Old-school ribbed or flexible ducts are a bad idea. Flex hose can tear on nails or become compressed, kinked, or bent. It’s also dangerous : in dryer exhaust ducts, lint can collect inside the ribbing and cause a fire.

The best exhaust paths are made using solid, smooth ducting. Ideally, you want metal ducting that vents directly to the outside in as short and straight a run as possible. That way, the fan will work efficiently. If the exhaust duct has to make a lot of turns or go a long distance, you may need a fan with a larger capacity. I ducts run through unheated spaces, make sure the ducts are insulated and securely sealed at every seam. Without this, the cold air surrounding the ductwork will cause condensation and leaks.

Clothes dryer have an exhaust duct that lets the warm, moist air and lint from the dryer escape to the outside of the home (never vent it into an attic or crawl space –guaranteed mold and damage). The problem is the exhaust duct gets clogged. The lever of clogging varies between types of dryers and manufacturers, and depends on how often the duct is cleaned. (You do clean your dryer exhaust duct, right? I recommend it at least once a year) If your get a blockage, you’ve got a risky situation. When hot exhaust passes through a duct caked with all those bits of lint, it could end up triggering a house fire.

The other issue is lint gets past the dryer screen and gets caked on the inside of a dryer’s exhaust and flex tubes. Fabric softeners, dryer sheets, and anti-static products can make the problem even worse. The lint buildup reduces the performance and efficiency of your dryer–which means you’re paying more for it to work less effectively — and you’re increasing the risk of a lint fire. Do yourself and your family a big favor and use smooth, rigid metal ducting. Don’t connect it with screws because they poke through on the inside and catch lint.

Mice find their way into home looking for 2 things; warmth and food. Cold weather often drives them indoors to find shelter, and our homes look that much more enticing if they can find a food source. They gen in through cracks and anywhere there’s a gap: around vents, wires, pipes, windows and doors. Mice can chew through electrical wires and cause an electrical fire. They can destroy rigid foam and fiberglass batt insulation. They can eat away at any wood in the house including furniture, trim, cabinets, doors, even the wood in house structure. If you have got mice, you can try setting out traps. I don’t recommend using poison to get rid of them. Poisons are not always effective, and you don’t want to put the family pet at risk; pets can eat the poison or the poisoned mouse dies it’s often somewhere inaccessible, like behind a wall. To stop mice from getting inside, check annually for cracks and seal them. Always get an experienced exterminator to address the problem. They can find where the mice are coming in and block their entry with mesh wiring, wood, and/or spray foam insulation. Other solutions include weather strapping around the doors–this also increases energy efficiency–chimney caps on chimneys, keeping compost far away from the house, and moving firewood and mulch away from the house exterior. A sealed home is the only way to stop the problem. It’s the most effective and humane solution.

Clean out contaminates  Clean up mold ; use nontoxic cleaners; use low- or no-VOC paint, caulk, and adhesives; and store solvents in the garage. Hire a reputable dust-cleaning company to clean furnace ducts every year or two, especially after a renovation. You’ll amazed when they show you the before-and-after shots of your ducts. (make sure the company uses a camera scope to check the ductwork). Ventilate Properly  You need a sufficient air-exchange rate in your home to help extract chemicals and control humidity. Open windows or install the best exhaust fans on the market for your bathroom and kitchen (make sure you get the right size for your stove). Filter the air Your furnace filter traps airborne particles so you don’t breathe them in. Change your furnace filter often; I’d do it once every month or two. I also recommend having an HVAC specialist install an air cleaner with a HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filter to remove biological and airborne contaminants.

Most People don’t have a clue how long it takes a fan to remove all that moist air you’re creating every time you have a shower. They towel off, brush their teeth or shave, and flip off the fan when they leave the bathroom. I’ve heard experts say the exhaust fan needs to run for at least 20 minutes after you’re finished you shower, but I recommend 30 minutes just to be safe. And make sure you crack the door or a window open while the fan runs. If the bathroom is sealed, it restricts airflow and your fan can’t push warm air outside. Installing a timer makes it easier. This preventive measure helps control moisture and can add years to the life of your bathroom.