It seems that HRV systems are one of the best-kept HVAC secrets, which is surprising because you’d be hard-pressed to find a home, especially in Canada, that wouldn’t benefit from one. In order to demystify these systems, we’re going to highlight a few of their benefits and explain how you can use an HRV system to improve your home comfort.

What is an HRV system?
Before explaining the benefits of using an HRV system, we thought we should explain what they are. HRV stands for “Heat Recovery Ventilator”, and the primary function of these systems is to introduce fresh air into your home without sacrificing heat or decreasing your HVAC system’s efficiency. The system exhausts the stale air from inside your home and exchanges it with fresh air from outside, but before it exhausts the air, it extracts the heat from it and uses it to heat the incoming cold air. These systems are designed to work in conjunction with your furnace to ensure that minimal heat is lost, and you don’t have to sacrifice efficiency for air quality.

Why do you need one?
Once winter arrives, most of us shut our windows and don’t open them again until the warm weather returns so that we can keep our homes nice and warm. This practice means that very little fresh air is introduced into our homes for long periods, especially in Canada. Using an HRV system allows you to introduce fresh air into your home without sacrificing heat or jacking up your monthly utility bills.

When should you use them?
Understandably, many homeowners think that they can only use their HRV systems during the winter, but the truth is they can improve your home comfort all year long. Anytime your windows and doors are closed, you should be using your HRV system to introduce fresh air into your home. They can utilize the same mechanism that they use to transfer heat to incoming air to cool it down in the summer when you are using your air conditioner.

How to Turn On an HRV System
Like any piece of home comfort equipment, every system is slightly different, so if you’re unsure how to turn on your HRV system and use it properly, it’s best to refer to the owner’s manual. However, once they’re on, most systems have similar function settings, and it’s best to run your HRV system on the “Minimum” or “Vent” setting in most households. You can also use what’s known as the “Intermittent” or “20/40” function, which can be more efficient because it runs the system for 20 minutes every hour.

Interested in installing an HRV system in your home? Fahrhall is here to help!

Fahrhall has been proudly serving the Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent regions since 1967. We are committed to providing our customers and our community with reliable service and quality equipment.

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