EZ Breathe Home Ventilation System Installation

EZ Breathe home ventilation system can be installed in your basement to improve air quality and control humidity. The whole house fan pulls air from the upper level and exhausts it through the side of your home.
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[@ParadeTheGospel]

We just found out about this and are very intrigued. If we get one I want to save money by doing the installation ourselves so thank you for this video.

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Let us know how it goes. We have more home improvement tips on our weekly podcast itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fix-it-home-improvement/id880903087?mt=2

[@mrtogoodc]

Did u get this one if so how good is it I'm looking to get this

[@ParadeTheGospel]

@@mrtogoodc I didn’t yet

[@kkovler1]

That's the system that Gary Sullivan talks about on the Home show on weekends!:) What were those two big open end pipes seen outside the home next to where you installed the vent?

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, it's the vents for a high efficiency furnace and water heater. It's a pretty easy system to install yourself. Looking forward to doing another test of the air quality in a week.

[@richardlee2120]

A concern that would-be-purchasers may have is that does the EZ Breathe system suck out the warm air during the winter, causing a strain on the furnace and resulting in high heat bills?

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, I will be doing an interview with the company on our Fix It Home Improvement Podcast. I will add this to my questions. From our initial research, the slow continuous vent doesn't move a lot of air like a bathroom or a hood vent, so I would imagine the effect on your heating would be minimal.

[@innergoof19]

Where does the make-up air come from? Leaks in house?

[@thomast9736]

Loss of dry or conditioned air that is replaced with outside unconditioned air is a drawback but to exchange air I am sure it is effective. A better solution would be an ERV but it’s more money and more complex to install

[@chrisgoldbach4450]

Is there a way to pull fresh air from outside in filtered? Makes sense to remove mold and radon but fresh hepa filtered oxygen from outside instead of the little you get from random cracks or whenever you open a window seems much better. I want intake and outtake opposite sides of the basement. Intake by the air filter and outtake with a fan sucking out everything in between.

[@louchong4094]

What is the measurement of that rim joist you are cutting that 6" hole in the video? I think my rim joists are 2x8. So, a 6" diameter hole might not be a good idea and possibly compromise structural integrity.

[@gekkogordon]

Thanks for the information, that may explain why all exhausts are 4" maybe.

[@patflat456]

I would imagine that this fan would change the pressure in your house causing Radon gas to siphon up from the basement floor at a faster rate?

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, it creates less pressure than a bath exhaust fan. We've installed a couple of these in homes of friends that had high radon levels and it reduced it to a safe level in both homes. We also installed a booster fan in a home with a passive system and it brought the levels down. So far it's been very effective. We check the levels from time to time when we get over to the homes.

[@accomplishedtheory9502]

So would this thing be good or bad for radon?

[@Jade-tw7qe]

There are radon and dehumidifier in the basement, still need EZ breath for air changing?

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, this will help with removing air pollutants that build up in the crawlspace or basement. We have more home improvement tips on our weekly podcast itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/fix-it-home-improvement/id880903087?mt=2

[@Jade-tw7qe]

@@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel Thanks 🙏

[@Chris_at_Home]

If this is used to remove the humid air why is the intake near the floor? I thought humid air is lighter and near the ceiling.

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, I spoke to the manufacturer. Here is their answer. Humid air is, in fact, lighter than its dryer counterpart. However, humidity is just one of the many constituents that make up the air we breathe. There are many harmful chemicals & microscopic particles in the air that make the air settle down to the bottom of the structure. So, why are we located so low in the home? Our unit is designed to create multiple whole home air exchanges per day, and the best way to accomplish this is with a unit that pulls air from the lowest level of the home. Homes work under the principle known as the Stack Effect. This describes the concept that we all refer to as “warm air rising”. The same principle exists in our chimneys, and it is what allows hot air balloons to operate. This is not, however, a good thing for a house. Typically, the least healthy air in a home is located in the basement. With the stack effect, the dynamics of your house allow for that air to rise up in to the living space, and then continue on to the 2nd floor. On a side note, many mold problems that occur in a home’s attic can be attributed to bulk water & high moisture problems in the basement. If we were to create whole house air exchanges from the middle floor, or living space, then we run the risk of introducing poor indoor air in to that living space. In fact, when studies are done to assess the effectiveness of exhaust fans like bathroom fans or kitchen fans, we see exactly this result. The studies will report the amount of air that is being moved, but will also report that there were increases in levels of soil gases & other harmful VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). So, while humid air is lighter than non humid air, it is still ideal to be creating whole house air exchanges from the lowest level of the structure. Hope this helps!

[@Chris_at_Home]

@@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel Humidity is why low pressure fronts are low. The reason humid air is lighter is because of the two hydrogen atoms to one oxygen atom in a water vapor molecule. When I installed my HRV I pick up air from both the lower and upper parts of the room. Most HRV systems also need a supplemental fan in full bathrooms because the HRV system won’t have enough air exchanges to get rid of moisture from a bath or shower.

[@moonolyth]

So you are cycling the air in the upper levels, I live in Georgia. High humidity inside and out running two HVACs to cool the house. Outside it is saturated and at 95digree. Wouldn't this air exchanger become rather expensive replacing cooled air$$ full house 3 to 4 cycles daily?? Love the idea but it seems we would be robbing Peter to pay Paul, so to speak. I'd love to clear my basement in this humid Ga. Climate. It seem you'd need a heat exchanger of some sort to cut the loss of all that expensively cooled air you are sending g out an open window??

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, I spoke to the company, here is their response. If the customer truly has “high humidity inside & out”, then a ventilation system that creates air exchanges will not help. We would be exhausting the basement air & this air would be replaced with upstairs air. If that air is high in RH, then there is no relief in sight. On a side note, that speaks to a bigger Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) issue of humidity control & whether the HVAC system is capable of doing its job. Not saying this customer is having that problem, just speaking to an overall issue that is raised quite often in the IAQ field. Let’s assume that the upstairs air is properly conditioned & the RH is acceptable. Then, a ventilation system in the basement would work because we would be conditioning the basement air with the upstairs air that is already conditioned. It’s important to note that the EZ Breathe system has been designed to operate at a maximum CFM of 128. This ensures the exhaustion of basement air & providing a for replacement air. What is does not do is put the building envelope under a negative pressure, and draw air in from undesirable locations. Hopefully this provides the answer to the question about exhausting air out a window? Another point on this: our houses work in such a way that when the levels are not air balanced, the house itself does an excellent job of losing conditioned air on its own. Warm air rising & wet moving to dry creates air imbalances in the house where conditioned air loss is a major problem. I often tell people, “your house does an excellent job of losing conditioned air on its own, and I would argue that the addition of a system like an EZ Breathe will actually make your house function more efficiently.” And, in fact, homeowners & contractors that monitor this prove this to be true. I hope this provides some answers. Again, the customer brings out very legitimate concerns, and I want to recognize that. I hope the explanation provides them with the answers they are looking for.

[@accomplishedtheory9502]

What is the CFM of this unit?

[@timhansen14]

Can I run a reducer from 6” at the ez Breath to 4” going outside?

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, I would give customer service a call with the details of your space. They are very helpful.

[@justinflownow]

What tool bag/knapsack do you have at 1:46? Please tell us the brand and model.

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, it's a Klein. Here's a video kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5zRpHSIa810b5o

[@davidcotto8955]

i have a basement that sometimes floods. do they sell something where i can offset the height of the electronics for this ventilation system?

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, I will contact the company and see what they say.

[@davidcotto8955]

@@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel thanks let me know cause flooding basements are common. I guess a height adjustment would be logical

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, here is the reply from EZ Breathe. First off, we recommend fixing any and all water intrusion first, as this flooding is an active source of dampness and poor indoor air quality. EZ Breathe is best utilized in a basement that does not take on water. The installation specs for an EZ Breathe Ventilation System states that the unit be mounted within 18” of the floor. The telescope chute affords that the EZ Breathe unit can be mounted off of the floor.

[@Darrell_Coquillette]

Aren't those pipes where you're doing the install the inlet and exhaust for the furnace? If so, you will be drawing in fumes from the exhausted gas. That is what you need to stay six feet from. If not, then never mind.

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, they are both exhaust, one from the furnace one from the water heater. The manufacturer wants the fan inside the basement 6 feet from a gas appliance.

[@brianellsworth4767]

Your furnace needs an intake air system, not an exhaust system. The furnace and hot water are an exhaust system.

[@grandtheftauto1233]

@@brianellsworth4767 this - creating more negative pressure in the basement could disrupt the ability of the furnace to expel the carbon monoxide out the exhaust

[@Bigwinner29]

What’s the best room to install this system?

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, this is designed for the basement. You can call the company and they will help with any questions you have. Check out more home improvement tips in our e-books www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B2KW1FQ9?notRedirectToSDP=1&.

[@CycleCincy]

What about the make-up air?

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, it pulls it from cracks and gaps in the building envelope. The fan is less powerful than a bath exhaust fan so you don''t have a problem with backdrafting.

[@rjabja]

How quiet is this unit?

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, very quiet. I don't have the decibels, but we installed this in a couple homes of family members and they said it isn't loud.

[@locklacedontlosethekeyreco1291]

Where can I find that fan?

[@FIXITHomeImprovementChannel]

Hi, ezbreathe.com/