Heat Recovery Ventilation Systems (HRVs): What They Are and Why You Need One

No matter where you live or where you grew up, you’re probably familiar with the phrases, “close the door, the air conditioner is on!” or “shut the door, the furnace is running!”

Indoor air is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air which can lead to serious health risks. All new homes require ventilation and HRVs are a major component providing two to three air changes in a home per day filtering in-coming air and reducing heating/cooling loss with tempered fresh air entering the home.

Heat recovery systems or HRVs bring fresh tempered air into your home and distributed to living areas – bedrooms, living rooms, etc. while removing air from bathrooms and kitchens.

Why Homes Need HRVs

As homes and technology have developed, walls and insulation have made it so that your residence is air-tight, or as close to it as possible. This way, you can keep in cool air in during the summer and heat during the winter. However, your home needs regularly refreshed air. It is also very important to keep bathrooms, clothes dryers, and dishwashers well ventilated. Modern homes produce a large amount of moisture each day! Without moisture control mould, mildew and dust grow rapidly which can exacerbate allergies, asthma, and other chronic heath issues.

So why can’t you just open the windows to let in the fresh air and then close them again when you turn the air or heat on? Well, this can get very expensive at the height of either season. Don’t worry though – there’s an answer.

The answer, incredibly, is right there in your body. Your cardiovascular system needs a constant stream of fresh air plus a way to get rid of the old, stale air that you’ve already consumed. The cool part? When you breathe out, your nasal passages are warmed up by the air that’s been inside your body. Then, when you breathe in through your nose, the cold outside air takes on some of this heat, which would have otherwise been wasted.

Although you’ve probably heard that it is better to breathe through your nose rather than your mouth for many reasons, we bet you didn’t know that that’s the reason why! This natural exchange is called “heat exchange” (which makes sense) and it’s what an HRV does for your home.

With HRVs two ventilation ducts can run alongside each other within the walls of your home. One duct brings fresh air inside and the other carries out odours and moisture-laden air. Additionally, each stream passes through a heat exchanger which transfers the heat of the exhaust air to the new. It does this without the two types of air ever mixing. It’s almost magic!

Most HRVs have a fan that can be adjusted up or down depending on the temperature and humidity conditions, which often change in almost every home. They can also come with bypass machines in which cool air from outside gets brought in without picking up heat from the outgoing air, which is beneficial during hot summer months.

HRVs can save you hundreds of dollars a year on heat and cooling bills. They’re also helpful for the environment, reducing energy use by up to 65%. Removing the excess moisture from your home helps to keep it healthy too, reducing the likelihood of asthma flareups, allergic reactions and mould infestations. Homes with HRV units tend to have reduced dust and general odours all without opening a window. Add these benefits to the quality-of-life improvement of a comfortable, healthy home and it’s a no-brainer.

Our team knows HRVs and will get your home set up with exactly the system that you need.