I have mold allergies and chemical sensitivities, so we are leaving the humid South and building a home outside Santa Fe. We are having radiant hydronic heat in the floor and ceiling fans to help circulate it. Am unsure about the best ventilation and air-conditioning options, however. Would like to be able to have filtered fresh air in the house while keeping the windows closed much of the time (we're on a dusty dirt road). Am not sure how best to accomplish this. ERV? HRV? Positive pressure? Passive ventilation? Also not sure about how to cool the house -- am told we won't need air-conditioning often if we can keep the windows open, but this may not always be an option. The idea of a swamp cooler in the roof sounds like a potential mold factory. But not sure forced air is the best option either. It's costly and dries the air. We're looking at getting a couple of portable swamp coolers, perhaps. Would appreciate any suggestions anyone can give us? |