Keeping a home comfortable during the winter can be tricky. On one hand, we want to conserve energy to ensure we’re getting the most out of our heating and our electric bills, and on the other hand, during the winter we tend to miss the feeling of fresh air through our house. How do you reconcile letting fresh air in when opening a window will waste heat, energy, and money? Fortunately, that’s the purpose of an HRV! But how does an HRV work? When is it time to turn on your HRV for the winter? Here’s what our experts have to say.
What Is An HRV?
An HRV or a heat recovery ventilator is a system that works with your furnace or your home’s forced-air to disperse fresh air into your home without wasting energy or lowering the home’s overall temperature. An HRV expels stale air from the home and uses the heat from the old air to warm the fresh air that it pulls in. This augments the quality of your home’s air while keeping your home warm and comfortable.
How To Use An HRV?
While every HRV system is slightly different, most are fairly easy to use. We recommend setting your HRV to “minimum” or “vent”, then set it to “20/40”. 20/40 means that your HRV will run twenty minutes out of every hour, ensuring there’s a constant flow of fresh air coming through the home without having to run the system nonstop.
When Should I Turn On My HRV For The Winter?
There are several different opinions on when to turn on your HRV. Some homeowners run their HRV all year long, and some choose only to run it during winter when they need that extra boost of warm, fresh air. Our general opinion is that it comes down to personal preference, but often we recommend that our customers run their HRV whenever they have all windows and doors closed to their home for the best temperature and air exchange possible.
Interested in installing an HRV for fresh air all year round?
Team Harding has the system for you!
Harding Heating & Air Conditioning has been proudly serving Ottawa’s HVAC needs for over 25 years. We’re dedicated to providing our clients with reliable equipment and quality service.
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