A lot of folks notice things like damp corners or fogged-up windows and chalk it up to the season. That makes sense. Winters here are long, and summers don’t always bring much relief. However, when that dampness sticks around, or certain rooms always feel stuffy no matter what the thermostat says, poor ventilation could be part of the problem.
Ventilation has one job: to keep air moving through the house in a way that makes it healthier and more comfortable to live in. It brings in fresh air, pushes out stale or humid air, and helps keep moisture under control.
Without it, even the best heating and cooling systems start to fall short.
In Minnesota, the problem shows up differently depending on the season. In winter, most homes are sealed up tight, which helps with efficiency but also traps moisture and indoor air pollutants. In summer, a lack of airflow can make the house feel warmer than it is, especially on humid days. That can lead to systems running longer than needed—or worse, not keeping up at all.
What Happens When Air Gets Trapped?
When air doesn’t have a clear path through the home, you start to notice little things that don’t seem connected at first. A bathroom mirror that stays fogged up long after the shower ends. A kitchen that smells like last night’s dinner, even the next morning. A downstairs bedroom that always feels damp, no matter the season.
Moisture tends to hang around in these spaces. It settles on windows, gets into corners, and finds its way into places it shouldn’t, like your drywall and insulation. Over time, this creates conditions where mold takes hold, even if the surface looks fine. A lot of the calls we get for “bad smells” or “damp basements” are actually ventilation problems hiding in plain sight.
In a lot of cases, we see this in homes built in the late ’90s or early 2000s that were insulated well enough for the time but didn’t include dedicated ventilation systems. Finished basements are especially common trouble spots. The equipment might be doing everything it can, but without a way for fresh air to come in and stale air to leave, it doesn’t make much of a difference.
Modern Homes Need Help Moving Air
Years ago, houses didn’t need mechanical ventilation. They were built loose enough that air found its way in and out without much help. It wasn’t efficient, but it worked.
Today’s homes are built tighter—and for good reason. Better insulation, sealed windows, and weatherstripping help cut down on energy use. The downside is that this stops the natural air exchange that used to happen through small cracks and gaps.
Even older homes that have been updated can run into the same issue. A house from the 1960s might have had decent airflow back then, but after new windows, attic insulation, and spray foam around the rim joists, it’s suddenly sealed tight. If ventilation wasn’t added along the way, the air just stays put.
Some homeowners try to fix the issue by running exhaust fans more often or opening a window, but that’s only a short-term fix—and not a practical one during a Minnesota winter.
The “V” in HVAC
A lot of people think of their furnace and air conditioner as separate from ventilation. In reality, they’re connected. Your HVAC system moves air throughout the house, and if it’s not doing that evenly or efficiently, the symptoms show up quickly: uneven temperatures, air that feels heavy, constant cycling.
Some systems are designed to run the fan regularly, even when heating or cooling isn’t active. Others can be set up with fresh air intakes or recovery ventilators that help manage humidity and keep air moving gently year-round. These upgrades aren’t one-size-fits-all. What makes sense in one home may not in another.
How Schwantes Can Help
We’ve worked in homes across Minnesota long enough to know how local weather affects airflow. Every house is different. Some need better ventilation in just one room. Others benefit from adjustments to the system itself. We can take care of issues things like rerouting returns, adding timed fan control, or helping a bath fan actually do what it’s supposed to.
If your house doesn’t feel right and you’re not sure why, we can take a look. No guesswork, no push for upgrades that aren’t necessary, just an honest assessment of how your home is breathing and whether it could be doing it better.
