How Can an Energy Recovery Ventilator Help Indoor Air Quality?
April 17, 2020
Categories: General HVAC
We know that allowing fresh air into a home is important for indoor air quality. It’s not healthy to only recycle indoor air repeatedly. However, to ensure the best indoor air quality possible, it is important that outside air is introduced into a home or business properly without driving up heating and cooling costs. This is where an energy recovery ventilator is a good option.
What is a Recovery Ventilator?
There are many ways to improve indoor air quality. One key consideration is ventilation. Recovery ventilators are devices which allow fresh air into your house without drastically changing the indoor temperatures and placing more stress on the HVAC system.
There are two types of recovery ventilators used to efficiently filter outside air in HVAC systems:
- Energy recovery ventilator (ERV)
- Heat recovery ventilator (HRV)
Both options draw currents of fresh outdoor air into the ventilation system. The fresh air then mixes with stale indoor air to adjust the air temperature up or down. When both outdoor and indoor air pass through the device, heat moves from one to the other:
- Hot outdoor air loses heat and cools
- Cold outdoor air gains heat and warms up
The stale indoor air is then sent outdoors and the fresh air with adjusted temperature remains indoors.
In an HRV, a heat exchanger is used to transfer heat between the outdoor air and indoor air. In an ERV, the currents contact each other, so moisture is transferred along with the heat.
The main difference between ERVs and HRVs is the transfer of moisture. An ERV affects humidity levels and HRVs don’t. If you’re interested in how to improve indoor air quality, an ERV’s ability to adjust indoor humidity makes it a good option for a home or business.
ERV is a Good Option for Northeast Ohio
Because humidity is a factor, especially in the summer months, an energy recovery ventilator is a good option for Northeast Ohio homes and businesses. An ERV removes excessive humidity from the incoming fresh air. While not a de-humidifier, this is a ducted, whole-house/building solution that can significantly improve the indoor air quality for a home or business in the Akron Ohio area.
Remember, no building is immune to indoor air quality problems. Dirt, mold, pollen and other allergens settle into indoor air, spreading throughout an entire building if not filtered properly. Humidity only adds to the problem, because it is often the element increasing the chance for many types of air pollutants. Because energy recovery ventilators remove stale air through their own air filters and impact humidity levels, pollutants are captured before they enter your home and impact a family or employees’ health.
Want a safer, cleaner environment for your home or business? Contact Martinov Home Solutions today and let us help you improve the air quality. As one of the leading quality heating and cooling service providers, we’re more than happy to answer any questions you may have! Fill out our simple contact form for more information or give us a call at 1-877-358-0033.