Air Intelligence by Field Controls

Whether it’s in the heat of July, or the chill of January, residential and commercial heating and cooling systems are necessary assets to the operation of our daily lives. On this episode of AirIQ, we dove into how to make HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) systems more efficient, environmentally friendly, and fool-proof with John Cotton of Field Controls.

“Houses need to breathe,” Cotton said, with equal air going out as going in. Cotton emphasized the importance of thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality by explaining how fans and HVAC systems work together to circulate fresh air.

If a complementary HVAC and fan system is not in place to cycle air throughout a home or business, the consequences can be alarming. Mold and mildew growth and breathing in polluted air are just a few health dangers of not having a professionally installed airflow system in place.

Cotton explained that airflow is measured in CFM: cubic feet per minute. CFM is the key to the equation for Field Control’s HVAC solutions, with each individual structure measured and calculated for a customizable airflow solution.

Beyond the health benefits of smart airflow, Field Control’s HVAC solutions are environmentally friendly Cotton said, noting “It can make your air conditioning system 90% more efficient because you’re not having to run it as frequently.”

Reducing the energy demands on your air conditioning compressor can, over time, elongate the life of your AC. Field Control’s HVAC solutions, such as VentCool, provide health and environment benefits for the modern home and business.

It’s not the heat, it’s the humidity, right? Living in the south comes with knowing how to handle humidity inside and out, but even facility managers might not realize the lasting impact humidity has on a building and its occupants. On this episode of AirIQ with Field Controls, host Daniel Litwin sat down with Tim Begoske, Midwest regional manager for North Carolina-based Field Controls, to discuss controlling humidity levels indoors.

There are a variety of reasons why the humidity rises or lowers in a building, but often has to do with how tightly constructed and well-insulated its construction is. “It’s important we manage humidity to some tighter tolerances for comfort and health reasons,” Begoske said.

Field Controls creates indoor environment solutions such as the new Fresh Air Ventilation Control (FAVC), which manages fresh outdoor air intake and stale indoor air exhaust to monitor the indoor relative humidity and provide whole-dwelling ventilation. For example, if the inside air reaches 50 percent humidity, the FAVC lowers the outside air intake by 25 percent, and the system continues monitoring and adjusting to keep humidity in check.

“If we just make it cold, we could be clammy and not comfortable because you’d still be wet,” Begoske said. “Ideally with air conditioning you want to wring out that moisture by dehumidification.”

When it comes down to it, human comfort has a common denominator: “We’re all carbon bags of water,” Begoske said.

When it comes to keeping cool this summer, many people will reluctantly turn on a costly A/C unit. But smart homeowners will activate their whole house fan, designed to lower temperatures within a living space at a fraction of the cost of mechanical cooling.

On today's episode of AirIQ, Tim Barton, director of ventilation & west regional sales at Field Controls, shared his insights on whole house fans that are gaining popularity with building owners.

So how does it work? It's quite simple – "The driving element is air, bringing it into the house and exiting out the attic," Barton said. As the air moves across the body, it evaporates moisture on the skin to deliver a pleasant sensation.

Barton counts three benefits to the system: a low initial cost, utility savings, and increased personal comfort. Today's models are quiet and aesthetically pleasing, making them great for building owners and occupants seeking a cool environment without the use of artificial air conditioning.

While high humidity areas are not ideally suited for a whole house fan, certain places like California and areas of Colorado that have enacted strict building efficiency codes encourage these energy saving installations.

Maintenance is simple compared to other mechanical systems. Barton assures that as long as the motor is operating, you just need to keep the easily accessible grill clean and you're good to go.

Feedback so far has been remarkable among customers who've installed a unit, which can be outfitted with timers and even WiFi connectivity for remote operation. "The system is simple, and it just works. I have yet to find anybody that was unsatisfied."

Residential air quality affects more than your family's health; it costs time, money, and resources. On this episode of AirIQ brought to you by Field Controls, host Tyler Kern sits down with Ed Reynolds, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Field Controls, to discuss concerning facts about indoor air quality.

Indoor air quality refers to the quality of the air inside buildings as represented by concentrations of pollutants and thermal (temperature and relative humidity) conditions that affect the health, comfort, and performance of occupants. That quality affects not only occupants' comfort, but their short-term and long-term health. Respiratory conditions such as asthma are especially prevalent in homes with poor indoor air quality, Reynolds says.

"We're living in spaces much tighter than before," Reynolds says. "We've got families that are living in a plastic bag."

Reynolds explains that tight spaces obstruct the flow of clean, healthy air in residential and commercial buildings. That's compounded by bath fans, range hoods, and clothes dryers that quite literally exhaust the outside air. These common building mechanisms push outdoor air inside, often to help clear out cooking or other odors, but if they're not adequately ventilated they, too, can negatively affect your home or building's air quality.

But HVAC experts can help alleviate a lot of these issues with a complete portfolio of solutions. Total systems offer more comprehensive solutions for indoor air quality, which Reynolds explains can put building owners and tenants both at ease.