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What is a healthy home system?
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Thirty years ago several builders and agencies came together to engineer, design, market and build higher levels of energy efficient, healthier homes. Don Gaddes and Michigan Valley Homes was part of that team - helping to pioneer the development of the healthy home system.
Many builders and products offer energy efficiency. They boast air-tightness and money savings. But in reality airtightness should not be the goal. Breathability should be the goal - offering the proper balance of air flow into and out of the home. The truly healthy energy efficient home requires: a high level of insulation, airtightness, thermal break controlled ventilation and a competent building contractor who will design this house as a system and build it with expert craftsmanship at the right price.
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A healthy energy efficient home will have these qualities:
- Very low heating and cooling costs
- No micro or macro climate requirements
- Simple construction techniques
- No uncomfortable drafts (or heat stratification)
- Controlled ventilation (safe and healthy indoor air quality)
- Controlled relative humidity
- Ample amounts of natural light through high quality windows
- Quiet
- Naturally cooler in summer, warmer in winter
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The quality healthy energy efficient building contractor understands these important points and is capable of designing and contracting a healthy home at a fair price.
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In a healthy home system there are several aspects
that must be in place to achieve a certain level of breathability
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- Air tightness
- Thermal breaks
- Whole house heat recovery ventilation
- Air-tight pressure tested duct work
- Sealed combustion appliance
- Zoned heating and cooling
- Insulation
- Proper supervision, education and training of the trades
For more detailed information on healthy homes click here.
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Don Gaddes Michigan Valley Homes provides complete residential and commercial construction and remodeling services for the Ann Arbor Michigan and Jackson Michigan areas.
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