As an HVAC company in Ottawa, we know our winters. We know that “bone-dry” feeling that leads to static shocks, itchy skin, and shrinking hardwood floors.
In the past, the solution was simple: install a furnace humidifier. But as homes have become more airtight and ventilation technology has improved, many homeowners are now looking at an ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator).
An ERV is designed to retain humidity, so this leads to a critical question:
“If I install an ERV, do I still need a humidifier?”
For an Ottawa winter, the short answer is yes, you almost certainly do. Here’s a breakdown of why these two systems perform very different jobs.
The Job of an ERV: To Retain Moisture
An ERV is, first and foremost, a ventilator. Its primary job is to exhaust stale, polluted indoor air and bring in fresh, filtered outdoor air.
Its “Energy Recovery” magic is that it transfers both heat and moisture from the outgoing air to the incoming air.
- In Summer: It helps reject some of the sticky outdoor humidity before it enters your home, reducing the load on your air conditioner.
- In Winter: It retains some of your home’s indoor humidity before it’s exhausted, helping to keep the air from drying out as fast.
The key word here is retain. An ERV doesn’t create any moisture. It just slows down the rate at which you lose it.
The Job of a Humidifier: To Create Moisture
A furnace humidifier, whether it’s a bypass, fan-powered, or steam model, has only one job: to actively add moisture to your air. It turns water into vapor and pushes it through your ductwork to achieve your desired humidity level (ideally 35-50%).
A humidifier is a moisture generator. An ERV is a moisture manager.
Why an ERV Alone Isn’t Enough for an Ottawa Winter
Here’s the simple math. When it’s -20°C in Ottawa, the outside air contains almost zero moisture.
An ERV like the Panasonic Intellibalance 200 is a best-in-class unit. It might recover 70% of the humidity from the stale air it’s exhausting. But 70% of a low number is still a low number.
As your home continuously exchanges air, you are fighting a losing battle against the dry, cold, outside air. The ERV slows this loss, but it cannot stop it. It simply can’t manufacture enough moisture to replace what’s being lost.
Without an active source of new humidity, your home’s indoor air will inevitably become dry, just more slowly than it would with an HRV or no ventilator at all.
The Perfect Pairing: An ERV + a Humidifier
The ultimate solution for total home comfort in Ottawa is to pair an ERV with a dedicated humidifier. They work as a perfect team.
- The ERV (like the Vanee AI Virtuo ERV) runs 24/7, providing a constant supply of fresh, filtered air. It solves common indoor air quality problems like stale air and VOCs, all while retaining as much heat and humidity as possible.
- The Humidifier (especially a steam model like the Aprilaire 800) acts as the power-adder. It monitors the air and only adds the moisture needed to make up the difference, keeping you perfectly at your 35% or 40% target.
This combination gives you the best of all worlds: fresh air from the ERV, and complete moisture control from the humidifier. You get to breathe clean, fresh air that is also perfectly comfortable.
Our Local Expert Recommendation
For most Ottawa homes, a standard HRV (which only recovers heat) paired with a good humidifier (like the Generalaire 1042) is the most cost-effective solution for winter. We cover this exact topic in our post comparing humidifiers and HRVs/ERVs.
However, if you want the absolute best year-round performance—including humidity rejection in the summer and moisture retention in the winter—the premium setup is an ERV paired with a steam humidifier.
Confused about which system is right for your home? Our job is to design total comfort systems. Book a free, no-obligation quote, and one of our local experts will assess your home’s specific needs—no pressure, just honest advice.
