Preserving indoor air quality is essential to good health and comfort. While there are many options available to help you improve your indoor air quality, an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) is one of the most popular. An ERV brings fresh air into a structure, while simultaneously retaining preconditioned heating or cooling. At the risk of getting too technical, an ERV functions using air-to-air exchange. A spinning wheel inside the ERV uses the air’s counter flow to expel the old air from inside a building while maintaining a cozy air temperature inside. Here are four main reasons to install an ERV.
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Conserves Energy
There are many ways to make your home more energy-efficient, such as eliminating air leaks and adding needed insulation, but a common problem with today’s newer buildings is that they are so airtight they don’t allow enough fresh air in for a healthy atmosphere. Unlike other indoor air quality systems on the market, an ERV renews and freshens the air without creating ozone, a noxious gas that can be dangerous to the respiratory system and is harmful to the environment.
Removes Humidity
An ERV is most ideal for homes in warm climates with moderate winters. It easily transfers moisture and heat from the incoming fresh air to the departing current of air. Typically, energy recovery ventilators are used with timers or monitored by humidistats, which control the humidity level in a building. ERVs generally remove the excess humidity, but they can also add humidity if the air feels too dry.
Improved Comfort
Everyone wants to feel comfortable in their homes, and an ERV is a great way to help your family feel cozy in a natural way, while also conserving energy. Have you ever opened a window just to let in fresh air? Well as good as that feels, opening a window brings in pollen, dust, and other potential allergens into your house. An ERV keep your air fresh without creating a potentially uncomfortable or hazardous environment.
Easy Installation
You can purchase a small window-mounted ERV at most home improvement stores, but the best ERV systems are suspended from the ceiling and generally mounted in attics, basements, or other crawl spaces within your home. Installation should always be done by a professional. Energy recovery ventilators need two connections to the outdoors. One connection will blow out stale air from the inside, and the other connection will bring in fresh air from outside. A professional HVAC technician will know the best way to route the connections.
An ERV is simpler than it sounds. In a nutshell, during the warm seasons it pre-cools and dehumidifies, and in cool seasons it humidifies and preheats, so you don’t feel cold air blowing in the moment the fan kicks on. The benefits of using an ERV include improved indoor air quality, consistent air temperatures, energy savings, and a reduction in overall HVAC equipment. Why not call your local HVAC expert today and look into a new ERV system for your home?
