If you’ve ever taken a walk on a beautiful spring morning or stepped outside during a chaotic family get together, you already know the benefits of fresh air. Air exchangers — more specifically, heat recovery ventilators — are the same idea. They exchange stale indoor air with fresh air from outside, ridding your home of pollutants and regulating moisture levels in the process.
Let’s explore the many benefits of a heat recovery ventilation system, along with why they’re so strongly recommended here in Minnesota.
What Is an Air Exchanger / Heat Recovery Ventilator?
In its simplest form, an air exchanger is a system that exchanges the stale air currently in your home with fresh air from the great outdoors. It’s an essential piece of your HVAC system, ensuring proper ventilation and air flow throughout your home along with a whole host of other benefits. If the air in your home has ever felt a little “stuffy,” then an air exchanger might be the solution.
There are two types of air exchangers: energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) and heat recovery ventilators (HRVs). Here in the Twin Cities, we’re mainly trying to control humidity levels in the wintertime, so the most common type of residential air exchanger is a heat recovery ventilator. In fact, they’re so common that many will use the terms “air exchanger” and “HRV” interchangeably!
What makes an HRV unique (and why it’s so strongly recommended in Minnesota) is that it uses two separate ventilation ducts to recover 60% to 75% or more of the heat from the air in your home before exchanging it for a fresh batch. This is especially important in the colder months — instead of opening a few windows to air out the house, an HRV gets the job done without letting your expensive heat get away in the process!
Benefits of an Air Exchanger / Heat Recovery Ventilator
Proper home ventilation from an HRV isn’t just for comfort — although you’ll definitely notice a difference! The increased ventilation created by this type of air exchanger system means you’ll also benefit from:
- Better Air Quality: Dust, pet hair, dander, and pollen can all pose health risks and trigger allergies. An air exchanger, such as an HRV, can remove these pollutants and allergens and replace them with fresh, safe, filtered air. And by reducing indoor pollutants and allergens, HRV systems contribute to better respiratory health and overall well-being.
Quick Pro Tip: Pair your HRV with high-efficiency filters in your HVAC system to reduce dust, pollen, and other airborne particles even further!
- Humidity Reduction: Everything from leaks to showering to cooking can result in excess moisture in your home. Modern building codes have made houses tighter, and, as a result, humidity and moisture can easily get trapped inside, causing window damage, mold growth, and other issues. HRVs remove that pesky humidity to keep your home in peak condition.
- Heating Efficiency: Beyond comfort, recovering heat also means your heater won’t have to work as hard to keep your home warm. Your equipment and wallet will thank you!
- Temperature Control: Because an HRV recycles much of the heat from the air it expels, you can expect a much more stable home temperature than if you were to air out the house manually. That means you’ll stay consistently warm throughout the winter without sacrificing fresh air.
- Energy Conservation: In addition to the money you’ll likely save on utility bills, having an HRV is also the sustainable choice. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, an efficient HRV can recover up to 85% of the energy from outgoing air. Less energy = a lower carbon footprint!
When Should I Run My Heat Recovery Ventilator?
The most important time to run your HRV is in the winter. That’s when humidity and moisture are most likely to get trapped in your home and start causing problems.
In the summertime, an HRV can still be beneficial, but you’ll find most Minnesotans either turn them off or run them on the lowest settings during the warmer months. This is because an HRV can pull in excess humidity, forcing air conditioning units to work harder to cool down the space. That said, HRVs are still beneficial for removing allergens and pollutants in the air, so leaving them on low throughout the summer can help control allergies while minimizing the additional humidity brought into the home.
Joel Smith Heating & Air Conditioning Is Here to Help!
Whether you’re still deciding if an HRV is right for your home, have specific questions, or are ready to get going with a new heat recovery ventilation system, trust the team at Joel Smith HVAC. We’ve been serving the Twin Cities area for over 30 years, and we’ll help you determine the best solution for your home and make sure you’re taking advantage of its many benefits. Get in touch with our team today by calling 763‑792‑1066 or send us a message.