Why Make-Up Air Is Essential in Today’s Homes

Modern homes are equipped with a wide array of appliances — clothes dryers, gas stoves, water heaters, fireplaces, and HVAC systems — all of which vent air to the outside during operation. While this is necessary for safety and performance, it creates a challenge: the air that is exhausted to the outside must be replaced.

This is especially critical in the kitchen, where gas appliances can release harmful byproducts like carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion. Ventilation hoods help remove heat and gases, but without a system to replace that lost air, your home can develop negative air pressure — an imbalance that leads to serious consequences for the health, comfort and safety of all occupants in the home.

The Problem With Negative Pressure

When air is exhausted from the home, the home starts pulling outside air from wherever it can: chimneys, crawlspaces, attics, or even wall gaps. This can lead to several problems:

• Backdrafting: Exhaust gases from combustion appliances can reverse direction and re-enter your home, introducing carbon monoxide and toxins.
• Excess Moisture: Humid, unfiltered air drawn indoors can raise moisture levels, contributing to mold growth and long-term damage to walls, insulation and structural wood.
• Insect and Pest Entry: Negative pressure can invite bugs and small pests through cracks and vents.
• Dust and Allergens: Air entering through attics or crawlspaces may carry allergens and pollutants, affecting the overall air quality of the living space.

Why Today’s Homes Are More Vulnerable

Unlike older homes that naturally leak air through poorly insulated walls and windows, modern construction focuses on energy efficiency and airtight design. This means there’s less natural air seepage — great for utility savings, but not for balanced indoor air quality. Here’s why make-up air systems are more important than ever:

• High-Powered Range Hoods: Many modern kitchens use professional-grade ranges that require powerful exhaust fans — some over 1200 CFM. Without incoming air to replace lost air, pressure imbalances are inevitable.
• Tight Building Envelopes: Spray foam insulation, sealed windows, and modern construction practices eliminate the natural airflow older homes had.
• Multiple Exhaust Sources: Running exhaust fans in bathrooms, kitchens and laundry rooms simultaneously, or operating an open fireplace, can make airflow problems even worse. If you're noticing poor ventilation, lingering odors, excess humidity, or inconsistent room temperatures, these could be signs your home needs a make-up air solution.

The Solution: Balanced Make-Up Air

A make-up air system restores balance by supplying fresh, filtered outdoor air in sync with the home’s exhaust demands. This maintains healthy air quality, prevents backdrafting, and keeps appliances working efficiently.

The system works automatically and seamlessly with your existing exhaust setup, ensuring optimal performance and a healthier indoor environment. FreshVent offers an intelligent make-up air intake solution designed for today’s homes. Whether you’re upgrading the kitchen's ventilation or it's a new construction scenario, FreshVent helps protect your comfort, health, and energy efficiency.

Fresh Air In, Peace of Mind Out

A properly balanced make-up air system doesn’t just support better ventilation — it supports the family's long-term health and well-being. With FreshVent, you get more than fresh air — you get a smarter, safer way to breathe easier every day.

FreshVent — A healthy home starts with balanced air.

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