When it comes to home heating and cooling systems, including forced air heating systems, the answer is not as straightforward as one might think. While most of these systems do not mechanically bring in fresh air from the outside, split-system air conditioning systems, which are usually heat pumps, have an outdoor component that does absorb outside air. This component is usually located next to the oven, but sometimes it is its own and independent system. The main purpose of this system is to cool the air in your home by expelling unwanted heat. Heat and moisture are exchanged in equal volumes with each other during this process.
This process only requires power for the fan and controls. A fresh air intake is an opening through which outside air enters the building. This can be to replace the air in the building that has been expelled by the ventilation system or to provide fresh air for fuel combustion. Adding fresh air to a heating or cooling system has two primary benefits for indoor air quality. It pressurizes a building and increases indoor air quality by diluting polluted or stale indoor air.
Adding a fresh air intake to most systems is usually a simple and relatively inexpensive process. In conclusion, while most home heating and cooling systems do not mechanically bring in fresh air from the outside, split-system air conditioning systems do have an outdoor component that absorbs outside air. This component helps to cool the air in your home by expelling unwanted heat, while also increasing indoor air quality by diluting polluted or stale indoor air. Adding a fresh air intake to most systems is usually a simple and relatively inexpensive process.
