How to Run a Home HRV in Summer: Tips and Alternatives
Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs) and Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) are integral parts of modern HVAC systems, designed to improve indoor air quality by exchanging stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air. While they are beneficial year-round, their operation in summer requires careful consideration, especially regarding humidity control. In this article, we’ll discuss how to run a home HRV in the summer, the potential issues with humidity, and why an ERV might be a better choice for maintaining optimal humidity levels.
Understanding HRVs and Their Summer Operation
An HRV works by exchanging indoor air with outdoor air while recovering heat from the outgoing air to pre-condition the incoming air. This process is efficient for maintaining indoor air quality and reducing heating costs in the winter. However, running an HRV in the summer can introduce challenges, particularly related to humidity.
Managing Humidity with an HRV
In the summer, outdoor air is often warmer and more humid. When an HRV pulls this humid air into the home, it can lead to increased indoor humidity levels. Here’s how this happens:
- Air Exchange: An HRV exchanges indoor and outdoor air and transfers heat between the air streams. In summer it can reduce the incoming air temperature when the home is air-conditioned, but it does not actively dehumidify the supply air.
- Outdoor Moisture: Humid outdoor air can add moisture as it enters through ventilation. Unlike an ERV core, a standard HRV core does not intentionally transfer moisture between the air streams.
- Cooling Load: The increased humidity makes the air feel warmer, forcing your air conditioning system to work harder to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures.
Tips for Running an HRV in the Summer
To minimize humidity issues when running an HRV in the summer, consider the following tips:
- Adjust Settings: Some HRVs come with settings that allow you to control the airflow rate. Use the settings recommended for your system and home. Do not reduce ventilation below its designed requirements simply to manage humidity; ask your installer about the correct summer mode.
- Use Dehumidifiers: Complement your HRV with a dehumidifier to manage indoor humidity levels more effectively.
- Monitor Humidity Levels: Keep an eye on indoor humidity using a hygrometer. Watch for persistent high humidity or condensation and address moisture sources. Follow suitable indoor-humidity guidance for your home rather than assuming one setting works in every season.
- Summer Controls: Cooler outdoor air is not necessarily drier. Follow the manufacturer’s summer-control instructions and the ventilation schedule designed for your home instead of switching to morning or evening operation based on temperature alone.
Why an ERV Might Be a Better Choice
While HRVs are effective in improving air quality and heat recovery, an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) offers additional benefits in terms of humidity control, making it a potentially better choice for summer operation.
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How ERVs Manage Humidity
ERVs operate similarly to HRVs but have a crucial difference: they can transfer moisture as well as heat. Here’s how an ERV helps in managing humidity:
- Moisture Exchange: An ERV can transfer some of the moisture from the incoming humid air to the outgoing stale air. This reduces the amount of humidity entering your home.
- Humidity Limits: An ERV can reduce the moisture load from ventilation when outdoor air is more humid than indoor air, but it is not a dehumidifier and does not guarantee a humidity setpoint. Air conditioning or dedicated dehumidification may still be needed.
- Energy Recovery: Recovering heat and some moisture can reduce the ventilation load on the cooling system. Results depend on indoor and outdoor conditions, airflow and the selected equipment.
Benefits of Using an ERV in the Summer
- Improved Comfort: By managing humidity levels more effectively, an ERV can help maintain a more comfortable indoor environment during the hot and humid summer months.
- Reduced Cooling Costs: Lower indoor humidity levels mean your air conditioning system doesn’t have to work as hard, which can result in lower energy bills.
- Enhanced Air Quality: An ERV continues to provide the benefits of improved indoor air quality by exchanging stale indoor air with outdoor air while moderating part of the moisture load. Indoor humidity still depends on outdoor conditions, moisture sources and the home’s cooling or dehumidification system.
Choosing Between an HRV and an ERV
When deciding between an HRV and an ERV, consider the specific needs of your home and climate. Here are some factors to keep in mind:
- Climate: In regions with high summer humidity, like Ottawa, an ERV is generally a better choice for maintaining comfortable indoor humidity levels.
- Home Insulation: Well-insulated homes can benefit more from an ERV as it helps balance both heat and moisture.
- Existing HVAC System: Consider how your current HVAC system handles humidity and whether an HRV or ERV would complement it better.
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Conclusion
Running a home HRV in the summer requires careful management of humidity levels to ensure optimal indoor comfort. While HRVs are excellent for improving air quality and energy efficiency, they can introduce unwanted humidity during the summer months. An ERV, with its ability to transfer moisture as well as heat, may offer a better solution for maintaining balanced humidity levels and reducing cooling costs. At AirZone HVAC Services, we can help you choose and install the right ventilation system for your home, ensuring you enjoy a comfortable and energy-efficient living environment year-round. Contact us today to learn more about our services and how we can improve your home’s air quality and comfort.
