Nontraditional HVAC Systems: What Should You Know?
Duct systems. Ventilation—not cooling or heating—is the purpose of an HRV/ERV. These systems ideally have a dedicated duct system, so in addition to the ducts used for heating and cooling, there should be another set of ducts for ventilation. If an HRV has its own duct system, it can be balanced, but if it’s connected to an air handler, it can be unbalanced when the air handler is operating. Raymer cautioned inspectors to be aware that an HRV/ERV can tap into either input or output ducts, but if the HRV/ERV is tapped into both of these, the performance of the HRV may be useless.
The goal is to achieve efficiency and balance. An unbalanced HRV/ERV is either bringing in or putting out unequal amounts of air. An HRV/ERV can’t be balanced if it’s using both supply and return. HRVs are, by design, balanced systems, but they do not add air to the house—an HRV only brings in an equal amount to what is expelled.
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