Anyone familiar with a Ventilation device called EZ-Breathe

  • Active since 1995, Hearth.com is THE place on the internet for free information and advice about wood stoves, pellet stoves and other energy saving equipment.

    We strive to provide opinions, articles, discussions and history related to Hearth Products and in a more general sense, energy issues.

    We promote the EFFICIENT, RESPONSIBLE, CLEAN and SAFE use of all fuels, whether renewable or fossil.
Status
Not open for further replies.

Seasoned Oak

Minister of Fire
Oct 17, 2008
7,215
Eastern Central PA
A friend of mine is about to pull the trigger on a device called an Ez-Breathe. its basically a squirrel cage fan in a box that sits on your basement floor and ventilates cool damp air from the floor to the outside.It claims there is no need for a fresh air intake. It relies on cracks around windows and doors(not very scientific) Worst part is it cost about $1500. A lot for a $50 fan in a box. It does have a humidistat in it so it turns off if tha air reaches a certain humidity. I think a better move would be to invest a few more dollars in a good air recovery system that also extracts the heat or cold from exiting air and provides a dedicated fresh air intake.
 
I had a competing device (VenMar, I think, much cheaper) in a previous house.
In my climate it was a bad idea, because it pulled warm wet summer air down into the basement, where the cool surfaces caused condensation.
 
This is basically a waste of $1500. The marketing message is something like "dehumidify your basement for pennies a day", but all it does is pull air in from the outside to replace the air in the basement. If your friend needs dehumidification, he should spend $200 on a dehumidifier, or $1000 on a heat pump water heater. If your friend needs to to circulate the basement air so that it isn't stale, then a simple fan between upstairs and downstairs will work just as well.
 
A decent dehumidifier is going to cost a whole lot less and will do a better job. We have one in the greenhouse (Frigidaire I think) and it works great.
 
This is basically a waste of $1500. The marketing message is something like "dehumidify your basement for pennies a day", but all it does is pull air in from the outside to replace the air in the basement. If your friend needs dehumidification, he should spend $200 on a dehumidifier, or $1000 on a heat pump water heater. If your friend needs to to circulate the basement air so that it isn't stale, then a simple fan between upstairs and downstairs will work just as well.
Im trying to talk him out of it gently,but he seems to be convinced by the sales pitch,also the part about if your not happy with it they will buy it back within a year. They might not be in business in a year.
 
I had to install an air exchanger when I pulled the permit for my basement renovation, and I got this one one line for about $330.
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wc...roupId=119516&surfModel=FV-04VE1&displayTab=O

Basically, it brings in air from outside and also exhausts air from the inside, and I am hoping that I won't have to run the dehumidifier as much. I should have the basement done in a month or so, so I will post back on how it works, pros/cons, etc.

$1500 seem like an aweful lot of money for just a fan to bring in air
 
  • Like
Reactions: Seasoned Oak
There are lots of scam products on the market that add little value. The Eden Heat room heater is an example. It does the job no better than a $29 space heater. Yet it's pushed as a real energy saver. A fool and his money are easily parted.
 
There are lots of scam products on the market that add little value. The Eden Heat room heater is an example. It does the job no better than a $29 space heater. Yet it's pushed as a real energy saver. A fool and his money are easily parted.
Yea BG now they have the "new and improved" radient wave or some crap eden pure sayin it dont take the moisture out of the air.They are tryin to get the same victims a second time around to upgrade.
 
I had to install an air exchanger when I pulled the permit for my basement renovation, and I got this one one line for about $330.
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wc...roupId=119516&surfModel=FV-04VE1&displayTab=O

Basically, it brings in air from outside and also exhausts air from the inside, and I am hoping that I won't have to run the dehumidifier as much. I should have the basement done in a month or so, so I will post back on how it works, pros/cons, etc.

$1500 seem like an aweful lot of money for just a fan to bring in air

daveswoodhauler,

I have never heard of having to install a vent before in the basement. Is this done to possibly mitigate a known radon issue in your area ?

In Ohio they generally will install a fan outside of the house that is tied in the curtain drain of the house if they suspect a radon issue in the basement.

Scott
 
daveswoodhauler,

I have never heard of having to install a vent before in the basement. Is this done to possibly mitigate a known radon issue in your area ?

In Ohio they generally will install a fan outside of the house that is tied in the curtain drain of the house if they suspect a radon issue in the basement.

Scott

Hi Scott,

Yes, here in Massachusetts the building code requires you to have so much natural lighting and ventilation for living area in the basement. For natural ventilation it is 4% of the floor area, and since we only had 2 tiny basement windows and a bulkhead door, we did not meet the requirements...hence we had to install some mechanical ventilation. Funny you should mention the radon issue, as just last month we had to install a remidation device (piping and fan) to remove the high radon in our basement. (levels were ranging from 12-15pcl).

At first I didn't want to install the venting, but with my 3 kids being down there a lot once the room is done, and the basement can get humid, so I am hopinh that this will help with some air flow and perhaps cut down on the use of the dehumidifier.

David
 
David,

My wife and I but an addition on our house last year with a full basement and we do not ( this is both good and bad ) have any building codes where we live at. Our basement does have a double door but no windows or any other type of ventilation. Do you have any thoughts so far on the fan ? Our basement was not built super tight, but does have closed cell foam insulation around the band board and closed cell foam on the outside of the block. We still get the "musty" smell in the basement and I have been thinking about ways to efficiently get fresh air down there.

Scott
 
David,

My wife and I but an addition on our house last year with a full basement and we do not ( this is both good and bad ) have any building codes where we live at. Our basement does have a double door but no windows or any other type of ventilation. Do you have any thoughts so far on the fan ? Our basement was not built super tight, but does have closed cell foam insulation around the band board and closed cell foam on the outside of the block. We still get the "musty" smell in the basement and I have been thinking about ways to efficiently get fresh air down there.

Scott
I would go with the real deal which is a fresh air exchanger ,not cheap but does what its supposed to and also extracts the energy ( either hot or cold)from the conditioned air.
 
David,

My wife and I but an addition on our house last year with a full basement and we do not ( this is both good and bad ) have any building codes where we live at. Our basement does have a double door but no windows or any other type of ventilation. Do you have any thoughts so far on the fan ? Our basement was not built super tight, but does have closed cell foam insulation around the band board and closed cell foam on the outside of the block. We still get the "musty" smell in the basement and I have been thinking about ways to efficiently get fresh air down there.

Scott

Hi Scott, Well, right now the fan is installed into the ceiling, but I don't have it wired up as of yet. Need to do some wiring and finish the walls and ceiling before I have the room completed and the fan running. Once I do, I will post back with some results as I think a lot of folks here have either spare rooms/playrooms in the basement, and I am also curious to see how the unit performs and perhaps cut down on some of the humidity.
Do you get a musty smell even with running a dehumidifier? (Ps. wanted to post last night, but for some reason I can't post on my kindle...of to the how to forum)
David
 
You're bringing in warm humid air from the outside. Once it hits the cooler basement, the air will only get more humid.
 
You're bringing in warm humid air from the outside. Once it hits the cooler basement, the air will only get more humid.
The unit has an exchange capillary core that recovers heat energy and moisture. Like I posted earlier, I will post back with some results when it is up and running to see if it is working as designed.
 
The unit has an exchange capillary core that recovers heat energy and moisture. Like I posted earlier, I will post back with some results when it is up and running to see if it is working as designed.
Just what does this system cost if i may ask?
 
I picked one up for about $320 or so...here is the link from where I purchased:

http://www.iaqsource.com/product.php?product=171090

Like I said earlier, I had to purchase one of these units in order to get the ok from the building inspector...I have mixed feelings on it, but will have to wait and see once it is up and running.
 
I was curious an went to check out EZ Breathe. I've talked to operator Rick and operator Debbie. I asked for a technical document or even a parts diagram to explain the inner workings of the magic box. Apparently I may be suffering from Sick Home Syndrome.

Gotta love it. Heck, I'm the proud owner of a Bose Wave radio! Amazing sound from a $10 speaker and about 20 cents worth of stamped plastic.
 
"Help me operator Ronny. I've read something on your website and think I could be suffering from SICK HOME SYNDOME. What do I do?"

I am getting absolutely no work done today!
 
Hi Scott, Well, right now the fan is installed into the ceiling, but I don't have it wired up as of yet. Need to do some wiring and finish the walls and ceiling before I have the room completed and the fan running. Once I do, I will post back with some results as I think a lot of folks here have either spare rooms/playrooms in the basement, and I am also curious to see how the unit performs and perhaps cut down on some of the humidity.
Do you get a musty smell even with running a dehumidifier? (Ps. wanted to post last night, but for some reason I can't post on my kindle...of to the how to forum)
David

David,

No musty smell when a dehumidifier is running. Just that typical basement smell most of the time. It gets the musty smell when the humidity gets higher outside. Like others, I hate making the electric company richer so I was looking for a cheaper alternative than running a dehumidifier or a whole house air exchanger.

Thanks,

Scott
 
Scott, feel the same way with having the dehumidifier running all the time. Not sure if this unit will help or not, but can post back in a month or so or send you a PM on my thoughts for the unit.
Good luck,
David
 
Having air exit out through the basement may be a very good idea,(except during the heating season and you have a open flame heating appliance there and you sabotage your draft) i just think there are cheaper ways to do it than a $1500 fan box. And warm weather operation during times of high humidity may make the problem worse.
 
Its got a built in damper that closes at certain temps. Then will run on exhsust only.Again, the cost was 320 not 1500.
 
The Eden Heat room heater is an example. It does the job no better than a $29 space heater. Yet it's pushed as a real energy saver..

Ha! I was thinking the exact same thing when I read this post.
 
Its got a built in damper that closes at certain temps. Then will run on exhsust only.Again, the cost was 320 not 1500.
I was referring to the EZ breathe at $1500, actually the one you are installing seems like its worth the money at $320
 
Status
Not open for further replies.