Help improve the air quality and energy efficiency of any home or business with a heat recovery system. Hamilton Industries is Vancouver’s complete source from product information to installation for heat recovery ventilation systems for commercial businesses and residences.
The CMHC recommends Heat Recovery Ventilation systems for new homes because they help reduce energy consumption and create better indoor air quality.
What is a Heat Recovery Ventilator?
Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs) are mechanical devices that exchange stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air. Heat is transferred to the incoming fresh air from the indoor air by way of the heat-exchange core. HVR’s can greatly increase the energy efficiency of new houses and buildings by recovering a large percentage of heat that would normally be lost.
HVR’s can also help solve other indoor air quality problems that result from poor or no air flow.
HRVs have multi-speed settings to deal with varying ventilation needs. Automatic controls are available as well to modulate the operation of the HRV based on time and indoor humidity level.
What is an Energy Recovery Ventilator?
Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) function in a very similar manner but go a little bit further by helping to also capture some of the humidity in the air as well as heat. They provide the same energy efficiency and help produce cleaner indoor air conditions.
How to decide between HRV and EVR Systems?
When deciding which system your home or commercial use requires you need to understand the climate of your region and humidty levels in your home during the summer and winter months.
If your house is too humid in winter (above 60%) then an HRV is the better choice, as it would surely get rid of excess humidity while an ERV would tend to keep it at a high level.
If the opposite is true and your house is too dry in winter, then an ERV would be a better choice as it helps retain humidity, eliminating the need (and cost) for you to generate it through other means.
We find that based on Vancouver’s climate and building codes that HRV systems are the generally the best option and also cost less money then EVR systems.