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Comment by landemva | Hacker News Reader

I would have started with energy audit including blower door test and infrared pictures. Next I would have got busy sealing and insulating.

New solar installs or heaters would then be considered.

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I did the IR picture thing, ran the numbers, and decided that the biggest ROI was to install panels, the house was already quite well insulated by the previous owners. But we are due for a refresh on all of the window frames + windows, those are definitely getting a bit old.

If you seal properly you need mechanical ventilation. I'm not saying you're implying you don't, a lot of people around me forget such things and end up with very unhealthy living environments.

We remodeled to tight envelope + radiant heat but our architect failed to spec fresh air ventilation. We had to DIY it mid remodel and learned a lot in a hurry.

The one room that we didn’t get any fresh air flow to, now stinks. The others are fine.

In a nutshell: blow fresh air into bedrooms / closets. 10 CFM is enough (small cpu fan level of airflow). Exhaust with quiet bathroom fans on constantly at low CFM. In + out = flow. Rooms with no flow = stinky, musty, germ contamination, good for growing mushrooms, bad for people and pets

Did you use an ERV?

No, we live in a mild climate so the cost of ERV outweighs the benefit for us. I researched it, but balked at the high price of the unit, and the idea of adding lots of ducting in the attic.

Instead went with separate AC Infinity (grow-room) fans each pulling air through a filter. Works ok. Still iterating tbh.

This all predates the war. Another factor for us was wildfire smoke

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