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AIRLET™ 100 or 200
Standard Self-Regulating Inlets
Standard self-regulating inlets allow a constant amount of fresh air to enter.
A flow-regulating damper ensures that the airflow is independent to wind pressure. Available in round or rectangular.
AIRLET™ 600
Humidity-Controlled Inlet
A unique make-up air inlet that automatically adjusts incoming airflow according to interior humidity levels.
Ventilation make-up air is modulated according to the room’s needs.
AIRLET™ 700
Temperature-Controlled Inlet
Continuously regulates airflows in response to the outdoor temperature.
AIRLET™ TL98
Manually Adjustable Inlets
Incorporates a variable control damper and unique air-distribution grille.
* Through-Window AIRLETs™ are also available. See separate brochure or contact factory for details

AIRLET TL98 The AIRLET™ TL98 manually adjustable fresh air inlet incorporates a unique variable precision-control damper that is manually adjusted using a discreet slide control accessible from behind the front cover.
The AIRLET™ TL98 includes an easily accessible permanent washable filter, expandable wall sleeve, and exterior louver. The white color blends well with any decor, and the AIRLET™ can be cleaned with a damp cloth. Optional pollen filters and sound-absorbing wall sleeves are also available.
Filter
Damper
Slide Control
The AIRLET™ 100 may be installed before or after the interior and exterior surfaces have been applied to the dwelling. Two telescoping sleeve combinations are available to accommodate different wall thicknesses. Exterior and interior grilles are made of UV-resistant, white plastic. The interior grille incorporates a flow-regulating damper that deflects a thin ribbon of fresh air upwards, providing draft-free fresh air that quickly mixes with warm ceiling air. A filter is provided in the sleeve, and it may be easily accessed for cleaning by removing the interior grille. There are no manual controls.
AIRLET 100
Damper
Filter
The round design of the AIRLET™ 200 permits easy installation after interior and exterior surfaces have been applied to the dwelling. One standard telescoping sleeve accommodates wall dimensions up to 9 inches thick.
Available with either a white epoxy painted exterior grille or a mill finish aluminum exterior grille, the interior grille is made of UV-resistant white plastic and extends 5/8 of an inch from the wall. The filter can be accessed easily without tools, and there are no manual controls to reset.
AIRLET 200
Damper
Filter
The AIRLET™ 600 automatically adjusts the incoming airflow according to interior humidity levels. Use with a continuously operating exhaust system in tightly constructed dwellings. The AIRLET™ 600 provides a controlled, dedicated pathway of fresh air. The discreet interior grille housing sports an unobtrusive white design for a contemporary look.
AIRLET 600
Installation Diagram
The A IRLET™ 700 is a temperature-responsive air inlet that automatically adjusts the incoming airflow according to outside temperatures. The integral, thermally powered actuator requires no external power to operate. The pre-calibrated opening begins to close when the outside air temperature drops below 50 °F, and it will completely close at 23 °F. A minimum airflow setting can be set manually. The AIRLET™ 700 includes an easily accessible permanent washable filter, expandable wall sleeve, and exterior louver.
(See individual specifications for performance and dimensional details)
AIRLET 700
Front
Cover
Thermostat
Filter
Condensation
Protection
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Q. WHY AIR INLETS? AREN’T HOMES NOW BEING BUILT TIGHTLY SO AS TO
REDUCE AIR INFILTRATION AND SAVE ENERGY?
A.
Yes, homes are being built more tightly, but an immediate consequence of this action is an increased level of indoor air pollutants: excessive humidity in the winter causes condensation on windows and other cold surfaces; mold and mildew; increased levels of carbon dioxide and formaldehyde from building products; and other indoor pollutants from living activities. In the past, leaky buildings, combined with the natural forces of wind and stack effect, permitted sufficient air change to remove these pollutants through the leakage areas of the buildings. In mild weather, windows can be opened to permit natural ventilation, but these natural forces are not sufficient to ensure adequate air change on tightly built homes. In addition, exfiltration of air through unintentional leakage areas, such as electrical and plumbing penetrations, attic hatches, and sole plates, can result in hidden moisture damage as humid indoor air encounters cold insulation and sheathing in the exterior walls and attic. Thus, it is best to use continuous interior-vapor retarders to protect the insulation and wall/ceiling components from moisture damage, and to provide a dedicated ventilation system incorporating fresh-air inlets to deliver fresh air into the home discreetly and without draft. Simply adding air inlets is not the answer to indoor air pollution. By providing a low, continuous exhaust rate, the minimum level of ventilation is assured, independent of the natural forces of wind and temperature differences. Mechanical ventilation on a tightly built home results in lower heating costs than a home with natural ventilation that provides the same average ventilation rate. The natural system, if adequate in milder weather, results in excessive ventilation during colder weather and increased fuel costs.
Q. HOW DO SELF-REGULATING AIR INLETS OPERATE ? WHAT EFFECT DOES
BUILDING LEAKAGE HAVE?
A. These inlets are simply passive openings, fitted with airflow-regulating controls, that permit air to enter the bedrooms and main living areas. The amount of air that flows through the inlets depends on the indoor-outdoor pressure difference.
(See the AIRLET™ 100 and 200 specification sheets for performance charts).
The pressure difference in turn is determined by the exhaust rate of the fan(s) ventilating the bathrooms and kitchen, and the total leakage area of the home, including the areas of the inlets. During windy weather, all fixed openings will permit more or less airflow, depending on the wind speed and direction. To be effective, the exhaust fan must be capable of exhausting enough air, and the house must be tight enough, so that a depressurization of 0.02 to 0.04 in. w.g. (5 to 10 Pascal) is achieved. AIRLETs™ 100 and 200 have about 5 in 2 of equivalent leakage area (ELA). In a home with 5 inlets, the air inlets provide about 25 in 2 of
ELA. If the unintentional leakage area is large compared to this value, very little fresh air will enter via the inlets.
Q. WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF WIND ON SELF-REGULATING INLETS?
A. Generally, as wind pressure increases so does airflow. AIRLETs™ 100 and 200 are provided with self-regulating dampers that close the inlet under increasing pressure to limit the effect of wind-driven infiltration via the inlet. Some inlets offer manual adjustments. Often occupants will close them during severe weather and forget to re-open them later. Self-regulating inlets operate automatically, eliminating the need for occupant adjustment.
Q. HOW DO HUMIDITY-CONTROLLED INLETS OPERATE?
A. The AIRLET™ 600 incorporates a unique relative humidity (RH) sensor composed of nylon strips. Due to nylon's sensitivity to moisture, the strips expand and contract with variations in the RH of the ambient air. The sensor is under tension and is coupled to dampers in the opening of the inlet that modulate airflow as the relative humidity varies. Incoming air is automatically regulated to maintain an acceptable RH level in the space where the AIRLET™ 600 is located. Assuming a tightly built structure, a room's RH level will rise when it is occupied. The AIRLET™
600 will gradually open, and additional air will be drawn in by the exhaust system.
This air, which is inherently drier than that of the interior (especially during colder weather when IAQ problems are most severe), lowers the RH level as it mixes in the room. (Note: AIRLET™ 600 is never completely closed. A minimum of 3 CFM is always assured.) As the humidity level decreases, the inlet closes and the airflow decreases. Because it varies airflow based on humidity levels, the AIRLET™ 600 is recommended for use in colder climates. Excessively dry interior air, which may result if standard, self-regulating inlets delivering constant levels of air are used, is limited with its use.
Q. CAN WOOD STOVES OR FIREPLACES BE USED WITH INLETS AND CENTRAL
EXHAUST VENTILATION SYSTEMS?
A.
Inlets have little, if any, effect on a wood stove or fireplace; however, the exhaust fan with which they are intended to be used is a source of concern. An exhaust fan will compete with a wood stove or fireplace for make-up air, and the result may be the backdrafting of the appliance. Wood stoves and fireplaces (and their exhaust flues) used under these conditions must be certified to operate safely in a negative pressure environment. It is not sufficient to supply make-up combustion air for the stove or fireplace with air ducted to a grille near the appliance. Naturally drafted equipment must have airtight doors and combustion air supplied directly into the combustion chamber from outdoors. AIRLETs™ are not intended to supply combustion air to any appliance.
Q. HOW CAN COLD AIR BE DELIVERED INTO A ROOM WITHOUT DISCOMFORT?
A.
By locating the inlet near the ceiling, and orienting the diffuser upwards, fresh air is directed to mix with warmer air in the upper part of the room. By the time it reaches the occupied zone, it is well mixed and draft is not perceptible.
Q. WHERE SHOULD INLETS BE PLACED?
A. Inlets should be located in bedrooms and main living areas such as living, dining, and family rooms. They should not be used in bathrooms or kitchens.
(These rooms should be served by exhaust ventilation only. In this fashion, the stalest air is exhausted from the home, with the freshest air in the bedrooms and living areas where occupants spend the most time.) Within the room, they should be installed high up on exterior walls, within 6-8 inches from the ceiling.
The following information applies only to AIRLETs™ 100 and 200 : They may be installed in a closet for aesthetic reasons, but this may result in cold clothing, if the closet door is left closed. If used with a continuous exhaust system, they may be installed just above perimeter baseboard heating convectors. (If the exhaust is not continuous, however, this may cause excess heat loss.)
Q. I AM PLANNING A VENTILATION SYSTEM FOR A HOME LOCATED NEAR A
BUSY FREEWAY. WON’T THE AIR INLETS ALLOW FREEWAY NOISE TO ENTER
THE HOME?
A.
American ALDES offers several solutions for reducing airborne noise through the inlets. Acoustic versions of AIRLET™ models TL98,100, 500 & 700 are available.
Additionally, installing the inlet on an exterior wall with the siding spaced away from the sheathing permits installation without the exterior weather cap. This also reduces transmission of outdoor noise. The AIRLET™ 200 may also be installed in a ceiling configuration with insulated flexible duct between the outdoor grille, in a soffit area. Depending on the length of duct, varying degrees of noise attenuation are possible.
Q. SHOULD INLETS BE USED WITH FORCED AIR HEATING SYSTEMS?
A.
In general, make-up air inlets should not be used with forced-air heating systems as a means of fresh air supply. Unless forced-air systems are installed with return grilles in all major rooms, and the supply and return airflows are well balanced in each room, positive pressure builds up in these rooms when the doors are closed. This pressure will cause exfiltration through the inlets, resulting in possible condensation in the inlet and on the weather cap in cold weather. Due to induced exfiltration in this zone of the home, there may be induced infiltration in the main living areas, possibly exacerbating such problems as backdrafting of fireplaces.
Forced-air heating systems also cause the relative humidity levels throughout a structure to be essentially the same. In the AIRLET™ 600, this counteracts its unique ability to respond to the need for increased ventilation in rooms with higher RH levels and decreased airflow to rooms with low RH levels.
For make-up air IAQ ventilation solutions to be used in connection with forced-air systems, please request MAK information from American ALDES.
4521 19th Street Court East, Suite 104
Bradenton, FL 34203 - USA
P: 941-351-3441 • F: 941.351.3442
www.americanaldes.com • info@americanaldes.com
© Copyright 2012 American ALDES Ventilation Corporation
Reproduction or distribution, in whole or in part, of this document, in any form or by any means, without the express written consent of the President of American ALDES Ventilation Corporation, is strictly prohibited.
The information contained within this document is subject to change without prior written notice.
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