# adding whole-house ventilation



## Blessing1912 (May 28, 2015)

Greetings,

Does anyone have experience in adding whole-house ventilation to an existing house with an existing furnace?

My client really wants to turn 550 s.f. of unconditioned basement into a habitable room, windows, heat, finishes. But due the property line, we can only fit in about half of the required required 8% glazing per R302. We to qualify for R303.1 Habitable rooms Exceptions 1 & 2.The only strategy I can think of is to add the Whole-House ventilation as stated in Exception 2. But that sounds complicated from what Ive read in the code and  online. I hoing that ventilating that room only might work. thought before I ask for mercy at the Building department.

Cheers


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## fatboy (May 28, 2015)

Welcome to the forum!

The exception calls for whole-house clearly, your best bet is going to the building department and making your case.


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## cda (May 28, 2015)

Welcome!!!!

What state are you in???   Helps sometimes


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## cda (May 28, 2015)

Can you do one of those room a/c units??

Something like this

http://www.mitsubishicomfort.com/products


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## mtlogcabin (May 28, 2015)

You do not need 8% for natural ventilation, you only need 4% of the floor area of each habitable room and it does not have to be through a window.

 R303.1 Habitable rooms.All habitable rooms shall have an aggregate glazing area of not less than 8 percent of the floor area of such rooms. Natural ventilation shall be through windows, doors, louvers or other approved openings to the outdoor air. Such openings shall be provided with ready access or shall otherwise be readily controllable by the building occupants. The minimum openable area to the outdoors shall be 4 percent of the floor area being ventilated.


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## Blessing1912 (May 29, 2015)

Thanks for the responses. I really didn't read those exceptions to well. They only work for rooms are not required to have escape openings. I have a basement, 550s.f. so thats that.

I might be able to get some light from the adjacent crawl space. Time to go and stand in line>

Cheers


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## cda (May 29, 2015)

solar tube??  out the side

http://www.solatube.com/


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## cda (May 29, 2015)

solar tube??  out the side

http://www.solatube.com/


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## tmurray (May 29, 2015)

cda said:
			
		

> Can you do one of those room a/c units?? Something like this
> 
> http://www.mitsubishicomfort.com/products


Ductless minisplits do not provide any ventilation. They work by taking heat from a colder area to a warmer area through the use of coolant. They can provide dehumidification in winter by increasing the temperature thus lowering the relative humidity.

How many stories is the building? You can generally provide whole building ventilation by supplying fresh air in the basement and exhausting air from the upper floors in cooler climates.


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