Heat recovery systems are becoming increasingly popular among energy-conscious homeowners who not only want to save on their energy costs but want to reduce their energy consumption for environmental reasons as well. HRVs and ERVs are both units that allow you to use the ambient air in your house to either cool or heat incoming air and reduce the amount of energy used by your heating or air conditioning system. But while both do have their fair share of similarities, one might be better suited for your situation than the other. Let’s take a look at some of the differences between the two systems and which one you should go depending on your needs.
What do HRVs and ERVs do Exactly?
Before we start about the differences, let’s talk about what both units do first. Both HRVs and ERVs work to redistribute indoor air outside, which allows the system to remove various pollutants, particles, smoke and dust out of the house. They also help to recirculate air inside the house and ensure that your air is constantly recycled and replaced with fresh air from the outside.
Both units will also be equipped with filtration systems that remove pollutants from outside air and will redistribute the air to every room you want via ductwork. They are also designed so that the outside air coming in mixes with the inside air coming out, tempering it before it enters the house. They can also be hooked up to a central air system.
What’s the Main Difference Between the Two?
The major difference between an ERV and an HRV is that ERVs will also dehumidify the incoming air while HRVs won’t. The dividing walls in the heating core of an HRV will be protected against humidity, while the walls in an ERV will have a desiccating agent that will strip the air from excess humidity. ERV systems are designed to transfer air from the most humid airflow to the driest, allowing it to humidify arid spaces and dehumidify spaces that are too humid.
So, Which One is Better for me?
There are many things you have to consider when deciding which option you should go for. If you have many people living in the house, an HRV might be a better option since your household will already be generating a lot of humidity. If you’re living alone or have fewer people in the house, then an ERV might be better since air humidity tends to be lower in these cases. An ERV will often be a better choice for bigger homes while HRVs might be recommended for smaller or mid-size homes.
Other factors, like local climate, how airtight your home is, and heating system type also have to be considered. That’s why it’s important that you speak with professionals who are familiar with both heat recovery systems before you make a decision. If you need more in-depth information on different heat recovery systems and what they can do, https://www.bpcventilation.com/ is a good place to start.
Conclusion
Heat recovery systems are a great way to reduce your overall energy consumption while improving air quality and limiting your exposure to potentially harmful pollutants. Make sure that you speak with a qualified professional to know which option is the best for your situation.
Author’s Bio
Veselina Dzhingarova, co-founder of ESBO, currently works as a branding and marketing consultant, bringing together the knowledge and intuition that she has developed over many years spent working in relevant fields. Veselina is a regular contributor at many online publishers. She is the co-founder of Dzhingarov , BlogForWeb, HealthAnnotation, MonetaryLibrary, Cryptoext, TravelTipsor and others. You can get in touch with her on LinkedIn & Google+ or at v.dzhingarova@gmail.com