HRV vs Whole House Dehumidifer

[mark]

Was planning a DIY HRV installation but thought bring a heating contractor over for a comparison. $3000 labour to install a HRV (another $1K wholesale) isn't going to happen but guy was suggesting a whole house dehumidifer would be a better option anyways.

Hadn't really thought about a dehumidifier before as only familiar with the small portable units but a quick search on the internet shows guy might be onto something.

Thoughts? Anyone using a WHD?

[globaldesigns]

Hmmm, $3K seems alot, the quote I had was under $3K with the unit/installed. In the end, I had a friend do mine, and got the unit at his wholesale cost.

The actual time to install is only about half a day (full day worst case scenario), and that is with making holes in the house for venting if needed. So your quote for just labor is high, me thinks.

Personally, a HRV does more overall. The comfort level in my home is great since putting this unit in, especially in the winter, when heating is a factor.

[bkelly]

i just installed a HRV in my home last week , desperately needed, did it myself. Was $3K installed (quote) , i got a top end one for $800 and $400 for parts did it in one day , may basement was easy since the area is unfinished. Immediate results , probably saved our home. I heard full home dehumidifiers need an air conditioner with newer coolant. ours didnt make the cut. most people with tanks recommender an HRV. so far totally worth it.

[KevinK]

I'm on this boat as well,

gust locking into it a bit, pricing, brands, and the best is the grant.

as we gust both the house, we had a assesment dun, so we are able to get the grands, and here in BC the provincial and federal grant together pays for a complete unit (when you install it yourselve), at least that's where I get at.

I was thinking to take my air from above the tank, and the filter room, and the air that gets in the house, I blow gust direct in my ducting (ore straight into the house, and not threw the ducting.

overall, I think I would need it, as my new tank (to be build) and sump together would be at least 40 sqft, if not a mid to small 50 sqft of surf.)

[vaporize]

Seeing that you are in Edmonton, I would recommend installing a HRV.

Reason being that it is going to be cold for majority of the year. I have installed a HRV last year and loved it, my basement was constantly > 60% with humidity even with 2 individual dehumidifer installed before; but last winter, it was always below 45% and the lowest was around 35%.

Dehumidifer is useful when you are in a warmer area and also for the summer months, it does take alot of electricity to run. For us in Toronto, the HRV start to become useless from mid-June to mid-Sept due to the humidity outside the house is alot more humid than inside. But for Edmonton, I think you guys are much colder, so it should have a longer useful life.

Either way, in the summer you will have to run supplementry dehumidifer (unless you have a very strong air conditioner that also acts as a dehumidifer)

p.s. My installation for a York 220 HRV unit was around $2000 including the unit & installation, I think I got some money back from government's rebate too like $300, but I did it with my furnice + A/C replacement. Whole job cost 9800 as I recall (minus the rebates)

[Delphinus]

The HRV was well worth it in my case. I'll have one in any house I live in going forward, tanks or no tanks.

[rayjay]

I use my HRV year round. Power costs are much lower than a dehumidifier also.
That being said though, dehumidifying would probably delay having to use A/C for the house at a bit of a cost savings.
I use mine in summer to continually be bringing in fresh air as I shut the house up for the A/C, not to decrease humidity.
However, the drip line from the HRV definitely is showing that water is being removed from either the incoming or outgoing air, I don't know for sure which.
I suspect its coming from the incoming air as the outgoing air has had reduced humidity from the actions of the A/C.

[mark]

I'm back to the HRV.

Looking more into the WHD seems they would work as well as a HRV for what I want (removing moisture) but see even the smallest Honeywell (DR65) is 5.2amps and would need to run the furnace fan also. For that amount of draw and each unit costing similar might as well get the added benefit of fresh air being brought into the house with a HRV.

Though the installation would will be a little more involved since would be pulling from main floor, I was allowing a straight run up through a closet (return tying to existing FA ducting), I still can't understand the cost.

I hate crawling through the attic specially with the blown in insulation so might have kicked over a $1000 for a days work for 2 guys (sort of what I had expected), not $3000.

[cwatkins]

HRV sounds like a winner to me.

If I ever went with an HRV, I'd probably do a self install. I like to think of myself as pretty handy DIY.

My house is 5 years old and is pretty tight. The local code requires we have a hard-wired bathroom fan running 24/7.

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by cwatkins

The local code requires we have a hard-wired bathroom fan running 24/7.

This is something I would personally fix if I were you, if dig into it you'll find that this particular feature isn't really because your house is that air tight, after all if it were that tight you would experience negative pressure issues from a 24/7 exhaust fan, chances are you even got some extra holes somewhere to let the house breath. The reason you have such a feature is a result from large insurance claims in the area back in the 80s after new Canada wide building codes were released from CMHC but they weren't up to par with your area and resulted in poor building practice and eventually mold issues leading to those insurance claims. Now you do require a ventilation system by code as do many other areas throughout Canada which is good. What's bad however is the fact the builders in the area are still cheaping out and selling houses with what they label as bathroom fan feature to enhance airflow in the house to prevent mold and mildew. Realistically this "feature" is more of a shortcut and even saves money as you no longer need a switch Nothing more than a cheap fix/gimmick to barely pass code and help sell houses. At the very least it needs to be on a timer or even better a humidistat.