ERV

Equipment and Systems - Home Energy and Building Envelope pillar

Also known as: Energy Recovery Ventilator, energy recovery ventilator

Energy Recovery Ventilator. Like an HRV but also transfers humidity between air streams. Better for tightly-built homes with summer humidity issues.

An ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator) is a balanced ventilator like an HRV with one critical difference: the core transfers both heat AND moisture between the air streams. In Ontario summers, this means the ERV pre-conditions hot humid incoming air against cool dry exhaust, reducing AC load. In winter, it retains some humidity in the home rather than venting all of it. Choose ERV over HRV when summer humidity is a problem, when the home runs persistently dry in winter, or when the home is exceptionally tight (under 1.5 ACH50).

See the full Ontario HVAC and home energy glossary or browse the Home Energy and Building Envelope pillar.