5 ms·

Not to be snarky, but if the weather outdoors is uncomfortable enough to be using climate control, why would I want to open the window?

kccqzy 4y ago
Because presumably in this case you would want to open a window for fresh air, and simultaneously run your heating system to heat up that fresh air? I was responding to a comment that presupposes the need for fresh air. If you don't need that, feel free to close the windows then.
- TheSpiceIsLife 4y ago
  Airborne allergens can be an issue, and dust more generally.
  - throwawaylinux 4y ago
    Seems like it would be more efficient to wear a climate controlled bubble suit than heating up entire rooms. And you could even go outside when it is cold or hot or dusty.
- catiopatio 4y ago
  You do realize that “open the window and hear that air” is massively energy inefficient, right?
  - kccqzy 4y ago
    I don't know; is it more energy inefficient than having a fresh air intake via a duct? Maybe they are comparable in the absence of a heat recovery ventilation system (mentioned by a sibling comment upthread)?
    - mvnuweucxqokii 4y ago
      You don't necessarily need to take in fresh air to freshen air in certain ways. It might suffice to pass it though a good filter.
      - Zanfa 4y ago
        HEPA and carbon filters do wonders for cooking smells, particulates etc, but unfortunately do nothing for the main reason you want air exchange with outside, which is CO2 buildup.
    - BenjiWiebe 4y ago
      Our house has a heat exchanger that exchanges air. So the outgoing air changes the temperature of the incoming air.
- Thlom 4y ago
  You want to open windows in opposite sides of the house to quickly circulate air from outside to inside. 5 minutes should be enough. It will get colder, but most of the heat is in walls and furnitures and as long as you only open the windows for a few minutes it should be quick to heat up the air again.
OJFord 4y ago
For the fresh air that this thread is about, regardless of whether it comes through a glazed window or a duct connected directly to AC system?
tomcam 4y ago
Because it smells bad inside? Because fresh air feels good? Not to be snarky, but how did you miss these use cases?
- mvnuweucxqokii 4y ago
  If it's pretty cold outside, then you're throwing all of the ostensible energy savings of a heat pump out the window the minute you open it to air out the house. Following the thread of conversation, it just didn't compute to me: >>>> Heat pumps are great for climate control >>> Yeah, ducts are dead >> What if you want to recirculate air in your house through your central air filter to eliminate smells? > Just open the window It's like we've hit a contraction: the premise is that we care about energy but the contractions is then that we don't and we open the window while climate controlling the house. So to me it does seem to prove that in some climates, duct work with a central blower and filter mat not be dead.
  - fifteenforty 4y ago
    For an existing dwelling, the best solution is probably mini splits (wall mounted) combined with decentralised heat recovery ventilation as required. Ducts running in an insulated space are sources of huge energy loss.
    - mrexroad 4y ago
      *uninsulated
      - fifteenforty 4y ago
        Yes correct! Thank you!
  - ridgeguy 4y ago
    I think there's a middle ground. We've just today had our first snow of the season here in a lower elevation of the Sierra Foothills. It's been chilly for 3 months or so, and our heating is an 'old school' ducted propane furnace. In time, we'll replace it with a heat pump, but not this year. Anyway, we're sensitive to accumulated odors that go with a well insulated, closed-up home in winter. Every evening, we open three doors in the house to the outside. This is after the furnace has entered its timed 'off for the night' state. We exchange pretty much all of our air for fresh ambient, which is great when we wake up in the morning. The impact from doing this on our propane bill is undetectable. This is because air, even humid air, has a trivial heat capacity compared to the warm house structure and contents. Those are by far the greatest energy reservoir in our home. Very little energy is lost in a daily air exchange with the ambient. *edited for typo

kccqzy 4y ago

Because presumably in this case you would want to open a window for fresh air, and simultaneously run your heating system to heat up that fresh air? I was responding to a comment that presupposes the need for fresh air. If you don't need that, feel free to close the windows then.

TheSpiceIsLife 4y ago
Airborne allergens can be an issue, and dust more generally.
- throwawaylinux 4y ago
  Seems like it would be more efficient to wear a climate controlled bubble suit than heating up entire rooms. And you could even go outside when it is cold or hot or dusty.
catiopatio 4y ago
You do realize that “open the window and hear that air” is massively energy inefficient, right?
- kccqzy 4y ago
  I don't know; is it more energy inefficient than having a fresh air intake via a duct? Maybe they are comparable in the absence of a heat recovery ventilation system (mentioned by a sibling comment upthread)?
  - mvnuweucxqokii 4y ago
    You don't necessarily need to take in fresh air to freshen air in certain ways. It might suffice to pass it though a good filter.
    - Zanfa 4y ago
      HEPA and carbon filters do wonders for cooking smells, particulates etc, but unfortunately do nothing for the main reason you want air exchange with outside, which is CO2 buildup.
  - BenjiWiebe 4y ago
    Our house has a heat exchanger that exchanges air. So the outgoing air changes the temperature of the incoming air.
Thlom 4y ago
You want to open windows in opposite sides of the house to quickly circulate air from outside to inside. 5 minutes should be enough. It will get colder, but most of the heat is in walls and furnitures and as long as you only open the windows for a few minutes it should be quick to heat up the air again.

OJFord 4y ago

For the fresh air that this thread is about, regardless of whether it comes through a glazed window or a duct connected directly to AC system?

tomcam 4y ago

Because it smells bad inside? Because fresh air feels good? Not to be snarky, but how did you miss these use cases?

mvnuweucxqokii 4y ago
If it's pretty cold outside, then you're throwing all of the ostensible energy savings of a heat pump out the window the minute you open it to air out the house. Following the thread of conversation, it just didn't compute to me: >>>> Heat pumps are great for climate control >>> Yeah, ducts are dead >> What if you want to recirculate air in your house through your central air filter to eliminate smells? > Just open the window It's like we've hit a contraction: the premise is that we care about energy but the contractions is then that we don't and we open the window while climate controlling the house. So to me it does seem to prove that in some climates, duct work with a central blower and filter mat not be dead.
- fifteenforty 4y ago
  For an existing dwelling, the best solution is probably mini splits (wall mounted) combined with decentralised heat recovery ventilation as required. Ducts running in an insulated space are sources of huge energy loss.
  - mrexroad 4y ago
    *uninsulated
    - fifteenforty 4y ago
      Yes correct! Thank you!
- ridgeguy 4y ago
  I think there's a middle ground. We've just today had our first snow of the season here in a lower elevation of the Sierra Foothills. It's been chilly for 3 months or so, and our heating is an 'old school' ducted propane furnace. In time, we'll replace it with a heat pump, but not this year. Anyway, we're sensitive to accumulated odors that go with a well insulated, closed-up home in winter. Every evening, we open three doors in the house to the outside. This is after the furnace has entered its timed 'off for the night' state. We exchange pretty much all of our air for fresh ambient, which is great when we wake up in the morning. The impact from doing this on our propane bill is undetectable. This is because air, even humid air, has a trivial heat capacity compared to the warm house structure and contents. Those are by far the greatest energy reservoir in our home. Very little energy is lost in a daily air exchange with the ambient. *edited for typo