Is a HRV the way to go?-installed/update

[wolf_bluejay]

I have to admit, there was a huge difference in the "tiredness" of my house after the HRV was installed -- so much that I would install it without and aquarium.

And since I forgot to mention it in the my previous post, I used to fight with low PH all the time, and after the HRV it is just perfect without much fiddling. The CO2 levels in you house can build up quite high. In a school building with CO2 monitor it can go from about 400 ppm first thing in the morning to well over 700 later in the day and your house isn't much different. the excess CO2 is what causes your PH to drop and you to feel tired.
In reality the HRV is the same as turning on your bathroom fan and opening a window -- without the 100% loss of heat/cold. Recently I modified my HRV setup to dump the return air directly into our exercise room (treadmill) and we did notice a difference as that room didn't have all that great airflow.

If I was doing an install on a new house where you could run the ducts without ripping apart walls --- exhaust air from the bathrooms instead of fans, and put the return into the main living areas rather than into the furnace (like the photos).

Originally Posted by jimbo222

Wow lots of great info and opinions on HRV/s Here's mine...

We have to keep in mind that a HRV is an AIR EXCHANGER and not only a De-humidifier.
The De-humidification is an added bonus this unit features, or provides.
It is quit amazing how much OXYGEN is reduced in the home and not replaced. You probably dont notice it but you are probably getting tired and sleepy. Your Furnace uses oxygen as it burns, your water tank uses oxygen when it's running, each person in the house is using oxygen, and MOST IMPORTNTLY our aquarium's are using it all up. I guaranty you will have more stable PH if you install a Air Exchanger, usually will go up by .2 or .3.
I realize some homes have fresh air and combustion air intakes to the furnace room but this does not provide air exchange, but prevents a negative pressure in the house.
Personal y I think An HRV is a Very important unit in the climate that we live in. < if installed properly> Not only as De-humidification help but for Healthy Fresh outdoor air.

AS mentioned above aswell make sure that your humidifier on the furnace is installed correctly, especially if it;s a new home. < iv been to too many home's where the humidifier was installed incorrectly and runs anytime the furnace comes on >

The money we put into this hobby... , $700 unit is nothing in the long run, and will save your home from mold.

[wolf_bluejay]

Just as I was looking this up -- currently between the BC and federal eco energy rebate program if you get high enough "air sealing" and install an HRV you can get $1375 in rebates. As this doesn't require that you spend MORE than that to get the grant, and buy one for $600-700 and install it yourself you actually can make a profit or spend the rest to improve the efficiency of you house