Should I Invest in an ERV?

An ERV, or energy recovery ventilator, is a piece of equipment which can help many homeowners to better ventilate their living spaces without sacrificing energy efficiency in doing so. Adequate ventilation is necessary if one hopes to maintain great indoor air quality in his or her home. ERVs make adequately ventilating any home quite simple, and you won’t drive up your energy costs in doing so. However, it is important to mention that your energy recovery ventilator in Raleigh, NC is professionally installed and serviced. If you are interested in better ventilating your home without putting efficiency on the chopping block, contact a member of the Ideal Services Heating and Cooling  team today.

What Is an Energy Recovery Ventilator?

An ERV is a mechanical ventilation device which allows you to vent old, stale air out of your home while bringing in fresh air from outside. If you are wondering how this is any different from opening a window, the answer lies in the energy recovery process that an ERV facilitates. You see, an ERV is able to use thermal energy to its advantage, preconditioning the air that comes into your home so that it is more suitable to human comfort.

During the summer season, the cool but stale air in your house is vented outdoors by the energy recovery ventilator. The incoming hot air is passed by the outgoing cool air, pre-cooling it so that some strain is taken off of your AC. In the winter, the outgoing stale air is used to pre-warm the incoming fresh, but cold, air. The ERV further benefits homeowners by balancing humidity, which it does by intermingling the two air streams just enough to balance humidity for ideal comfort levels.

Do I Need an ERV?

This is really a question which each homeowner must make for his or herself. However, we would like to suggest that every homeowner can benefit from reduced energy costs, especially when they are able to better ventilate the air in their homes. You see, today’s houses are often sealed up tightly to allow for great energy efficiency. This can result in the air going stale, and decreased indoor air quality can compromise one’s comfort and even his or health. An ERV allows you to enjoy the best of both worlds: fresh air without wasting all of the energy that you’ve used to heat or cool the air being vented outdoors. Call for more details.