In the most common configuration, a furnace relies on its exhaust (either up a chimney or through a power vent) to pull fresh air into the house.

Since no building is 100% airtight, this process generally happens naturally, though in modern, very well insulated homes, vents have been built in to allow for this exchange of outside air.

Most building codes require that the air in a building be completely replaced with outside air every two to three hours. Without the expulsion of stale air, and the corresponding introduction of new air, your home would be a very uncomfortable place indeed. Odors and other airborne nuisances (like bacteria) would proliferate. Buildings without adequate introduction of fresh outside air develop a condition called “sick building syndrome”.

While it’s very easy to devise a strategy to exchange old air for new, the problem that faces the average homeowner, particularly when there is a lack of humidity in the winter during extremely cold climates, of which we have in Manitoba, there is a big thermal loss that happens when exchanging outside air, which is either much colder and drier than is desired. With rising fuel costs for both heating and air conditioning, the use of air to air heat exchangers (also called Heat Recovery Ventilation units), which reduce this thermal loss by up to 90%, has risen in recent years.

If you’re replacing your existing furnace or air conditioner, it’s absolutely in your best interest to add an air-to-air heat exchanger to your system. It might even be a good idea to add one to your existing HVAC system, particularly if your home is well insulated and very airtight.

To find out about installing HRV, or to get the answers to any questions you might have about your residential or commercial heating and air conditioning systems, contact Reliable Heating and Air Conditioning.