Can an air-to-air heat exchanger be used to bring in the needed air for appliances?
No. Heat exchangers are balanced systems, and exhaust the same amount of air as they bring in. They furnish fresh air for you to breath, but they do not keep the house from being depressurized. If I suspect a downdraft problem what should I do? Call a qualified heating contractor to check the house and the heating systems. Small temperature sensitive strips called “Backdraft Indicators” can be attached to the draft diverter to detect downdrafting. These strips have no audible alarm and should be used along with a carbon monoxide detector. For more information request other notes in the Carbon Monoxide series. Agricultural Engineering Notes (AEN’s) are informally published information releases on topics of current concern to Iowans.
