Home Inc., we pride ourselves on using technology to create homes that are more livable, more enjoyable, to build more energy-efficient homes in Raleigh, and that extends to our HVAC systems as well. In one of ournew homes throughout the Raleigh area, you and your family will be able to enjoy cleaner air and more peace of mind.
How HVAC Systems Keep Your Healthy Home Indoor Air Clean
SEER Rating
SEER is the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio of an HVAC unit and is based on federal regulations that require different standards for different parts of the country. SEER ratings range anywhere from 13 to 21 and generally, the higher the SEER rating, the more money you’ll save in your monthly energy costs. There is a break-even point in your investment, though. The higher SEER HVAC units are the most expensive and aren’t necessarily required to maximize energy savings, as long as you have thecorrectSEER rating for your size home.
In the Raleigh area, where New Home Inc. builds, the required SEER rating is 14. However, based on whether or not your new home has gas or electric hookups, we offer high-quality, long-lasting Lennox HVAC systems with either a 14 or 15 SEER rating. A correctly sized HVAC system will be powerful enough to keep your home cool and humidity-free in the summers, lessening the chance for mildew or mold to grow, and keeping your air healthier.
Whole-Home Filtration System for more Healthy Homes in Raleigh
There are a lot of materials inside a home that can trap dust or allergens and release them back into the air — like carpets, rugs, clothing, draperies, and pets. Because air inside a home is recycled in order to make heating and cooling more efficient, the best way to keep your air clear and free of pollutants is to install a whole home air filtration system.
Whole home air filtration systems use MERV filters to block pollutants from re-entering your home and provide cleaner indoor air. New Home Inc. uses MERV 11 filters that block 65% to 79% of air pollutants. Our systems also work with MERV 16 filters which can capture more than 95% of air pollutants. These are not the thin HVAC filters of yesteryear!
Fresh Air Intake System
As much as a filtration system cleans the air, it’s always a good idea to pull some fresh air in from outdoors to help eliminate odors and stale air. A fresh air intake system consists of a fan that pulls in fresh air through a special duct. The air is then filtered to remove pollutants, such as pollen, and mixed with return air and distributed evenly throughout the home.
This mechanism also maintains positive air pressure inside the home, which prevents unwanted air from being pulled in through places like the attic or around the fireplace doors. Especially for those sensitive to outside air (like allergy sufferers in the spring or fall), a fresh air intake system allows them to enjoy the benefits of fresh, filtered air, without having to open the windows.
Air Flow Within the Home helps create an energy-efficient home
Fresh, filtered air is no good if it can’t circulate freely throughout your entire home. When the door to a room with no return vent is closed, that room’s temperature can become considerably warmer or cooler than the rest of the home, which means air is not circulating. To make sure that the air your systems have worked hard to filter and condition reaches every room, New Home Inc.’s homes feature a combination of active pass-through vents and jump ducts.
Active pass-through vents are located above the doors to secondary bedrooms and other rooms, like the laundry room. The vent allows air to flow freely between the room and the hallway, even if the door is closed. This helps to balance the temperature in the home and keep fresh, filtered air circulating freely.
Jump ducts serve the same purpose as pass-through vents, but offer more sound privacy. These are located in the owner’s suites of our homes, with the other side of the duct terminating in the outside hallway to ensure fresh air is continuously circulating.
You can see active pass-through vents and jump ducts in action at marker 11:45 inthis video.
The Right Size HVAC Unit creates energy-efficient homes in Raleigh
There is a myth in home construction that the larger the A/C unit, the better it will cool your home. That’s not the case. If your builder installs a unit that is too big or powerful for your home or that resale home has a new system that is “too big”, it won’t run long enough, leaving too much humidity in the air. An A/C needs to run for a certain amount of time to 1) cool the air in the home and 2) remove the humidity. A too-large unit will cool air quickly then shut off, leaving the extra humidity inside and actually causing the air to feel warmer. Plus, that extra humidity could give mold and mildew a chance to grow in areas like bathrooms, which severely diminishes air quality.
Humidity Control
In the summers, the humidity in Raleigh easily reaches up to 80%. No one wants that kind of humid air inside their homes, so New Home Inc. uses a smart thermostat that adapts to the conditions inside of your home. Before your indoor humidity reaches an uncomfortable level, the thermostat will detect it and trigger the A/C to power on, keeping the air cool, comfortable, and consistent no matter the time of day or night.
Cleaner indoor air is one of the top reasons that a new construction home in Raleigh is a smart choice. Learn more about New Home Inc.’shealthy home featuresand energy efficient homes in Raleigh or contact us to see them in person.
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