Ontario winters are harsh and we depend on our heating systems almost constantly during the colder months of the year. With the windows closed and heating on full blast, air quality in the home can be compromised. A Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) can counter this problem by expelling stale warm air from the atmosphere and supplying your home with a steady flow of fresh air from outside. In this article, we’ll take a look at when to consider an HRV, how they work and how you can improve the air quality throughout your home.
Air Quality and the Modern Home
Today’s modern energy-efficient homes are built to a strict building code and are well insulated by design. However, such good insulation can mean that pollutants and moisture are trapped inside and present in the air that you and your family breathe. In place of the fresh air that would be in abundance when windows and doors are open during warmer weather, there is an abundance of dust, carbon dioxide, excess humidity, and airborne pollutants. That’s not to mention the mould that can develop when high amounts of moisture are present in the atmosphere. In short, these ingredients are the perfect recipe for an unhealthy environment and one that can lower your comfort, hamper your health, and speed up the deterioration of your home.
How Poor Air Quality Can Affect Your Health
Energy-efficient homes are great for reducing our carbon footprint and energy bills, but when it comes to improving our health sometimes, not so much. In fact, the air quality inside your home can be 10 times worse than the air outside according to the EPA. That really puts things into perspective, doesn’t it? When the quality of the air in your home is below a certain standard, it can lead to allergies and long-term health problems, especially if you spend long periods indoors. If you or your family already suffer from health conditions such as asthma or a compromised immune system, these conditions can be made worse by breathing in poor quality air.
Introducing the HRV: Fresh, Healthy Air All Year Round
For many homes in Ontario, an HRV efficiently exchanges stale indoor air with clean, fresh air from the outside. During the winter season, an HRV will capture the heat from exhausted air and transfer it to the air captured from outside, heating it before it enters your home. So you get all the benefits of fresh air from outside without the accompanying chills. But that’s not all, HRVs can also remove heat from the incoming air to keep your home cooler during the warmer months. In short, an HRV is one of the best year-round improvements you can make for your home, your comfort and your health.
Clean Air Filtration and More Benefits Besides
In addition to bringing the fresh air in, HRV systems offer so many great benefits for the home. They reduce dust, pollen and other contaminants that may be lurking unseen in your environment. They can also reduce moisture levels significantly and the risk of damp, mould and mildew throughout the home which is great news all around but especially for those who suffer from allergies and asthma.
If you’re looking to save money on your energy bills (and who isn’t!), an HRV can help to conserve heat and save you money. It can cost a lot to heat your home during an Ontario winter. Every time a window or door is opened to expel cooking smells or get a burst of fresh air through the house, heat is lost and energy wasted. With a ventilation system installed, you will have a constant supply of fresh, warm air circulating throughout your home.
Installation and Maintenance of HRV Systems
HRV systems are available as fully ducted systems, exhaust-ducted systems, and simplified systems. We recommend a fully-ducted system if you really want to get the most from air quality improvement throughout your home. These systems are able to pull stale air from kitchens, bathrooms, and laundry rooms where stale odours, dust, moisture and other contaminants are more likely to be present.
Another big advantage of HRV systems is that they require virtually no maintenance. Simply refresh the filters twice a year and you’re all set! By taking care of your filters regularly, you can keep your HRV system performing optimally all year round and your air quality fresh, clean, and comfortable.
When it comes to air quality filtration and purification, HRVs are a great option. We understand that you’ll want the best system that money can buy and installation to the highest industry standard. We’re dedicated to your satisfaction in everything we do. Contact our Pinnacle Group team today to find out more about our HRV options and how they can transform the air quality in your home.