ERV's are a great addition to new homes. We design commercial buildings and schools with the units. IAQ, or indoor air quality, has become a serious issue in the public sector. Fresh air is required as building envelopes become tighter and tighter. If you can afford this in your new home, it will be well worth the investment.
Posts: 12 | Location: Lexington,Kentucky | Registered: 14 January 2005
ERV's are great for ventilating envelope houses (or houses that are air tight), but be aware that ERV's are reccomended for southern or warmer regions. If you live in the north where A/C is not needed for more than a few weeks out of the year, I would reccomend an HRV, or Heat Recovery Ventiator. The installation would be a little different - refer to the manufacturers installation instructions. I also reccomend using pleated high efficiency air filters, not the spun glass type that you can easily see through. This will reduce the ammount of maintenance required because they trap more of the particulate in the air. Also due to the fact that there are very few moving parts, an HRV or ERV will most likely last a very long time before needing repairs. Good luck and breathe easy!
