By drawing the air from the lowest level off the floor and exhausting it to the outside, the EZ Breathe Ventilation System creates a negative space that forces newer, cleaner air to come in. This bad air out, better air in is complete air exchange using a controlled, conditioned source of replacement air that simply opening windows cannot not provide. Collecting the air within 18” off the floor of a basement or crawlspace is far superior to opening windows in order to ventilate these spaces. Aside from allowing damp, humid air in to an already damp space, opening windows does nothing to exhaust the stagnant air out of the basement and/or crawlspace. Relying on mother nature to ventilate a below grade space has proven ineffective and problematic often times making the basement/crawlspace condition worse. These outdated building codes are changing all over the country to mechanical ventilation requirements vs the old passive ventilation method.
As changing technology improves the methods and materials involved residential/commercial building and remodeling, studies are indicating the need for a ventilation system. New homes and buildings are currently being constructed in ways that greatly improves energy efficiency by sealing them off from the outside. New windows and doors help to improve the energy efficiency of older homes as well. The negative side effect to all of this increased efficiency is that homes and buildings can no longer breathe in a manner that allows the stale, damp, contaminated air out and a good supply of fresh air in. Particularly important for homes built on basement and/or crawlspace foundations. These underground environments are significant sources of air pollution and contamination that threaten the quality of the air you breathe. 40% of the air you breathe every day in your home comes up from the basement/crawlspace. The EPA has recently stated that the air in the average American home/building is a minimum of 5 times more polluted than the outdoor air. This lack of airflow through the home is being linked by the FDA to severe health concerns such as influenza, increase in allergies, asthma, viral infections, tuberculosis and even some types of cancer! Not to neglect the economic costs associated with the general deterioration of the value of the home/building.
The EZ Breathe ventilation system establishes the proper amount of airflow in your home/building making the air cleaner and healthier to breathe. Studies report that the “average home’s foundation absorbs 10-15 gallons of water vapor from through the walls and floor every day”. As a result the damp polluted air settles and builds up in the lowest part of your home/building. With the installation of an EZ Breathe unit this bad air is completely expelled from your home/building never allowing for unhealthy damaging build up. The EZ Breathe unit removes that stale, damp, contaminated air at its source. By eliminating the pollutants at the lowest level, EZ Breathe creates air exchange for a healthier home. The direct effect of the air being expelled and the flow of healthier air downwards creates an air exchange in the house/building approximately six to ten times that of the average home/building! This helps decrease mildew and molds by not allowing the moist air to stagnate and condense on cool surfaces and improves the overall quality of the indoor air. Gases pollutants that have built up in the home/building are also expelled and replaced with fresh air from the upstairs.
The EZ Breathe System is superior to a dehumidifier and air purifier because it provides the much needed whole home air exchanges that the US EPA recommends for a healthier indoor air quality. The dehumidification benefit EZ Breathes provides utilizes the conditioned air from the floor above. Once the damp, polluted air from the lower level is exhausted, the EZ Breathe introduces the cleaner, drier air into the lowest level, creating healthier, drier conditions similar to the upper level. A conventional dehumidifier will run constantly recirculating the same old stale air, letting the water sit until emptied. It requires a compressor using high wattage (400-800 watts per hour), and could cost $30-$60/month. In addition, one may need several units for an area of 2000 square feet. An EZ Breathe unit installed in a cool damp area of a basement will do the job more efficiently for a fraction of the cost, requiring only 40 watts of electricity and no maintenance or attention to its operation…set it, forget it!
The fan is controlled by a humidistat. If the humidity is higher than the fan setting, the fan will automatically adjust itself to a setting that lowers the humidity to the proper level. Once the desired humidity level is reached, the unit will automatically shut off, and then turn back on again when the humidity level increases.
In the summer…When there is air conditioning upstairs, the drier air flows downwards until the humidity level is reduced to the set point of the control. The drier air is easier to cool than the heavy moist air, thereby saving money in bills. Also, air loss is minimal because once drier air is sensed the unit will cycle off.
In the winter…The drier air from upstairs flows downwards, raising the basements temperature and lowering the humidity downstairs, and thereby preventing condensation and ice on the windows. The drier air is easier to heat than the heavy moist air, thereby saving money in heating bills. Also, heat loss is minimal because colder air is always at the floor level.
You will not see any water since it does not condense like a traditional dehumidifier. It removes the water in its vapor form, so the damp, dirty air is removed from the building envelope and replaced with clean dry air from upstairs. This means there is no reservoir to empty on a daily basis…yippee!
No. Scientific testing has proven that homes with increased ventilation are more efficient. The EZ Breathe has been designed to work in conjunction with your HVAC system and improve the overall efficiency of the home. See our Building Performance Institute Certification. By removing damp, polluted air and assisting in the temperature balancing of the home, the EZ Breathe eases the load on your heating and cooling systems as damp, dirty air takes more energy to heat/cool. The EZ Breathe system draws the air from the very lowest part of the home helping to reduce the “stack effect” and keep your conditioned air in your living environment longer, preventing excessive heat/energy loss through the roof (also helps to prevent ice dams in the winter).
The E·Z Breathe® unit is placed at the lowest level of the home/building on an exterior wall. With the unit’s finished appearance and whisper quiet fan it can be placed in any room.
The EZ Breathe System requires a clear path for replacement air from the upper level to communicate freely with the lowest level (basement or crawlspace). This open air communication from upstairs to down will not only allow for the most efficient ventilation and pollutant removal, but also ensure that the replacement air is from a conditioned source.
For the average home – No, the EZ Breathe Ventilation System does not require any additional source of make-up air. The EZ Breathe Ventilation System draws 30cfm (cubic feet per minute) on the low fan speed setting to 130cfm on the high fan speed setting. This gentle draw of air from the upstairs is easily replenished by natural replacement as people enter and exit the home, natural cracks and crevices and by normal operation of HVAC systems – many of which already have a fresh air intake.
Comparing the EZ Breathe Ventilation System to other exhaust home appliances – think kitchen range hood at 300cfm, bathroom exhaust fans at 50-200cfm, clothes dryer at 240cfm – the draw from the EZ Breathe System is much less than any of those other exhaust appliances, none of which require additional make-up air either.
The EZ Breathe Ventilation System has been engineered and designed to complement any existing heating/cooling or HVAC system with air exchange rates that do not burden the HVAC system, or move air faster than the HVAC can condition. The EZ Breathe Ventilation supports greater efficiency of the existing HVAC system as the air being pumped through that system is cleaner and drier in homes with an EZ Breathe. Customers report lower energy costs because the HVAC systems do not have to run as long or work as hard to heat/cool dry, clean air as it does when the air is damp and dirty. EZ Breathe borrows just enough of the upstairs conditioned air to replace the toxic, dirty basement/crawlspace air, however this gentle exchange significantly improves the air quality of the entire structure –Third party testing consistently proves an 85% reduction in air particles throughout the whole home post EZ Breathe Ventilation System installation. We also find that homes with an EZ Breathe require less frequent HVAC filter changes because the filters don’t get dirty as quickly as they did pre EZ Breathe Ventilation for many of the same reasons.
The EZ Breathe provides mechanical ventilation with an efficient, gentle draw in order to exhaust the wide variety of harmful indoor pollutants and keep them from building up to dangerous and unhealthy levels. Think of it as a path of escape for all of the nasty airborne contaminants to ensure the healthiest indoor air quality for your home. Customers consistently tell us they can feel the difference an EZ Breathe Ventilation Systems makes in their home!