Among the greatest difficulties when heating and cooling one’s home is not only doing so effectively and efficiently, but doing so while also maintaining high levels of indoor air quality. Many modern homeowners seek to seal up their homes as tightly as possible in an effort to minimize any energy waste that may occur due to air leaks and other issues. The problem with this is that it negates the appropriate levels of natural ventilation which you need in order to keep the air in your home fresh.
By using an ERV or HRV in Fort Collins, CO, though, you can heat and cool your home efficiently while also allowing for sufficient ventilation, keeping the quality of the air in your home high. Here is some information to consider regarding such systems, courtesy of the IAQ experts here at Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning. If you decide that an HRV or ERV is right for you, then just give us a call.
ERVs (energy recovery ventilators) and HRVs (heat recovery ventilators) are both mechanized ventilation systems, and both operate fairly similarly. In order to vent old, stale air out of the home without wasting the energy that you used in order to condition it, the ERV or HRV passes this air stream by the incoming air, which is not conditioned but is fresh from the outdoors. A transfer of thermal energy takes place, meaning that heat from the air inside is used to pre-warm cold incoming air during the winter months. In the summer, the cool air leaving your home pre-chills the hot, fresh air coming in. Energy recovery ventilators, though, unlike HRVs, allow the air streams to mix a bit, rather than just passing them very near one another.
This intermingling of the air streams allow for the balancing of humidity levels, in addition to the heat transfer that heat recovery ventilators also offer. By balancing humidity for optimal levels, energy recovery ventilators can help to prevent the unwanted fluctuation of humidity during the ventilation process. While some people may recommend that HRVs are best used in cold, dry climates, as humidity is not as much of an issue, the truth is that determining whether or not your home will best benefit from an HRV or ERV may vary on a case to case basis.
A number of factors, including air leaks in the home envelope, the number of square feet measured against the number of occupants, and even the personal habits of people in your home may impact the decision. By hiring and IAQ specialist, such as those at Fort Collins Heating & Air Conditioning, you can know for certain that you are choosing the right system for your needs. If you are wondering if an energy recovery ventilator or a heat recovery ventilator is right for you, then just give us a call today.