Heat and Energy Recovery Ventilators

Heat and Energy Recovery Ventilators in Baxter, IA

There’s a dilemma for modern homes when it comes to maintaining a balance of fresh air and comfortable indoor temperatures: when doors and windows open to allow fresh air in, the outdoor temperatures come with it, making it hard for an AC or heater to maintain pleasant conditions without massive energy waste. During hot summers and cold winters in Iowa, this presents a serious problem. How can you stop a home from becoming stuffy and dust-filled without letting in too much outdoor air?

There are solutions: heat and energy recovery ventilators (HRVs and ERVs). Baxter Comfort Solutions has technicians who can install these appliances into your ventilation system so that fresh air enters your home either pre-cooled or pre-heated. Contact us in Baxter, IA or elsewhere in the “golden circle” between Ames, Des Moines, Newton, and Marshalltown to learn more about the benefits of an HRV and ERV system.

How Do Energy and Heat Recovery Ventilators Work?

The two devices operate in a similar fashion. They are integrated into the HVAC system to draw fresh outside air into the ducts. The fresh air moves through the HRV/ERV where it passes through a counter–current of stale air pulled from inside the house. Heat then moves from one current to the other. This is called counter–flow heat exchange, and it works no matter the season.

In winter, the cold outside air heats up from the warm inside air. In summer, the warm outside air cools down as it loses its heat to the cooler indoor air. Either way, the fresh air moves through the rest of the HVAC system already pre–conditioned to match the current indoor comfort needs.

The Benefits of an ERV and HRV System

What energy and heat recovery ventilators essentially do is "recover" the energy used to heat or cool the interior of a home and then apply it to the air entering the home. The average house will recover around 85% of the energy it would have otherwise lost to the outside air—and this results in two major benefits:

• Improved air quality at no comfort cost: A house can enjoy fresher air with fewer contaminants, but won’t end up suffering from any rise or drop in indoor temperature. The HRV or ERV takes care of pre–conditioning the air.
• Lowered utility bills: There’s no consequence to energy use in a home from bringing in the fresh air. The HRV/ERV makes sure that the power you put into your heater or air conditioner comes back to help you.

In addition, an energy recovery ventilator helps with balancing humidity, since it transfers moisture between the air currents. (Whether an ERV or HRV is the better choice for your home is something you can leave to the installers.)

We’ll Install and Service an ERV or HRV for Your House

If the advantages of heat and energy recovery ventilators sound like exactly what you want for your household, contact the indoor air quality experts at Baxter Comfort Solutions. They’ll help you find the right type of system to match your needs and then have it correctly installed into your HVAC system so you can start reaping the benefits right away. Whenever you need repairs or a replacement for your HRV/ERV system, we’re also here to help out. Look to us for other ventilation services you may need in Baxter, IA to enjoy better comfort and air quality in your house.