Information Center — The Home

Bathroom exhaust fans are important to the air quality of a home or building. They work to remove odors and prevent damage from excess moisture and heat. Before you choose between bathroom fans, there are some details to consider: In order to remove humidity and odors, the fan should be able to move air as much as eight air circulations per minute. You can choose between ceiling bath fans or wall-mount units. A timer or switch can be used to operate the fan. Some fans come equipped with light fixtures and/or heating elements. There are fans that are specifically designed...

Everyone is going green these days, and those that aren’t are only in denial. There is no way to ignore the movement for people to find economical and energy efficient solutions to their energy needs while maintaining their current lifestyle. Evaporative cooling units offer the solution to save money, reduce a homeowner’s carbon footprint, and still maintain their desired level of comfort within their home. Evaporative cooling units work by using water to remove heat from the air. This often requires no more than a motor with ¾ of 1 horsepower to operate. In comparison, conventional air conditioning units require...

Fans have been used to provide cooling to people for thousands of years. It’s not surprising that a cooling method as simple as moving air around a room has endured as one of the most efficient ways to keep homeowners and workers comfortable. There are different types of fans on the market today, but the simplest model—the circulating fan—is considered one of the most cost-effective and energy-efficient methods of cooling in moderate heat. The term “air circulating fan” (or circulator fan) refers to any type of axial propeller fan that creates a wind-chill effect to provide comfort. Circulating fans include...

Evaporative cooling provides a low-tech, low-cost alternative to air conditioning. It cools by combining water evaporation with the simple movement of air. A blower circulates fresh outdoor air after it has been pulled through wet material, cooling the air by evaporation. Also known as a swamp cooler air conditioner, this type of cooling can lower temperatures as much as thirty degrees. They work best in dry areas rather than in humid regions. A small evaporative air cooler can be installed in a window to blow cool air into a room. Larger evaporative cooling units can be used with duct work...

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air can be two to five times more polluted than air from outdoors. To keep air quality optimal for homeowners and employees, various methods of ventilation can be used to exchange stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air. The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) suggest air circulation in the amount of 15 cubic feet per minute (CFM), per person to maintain a safe balance of indoor and outdoor air. Equipment, installation, operation, and maintenance are key to striking a balance in air quality. The overall design of a system...