Help HRV or ERV System?

Hello,

I own a 15 years old house in New Brunswick Canada. I am currently looking for a Heat Recovery Ventilator or Energy Recovery Ventilator and would like some information before I make a move. Here is my problem.

The humidity in my house is way too high (at all time and everywhere). In the summer, it is about 70-75%, some days 80% and in the winter, about 55-60%. When very cold, I get condensation in my windows in the winter time but not all the time. I think that an air exchanger would help my problem. However, I am not sure what kind of system I should get (HRV or ERV).

Living in a northern climate, people point me to an HRV. However, from what I understand, this would only help in the winter time. If I understand it correctly, the ERV would help all year around preventing humidity from entering the house in the summer. I think it would also eliminate it in the winter (not sure about that, would like to understand the concept better). Any help to clarify the difference between those two systems would be real nice.

I am also looking at the HEPA system. Currently considering the Venmar HEPA

3000 (HRV) or Venmar HEPA 4000 (ERV).

I am also wondering if it is at all possible to hook this with a dehumidifier (if yes, which one) or an A/C.

I have a two story house with a basement (three story with basement) with about 2800 square feet of living space. I use electric base boards to heat it all.

Any information would be very much appreciated.

Reply to
pdsmlebel
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A blower door test will indicate if house is to tight and needing venting, condensation can be poor windows, even new Pellas Low E argon rate poorly on Cdf, I have them. A blower door test is apx 250 US , no need to spend the money on venting equipment if air exchanges are within norms.

Are you sure your humidistat is accurate.

The basement could be the main cause just needing a dehumidifier, the basement will affect the upstairs in humidity.

Reply to
m Ransley

You seem to be blessed with an airtight Canadian house :-) Assuming you have no unusual moisture sources in the house (rainwater leaks, and so on) you might use a $69 window AC in summertime and a small exhaust fan in series with a humidistat in wintertime.

Or change the window AC to dehumidification in wintertime by adding a box around the outside with a $50 2 W (Honeywell 6161B1000) motorized damper with a hinge h at the top that opens for AC and closes for dehumidification, with horizontal partitions p and one-way passive plastic film dampers Di and Do on each side of the AC in the window mount flanges. It might look like this in the AC damper position, viewed in a fixed font: -------- ceiling | | | window | | ---|---------------------h---damper--- (AC) | |. | . | |.Do f c| . | |. a o| => . | | n n| . | | d| . | |--------p------|--p--. | .| condenser | . | Di.| inlet air | d | | n n| a | | d| m | |--------p------|--p--p | .| condenser | e | Di. \\ inlet air |

Reply to
nicksanspam

Out of touch a little with the Canadian winter?

I have a 2400 sq ft Canadian home built to 1995 standards, sealed, continuous vapour barrier with every lumber joint caulked, R22 walls R34-5? ceilings.

It takes about 30,000 BTU of A/C to keep this baby dry and cool. Now I have three floors exposure of solar gain on my south door. I also had a 24,000 BTU central a/c unit ripped out because it wouldn't keep the temp under 80F when more than 2 people visited.

$69 will only buy a few blocks of ice here.

time and everywhere). In

the winter, about 55-60%.

the winter time...

house :-) Assuming you have

leaks, and so on) you

exhaust fan in series

wintertime by adding a box

6161B1000) motorized damper

closes for dehumidification,

plastic film dampers Di

flanges. It might look

fixed font:

---h---damper--- (AC)

.
.

=> .

.
.

|--------p------|--p--.

.

| .| | .

--- (dehum)

interior dampers would open

fan makes in-house air

flow below:

---h............ (AC)

|
|

=> d

a
m

|--------p------|--p--p

e

| . \\ | |

--- (dehum)

|
|

|-------------------------------------------------|

|
|
|
|
|
|

| --p-- |

| | |

| | |

| Di | |

| | |

| | |

| ----- |

|

---------

---------

|
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p |

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---Di---------

Reply to
Solar Flare

Cheaper and simpler to change it to dehumidification by simply pulling it out of the window and setting it up inside, ideally with the drips going to a drain...

Reply to
Ecnerwal

Why not just buy a dehumidifier instead of trying to jury rig something. Sounds like you have some interior moisture source with RH that high in both the summer & winter.

Stretch

Reply to
Stretch

Dont consider nicks hairbrain idea of using a window unit and some duct junk, First off and most basic is window ACs inplace should not be run below apx 60f.

Reply to
m Ransley

Thanks everybody for all your input.

However, I am still wondering if a HRV or ERV unit would be better in my case. I think they both have heat recovery function, which is need for our winters. However, the ERV would control humidity better (I think).

Any input on this?

Reply to
pdsmlebel

Oddly enough, many people don't know this and use them for walk-in coolers :-)

And if you read more carefully, you might realize that a window AC with exhaust redirected indoors is still only cooling room air close to 70 F. Perhaps cheaper and more efficient than a dehumidifier, usable year-round, with less floorspace. Putting the AC on the floor would work, with more floorspace and noise, but where would the water go? Perhaps let it drip back onto the basement floor, and AC the basement...

Nick

Reply to
nicksanspam

I agree, not sure why no answered your actual question. I have the same one.. Brand new house, air tight. No moisture on window, but we are set up for an air exchanger, and not sure which type to get, ERV, or Hrv

Reply to
Me

Depends on a few factors you are not telling. That said, a Google search will give you a lot of good information that will let you decide for your situation.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

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