HRV - Our experience and opinion

[Toto]

Hi

I just thought I would type a quick thread to let everyone know our experience with having HRV installed in our house, in case anyone is thinking of having it installed.

We made enquiries because we were concerned with trying to prevent the level of condensation and damp in our house.

We made enquiries with 2 companies and although the first visit we had was professional, the HRV rep was far more efficient. Our house is on 2 storeys so we were concerned about how the air would pump down to the 2nd level. They guy took us under the house and showed us where the pipes would go, he drew diagrams and also went into the roof space. The overall presentation was far superior to the previous company. The quote that HRV gave us was a bit more expensive but to be honest we felt that we would be getting what we paid for. We signed up and they were able to install it a week after the quote.

The guys who installed it were also very professional and helpful and made very little mess. A control panel is fitted onto your wall and before they left they explained how it worked and also left us with an instruction leaflet.

So here's how it works, for anyone who doesn't know (but I'm not a technical person so this is very basic) . Periodically, the pump in your roof will take air from your roof space, pass it through a filter and then pump it into the rest of your house. The pressure of this pushes out the existing air in your house through natural cracks, gaps etc and keeps the air circulating.

Now what you have to remember is that in the evenings, through the night and in the early mornings, the air in your roof is cold (at the moment our panel is showing the roof temperature at 7 degrees). This means that the air being pumped into your house is that temperature as well. This has made our house colder at these times than if we didn't have the HRV. However, once the sun has started shining on the roof, the air in that space heats up very quickly and consequently the air getting pumped into your house is much warmer. You set a temperature on the panel that you would ideally like your house to be, and the HRV will keep pumping the warm air down until the house reaches that temperature (or until the air in the roof is no longer warmer than the house). The other issue is that when the sun is not shining during the day, the air in the roof is not as warm so the air getting pumped in is cooler as well.

Our house is not damp, we have no condensation and we have no regrets about having the HRV installed. (Despite the colder mornings and that's nothing that a heater can't cure). We didn't install it as a heating option but there are heating benefits from having it.

Hope this helps those of you that are thinking about having it put into your house!

Sue

[Dave in NZ]

Hi Sue,

Thankyou so much for posting this. We are having HRV in our new house and like you was very impressed with the rep.We really wanted to hear from someone who had it installed.Caroline suffers from dust alergies and we have been assured that this system is ideal.

Kindest regards

Dave and Caroline

[veronica]

what does HRV actually stand for, can see what it does, that was a good description.

[Sam'n'Kelv]

what does HRV actually stand for, can see what it does, that was a good description.

I was wondering that - my first thought that it was something to do with hormone replacement ...

[katandbob]

what does HRV actually stand for, can see what it does, that was a good description.

Heat Recovery Ventilation

[katandbob]

Hi Toto,

Does the system work well if you have your house insulated?

We have just had the floor insulated underneath and also the loft, I was also considering getting double glazing in, and this would make it more air tight wouldn't it?

We were also looking at the heat transfer kits.

Kat.

[Toto]

Our house is insulated and it seems to work well. I'm not sure about double glazing though, my guess is that it may make a difference because, as you say, the house becomes more air tight. That would be something worth asking before you go ahead with HRV.

Sue

[Nathan]

Where does the water go? Does heat go with it?