You nailed it about the balance. I remember helping a friend finish up a “passive house” reno a couple years ago—super-tight envelope, triple-glazed everything, the works. He was thrilled with the energy bills… until his kid’s asthma started acting up and they couldn’t get rid of this weird damp smell. Turns out, the contractor skipped installing an HRV to cut costs. Ended up having to retrofit one anyway, which was way more hassle than just doing it right from the start.
It’s wild how folks will chase that airtight number without thinking about what life in there actually feels like day-to-day. I sometimes wonder if we’re over-correcting for drafts because of energy efficiency hype, instead of looking at the bigger picture—comfort, health, durability.
Curious if you’ve ever seen someone try those “smart” ventilation systems that adjust based on humidity or CO2? I keep hearing mixed things about how well they actually work in practice...