Humidity-responsive systems can actually be pretty reliable these days, especially if you pick a decent brand. I was skeptical too, but my neighbor installed one in his bathroom about two years ago and hasn't had any issues yet. It kicks in automatically after showers and cooking, and he says it's been a lifesaver for mold prevention. Might be worth trying out in just one room first to see how it goes before committing fully...
Sounds promising, but how sensitive are these systems to false triggers? Like, would high humidity on a rainy day or open windows in summer set them off unnecessarily? Just wondering if that could be an annoyance or waste energy...
"would high humidity on a rainy day or open windows in summer set them off unnecessarily?"
From my experience, modern ventilation systems usually have adjustable sensitivity settings or built-in hysteresis to prevent exactly that kind of false triggering. Mine has humidity sensors, and I've never had issues with rainy days causing unnecessary activation. Open windows can occasionally confuse the system, but it's pretty rare and brief—nothing I'd call an annoyance or energy waste. Proper calibration during installation makes a big difference here.
I've seen humidity sensors get fooled more often than you'd think, especially if they're not placed well. Had a client whose system kept kicking in every time they took a hot shower—turned out the sensor was installed way too close to the bathroom door. Rainy days weren't usually an issue, but open windows on humid summer evenings sometimes triggered unnecessary ventilation cycles. Proper placement and calibration definitely help, but they're not always foolproof...
Had a similar issue once—installed a humidity sensor near a kitchen window thinking it'd help with cooking-related moisture. Worked fine most of the time, but whenever we had a humid evening and opened that window, the system went nuts cycling on and off. Ended up moving it to an interior wall away from direct airflow paths, recalibrated it carefully, and it's been pretty reliable since. Placement matters more than you'd expect...
