I get what you’re saying about the “Tupperware” effect—my cousin’s place is like that, too. You walk in and it’s like the air just… sits there. But I’m not totally convinced it’s all on the builders or the design. I mean, yeah, some of these new homes are sealed up tighter than my lunch leftovers, but isn’t that kind of the point with energy codes now?
What I keep wondering is if we’re just trading one problem for another. Like, back in the day, houses leaked air everywhere and your heating bill was a nightmare, but at least you didn’t get that stale, stuffy feeling. Now we’ve got lower bills but have to think about fans and vents running 24/7. Is it really worse, or just different?
Also, about those returns—totally agree, some of them are in the dumbest spots. My buddy’s return is literally behind his couch. Who thought that was a good idea? But then again, how much of this is just bad planning versus trying to cram everything into a smaller footprint?
Maybe we’re expecting too much from “efficient” homes without realizing there’s always a tradeoff somewhere.
Now we’ve got lower bills but have to think about fans and vents running 24/7. Is it really worse, or just different?
Honestly, I think it’s a bit worse if you ask me. My last place was one of those “tight” new builds and the air always felt off unless I cracked a window—even with the fancy HRV system. Energy savings are great, but I’d take a drafty old house with fresh air over that boxed-in feeling any day. Maybe there’s a happy medium we’re missing?
the air always felt off unless I cracked a window—even with the fancy HRV system.
I get what you mean. We moved into a newer place last year and, honestly, the constant hum of the HRV took some getting used to. The bills are definitely lower, but sometimes I wonder if all that mechanical ventilation is really worth it. In our old house, it was drafty but the air felt fresher, especially in the mornings. Maybe it’s just what you get used to, but I do miss being able to just open a window and not worry about messing up the “system.”
I do miss being able to just open a window and not worry about messing up the “system.”
Honestly, I hear this a lot, but I think folks overestimate how “fresh” that old drafty air really was. Sure, it *felt* fresher, but half the time you were just getting dust, pollen, or humidity sneaking in—plus your heating system working overtime. With these HRVs, at least you know the air’s filtered and balanced. The hum can be annoying, yeah, but it beats waking up with condensation on every window or dealing with mold behind the drywall.
That said, there’s something about being able to crack a window whenever you want without worrying about pressure or energy loss. I get that. But from what I’ve seen managing newer buildings, when those systems are set up right and maintained (big “if,” I know), people usually get used to them—and appreciate not having crazy utility bills or drafty corners in February. Maybe it’s just nostalgia for the old way of living? Or maybe we just notice the “off” feeling more because we expect these new systems to be perfect.
I get the appeal of HRVs and tighter envelopes, but I still wonder if we’re trading one set of problems for another. For example, I’ve seen a few green roofs where the ventilation setup didn’t account for extra humidity from the soil layer, and suddenly you’ve got condensation issues in weird spots. Anyone else run into that? I’m not saying old-school windows were perfect, but sometimes these “sealed” systems feel like they’re solving the wrong problem... or maybe just creating new ones. How do you balance the need for fresh air with all these new tech layers?
