What Does a Heat Recovery Ventilator Do?

For those who have bought a house, are purchasing a house, or if you're renovating your home you may very well be familiar with the topic of a heat recovery ventilator or HRV. Brand new houses typically come with one, however older properties usually do not  have them unless the climate control system was modernized. Rather simply, an HRV works to preserve heat while eliminating stale indoor air.


Back before the ever increasing rise in energy costs began, heat retention would not have been needed in the same capacity as it is today. Now we've got air tight doors and windows, each crack is filled with caulk and our walls are insulated much better than at any time before. All this works fantastic to assist in decreasing our heating bills, but it can be a nightmare for indoor air air pollution. We may be comfortable, but our health can be at stake with allergens and micro organism increasing.

Although some steps could be taken such as electrostatic air filters, they decrease the amounts of airborne contaminants, but do absolutely nothing for the gases for example carbon monoxide or excess moisture. This is where a heat recovery ventilator  will come into play. The most effective approach to keep the indoor air pure is always to remove the polluted air and substitute it with new, dry air. This needs a system with two supporters, 1 to push bad air out and an additional to drag the nice air in. A heat recovery ventilator will do this and more. Not merely does the air get cycled through for cleanliness,  it also goes through a high temperature exchange core which heats the outdoor air before it circulates indoors. 

Up to 85% of the heat from the inside air can be moved to the air being brought in from the outside, which is much more cost effective than opening windows. Filters are used to capture dust, pollen along with other air substances from entering with the fresh air. An HRV can be very useful in the summer months as well but they are most helpful in the winter months.

Interested in learning more? Contact your local HVAC company.