Air to air heat exchangers provide a novel and economical method of closed loop enclosure cooling. Apart from the air circulation fans, the exchangers use no energy and are relatively quiet in operation. In many instances, they offer a viable alternative to enclosure air conditioners.
By modulating indoor temperature and humidity levels, an air exchanger helps maintain a more consistent indoor environment. This stability reduces the strain on your HVAC system, leading to improved efficiency and reduced energy consumption.
Not only does it require electricity to run the air exchanger, but the air the exchanger brings into your house must be brought up to temperature. This may require that more electric is used to cool your building or that more fuel is also required for heating.
We recommend that you run your air exchanger for twenty minutes every hour, this will save you money on your heating. By ensuring your appliance is properly installed, this will provide you with more comfort, better air quality, a good way to control humidity inside.
The exchanger really should not run more than 20 minutes out of the hour as you are causing the furnace to have to run to heat the cold outside air you are drawing in. A better way to keep air fresh is to allow the exchanger to run 20 minutes but keep fan in on position on furnace to keep circulating air.
To optimize energy efficiency, consider coordinating your air exchanger with your HVAC system. For instance, during winter, operate your air exchanger when your heating system is running to take advantage of the heat recovery process.
HRVs and ERVs do require energy to run, but this energy is offset by the heat recovered from the exhaust air. Airtight homes equipped with heat recovery systems will have substantially lower energy costs per year than having ventilation without heat recovery.
Air exchangers are quite durable, and can easily last 15-20 years. With proper maintenance, it's possible for air exchange units to last as long as 25 years.
Since the colder outdoor air is usually drier in the winter, an HRV can also help reduce excessive humidity in your home. We recommend setting your HRV to “minimum” or “vent”. However, the 20/40 setting is also good because it only runs the system for 20 minutes every hour.
These products are great because they prevent air leakages, which keeps more conditioned air (either heated or cooled) inside the home. Not only does this make your home more comfortable but it also saves you money on energy bills.
The agency says it is “normal” for an air exchanger's motor to overheat, make noise and emit smoke when it reaches the end of its life, but the integrated safety device and current limiter shut off the power supply to prevent a fire. A total of 207,000 units of the affected products were sold in Canada.
Regulate humidity: Air exchangers eliminate excess moisture, which helps keep your home comfortable—not too humid and not too dry.
A poorly maintained air exchanger can lead to negative or positive pressure inside the home, resulting in heat loss and the appearance of mold and mildew, among other problems.
The answer depends on your home's air conditioning system, your ERV wall control, the outdoor temperature and, most importantly, the outdoor relative humidity. As a rule of thumb, if you are more comfortable outside than inside your house, you should run your air exchanger in the summer.
The average whole house air filtration system costs $2,610, but it can range between $419 and $4,962, depending on the system size, filtration type, and the installation requirements.
When it's cold outside and you're using your home's furnace, it's best to operate your heat recovery ventilator continuously. It ensures a consistent supply of fresh air and removes indoor air pollutants. This is especially true if you have a newer, air-tight home.
Keep It Turned On
This one might seem obvious, but you must use your air exchanger to enjoy its benefits. So don't think you are wasting a significant amount of energy by turning the device on. Your air exchanger is most effective when run continuously.
An air exchanger should not make your house cold if it is functioning correctly. It is designed to exchange indoor air with outdoor air without significantly affecting the indoor temperature. If your house feels cold, it could be due to other factors or an issue with the system that needs to be addressed.
The first method of finding out if your home needs a air exchanger is seeing if your home is an R-2000 home. This means adding an added layer of insulation and Thermal poly around the whole house. If so then your home might be creating too much moisture and condensation.
Run your air to air exchanger in the winter months and turn it to standby in the spring, summer, and fall. You should still press your fan button control in all times of the year to remove that surge of moisture when we bath or shower, but the air exchanger itself will be fairly dormant during the summer months.
By continuously circulating fresh air throughout your home, an air exchanger can help prevent the conditions that allow mold to thrive. Eliminating Contaminants: Air exchangers also help reduce the concentration of airborne contaminants, including mold spores, by replacing stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air.
How often should the filters on your air exchanger be maintained? At least every three months. If, however, your house is near a highway or a dirt road, or if you live in a neighbourhood where wood-fired heating is the norm, you will need to do this more often.
MVHR systems offer many advantages, they are not without their drawbacks. The high upfront cost, maintenance requirements, potential noise, space requirements, and climate considerations should all be taken into account when considering an MVHR system.
Compared to other HVAC solutions, geothermal heat pumps are the most energy efficient and environmentally friendly because they rely on the unchanging ground temperature.
Heat pumps are designed to be highly efficient, about 2–4 times more efficient than electric resistance heat, which is the most common back up heat source. This means when your HVAC unit is in emergency heat mode, you could be paying around three times as much to heat your home.