American Aldes AIRLET 100 Owner's manual

INSTALLATION
OPERATION
MAINTENANCE
Self Regulating Fresh Air Inlet
For indoor Air Quality Ventilation
AIRLET
100
The Airlet 100 is a fresh air inlet designed to supply
make up air ventilation for bedrooms and living areas,
and is not intended to supply combustion air for fire-
places or makeup air for large exhaust fans, such as
range hoods.
The Airlet 100 is compatible with zonal electric, radiant
and hydronic heating systems. It must not be used with
forced air heating systems, unless return registers are
provided in each room in which an Airlet 100 is installed.
This is to prevent exfiltration through the inlet when the
forced air system is operating and doors are closed
between rooms.
For make up air products specifically engineered for
use with forced air heating systems, request an ALDES
FAK from your supplier.
GENERAL NOTES AND SUGGESTIONS
Best results will be obtained in homes with tight air-vapor
retarders, and continuous central exhaust from bathrooms,
kitchen and laundry.
The goal is to achieve a home with slight negative pressure,
to avoid exfiltration into the walls and attic. Install one fresh
air inlet in each bedroom, and living/dining room area(s)1.
Inlets should not be installed in kitchens, bathrooms or
laundry areas. These areas should be exhaust points to a
central exhaust system.
When placed high on exterior walls, drafts from the inlet
should not be noticeable. The interior fixture produces a
thin ribbon of fresh air deflected upwards, which quickly
mixes with the warmer air near the ceiling.
INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS
TOOLS REQUIRED
• Saber saw or router
• Drywall knife
• Philips No. l screwdriver
• Silicone or exterior butyl caulk
WOOD FRAME WALL APPLICATIONS
1. Locate air inlets high on exterior walls in bedrooms, living/
dining/family room areas. Avoid placing inlets closer than
6" to the ceiling, or condensation may occur on the ceiling
near the inlet in cold weather. The inlet may also be installed
near baseboard heating.
2. The metal sleeves may be installed either:
• During the framing stage - after the exterior
siding is applied, but before insulation and
interior dry wall is completed.
•After all finish materials are applied.
2.1 INSTALLING BEFORE DRYWALL
2.1.1 First locate the studs, then mark the opening on the
siding. Avoid stud spaces with plumbing or electrical
wires. Cut the opening so that one side is flush with a
stud. Using a reciprocating saw, cut through the siding and
sheathing and remove or dislodge the insulation. Preserve
the insulation for replacement around the sleeve.
2.1.2 From the inside, install blocking between the studs
either above or below the opening cut through the siding.
Install the blocking with a slight slope downward to the
exterior (1/4" per foot slope is sufficient). This slope will
permit any water to drain to the exterior, should driving rain
enter the sleeve.
2.1.3 Install the female part of the sleeve from the outside
and secure it to the blocking with a flat head wood screw
through the edge of the sleeve (drill a small hole in the
sleeve as necessary). See figure l.
NOTE: Be careful to note the location of the inlet so that after
insulation, vapor barrier and drywall is installed, the female
inlet sleeve may be located to complete the installation.
1) Some jurisdictions/utilities may have different requirements.
Consult your code official/utility representative.
EXTERIOR
FLAT SIDING
SHEATHING
SCREW
WOOD
BLOCKING
STUD
FEMALE
INLET SLEEVE
EXTERIOR GRILLE
INSTALLATION ON
FLAT SIDING
FIGURE 1
STANDARD SLEEVE
INTERIOR GRILLE

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the siding.
Avoid stud spaces with plumbing or electrical wires.
Cut the opening so that one side is flush with a stud. Using
a keyhole or reciprocating saw, cut through the siding and
sheathing and remove or dislodge the insulation.
2.2.2 Drill a small, 1/8" hole on the side of the female and
male sleeves, within 1/2" of the edge of the sleeves, to
permit driving a small nail or screw into the stud from the
interior of the sleeve.
2.2.3 Install the female sleeve through the siding and se-
cure with a nail or screw to the stud. Using a long-handled
screwdriver or awl, drive a hole through the drywall to locate
the sleeve from the interior. Follow the procedures in 2.1.4
to 2.1.7.
MASONRY WALL APPLICATIONS
The installation is similar to wood frame wall applications,
except that the sleeves must be installed during the installa-
tion of brick or block. Provide solid blocking inside the sleeves
to prevent deforming the metal sleeves. This blocking must
be removed when the wall is finished.
MAINTENANCE
The inlet is provided with a bug screen and a filter. These
should be checked periodically and cleaned as necessary.
The filter can be accessed from the interior of the home
by removing the two screws securing the face plate to the
metal sleeve. Remove the filter by grasping it at one corner
and pulling it out at an angle. The filter may be washed or
vacuumed. The bug screen on the exterior weather grille
may be brushed or vacuumed at the same time. The part
number for replacement filters is 11 414.
2.1.4 After the drywall has been installed, cut the opening
for the male sleeve with a hand drywall knife, following the
interior of the female sleeve as a guide.
See figure 2.
2.1.5 Insert the male sleeve, with the filter installed, into
the female sleeve. See figure 3.
2.1.6 Seal the exposed joints with silicone caulk:
• Between the sleeves.
• Between the siding and the sleeve.
• Between the drywall and the sleeve.
2.1.7 Attach the exterior weather cap and the interior face
plate to the sleeve with the screws provided.
2.2 INSTALLATION AFTER DRYWALL IS INSTALLED
2.2.1 First locate the studs, then mark the rough opening
on the siding. On bevel siding, locate the inlet so that the
exterior cover plate will fall just below the lower edge of
In extremely cold weather, some condensation may occur on
the inlet, depending on the outside temperature and the indoor
relative humidity. This should be an infrequent occurrence of
short duration, occurring when there is a sudden drop in out-
side temperature. As the cold drier air enters and mixes with
the interior air, the interior humidity should reduce sufficiently
so that the condensation on the inlet disappears, and is not a
cause of concern.
FLAT SIDING
Installation
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 2
DRYWALL
KNIFE
USE FEMALE
SLEEVE AS
GUIDE FOR CUT-
TING
INTERIOR
DRYWALL
INSULATION
FLAT
SIDING
FEMALE
SLEEVE
BLOCKING
FEMALE
SLEEVE
FILTER
MALE
SLEEVE
BLOCKING