Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) and Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs) are balanced ventilation systems that remove stale, stagnant air from inside your house while adding back an equal volume of fresh outdoor air. As homes have become more tightly constructed and air-sealed to conserve energy, air stagnation and unhealthy indoor air quality have become acute. ERVs and HRVs not only ventilate with balanced air volume, but they also transfer heat. The advantages of both ERVs and HRVs depend largely on the status of air infiltration through cracks, gaps and other air leaks. Older, “leaky” houses typically benefit less from ERVs and HRVs than newer, airtight structures.
If you have allergies, you know how important – and how difficult – it can be to find relief in your own home. Unfortunately, indoor environments can concentrate air pollution, especially if they don’t have a working ventilation system.