Heat Recovery Ventilation Units

Heat Recovery Ventilation Units (HRV)

What is the purpose of a Heat Recovery Ventilation
Unit?
They provide an energy efficient way to bring in fresh
filtered air while removing stale air. A heat recovery
ventilator (HRV) brings in fresh air from the outside,
preheats the incoming air during the winter and precools
the incoming air during the summer. It can provide clean
fresh air every day while helping to keep energy costs
low.

Why is an Heat Recovery Ventilaion Unit Useful?
Tight buildings reduce energy costs by keeping in the
heated or air conditioned air. But tight buildings without
adequate ventilation trap humidity and pollutants so they
feel "stuffy", aggravate allergies and cause general
discomfort for you and your family. Moisture damage to
windows and other parts of the building shell can result
when humidity is too high.

An Heat Recovery Ventilator is designed to be
energy efficient and exchange the air to:
1. Bring in fresh air you want at a rate you choose,
2. Clean the incoming air,
3. Exhaust stale air, pollutants, and moisture, while
4. Recovering up to 80% of the heating or cooling energy.

Heat Recovery Ventilation
At the core of an HRV is the heat transfer module. Both the
exhaust and outdoor air streams pass through the module,
and the heat from the exhaust air is used to pre-heat the
outdoor air stream. Only the heat is transferred; the two
air streams remain physically separate. Typically, an HRV
is able to recover 70 to 80 percent of the heat from the
exhaust air and transfer it to the incoming air. This
dramatically reduces the energy needed to heat outdoor
air to a comfortable temperature.

Air Exchange
The Heat Recovery Unit installed in your home can change
all the air in the house over a three-hour period. Most HRVs
are also equipped with automatic humidity sensors that
increase the ventilation rate when needed - for instance,
when you use the shower. Exhaust air is normally collected
from the kitchen and bathroom areas, where most moisture
and odours are created.