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Old 12-22-11, 06:37 AM   #6
herlichka
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada
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Don't overlook your laundry room when you are making your design decisions, the washer produces considerable amounts of moist air, and your dryer moves A LOT of air! Building code requirements for new home construction require that your laundry room, as well as the kitchen and all baths, be connected to your HRV.
Another consideration is the humidity levels in the house. It may not be an issue on Vancouver Island, but if you are bringing in outside air that is very cold and very dry, you may find the house gets too dry very quickly. An appropriate humidifier, freestanding or furnace mounted can correct these dryness problems quickly. A beneficial side effect is that the correct humidity feels warmer than dry air.
My last piece of advice is to keep your ongoing maintenance procedures in mind during your install. You are going to want to keep your ducts straight, and levelled so that they drain properly, and you are going to want to disassemble, clean and inspect all the components as required. Remember, you are moving warm, moist air, laden with organics ( dust, dander, pollen, and ?), and the potential exists for mold growth.

Almost everyone I've spoke to who has had an Hrv retrofitted to their home has noticed air quality improvements almost immediately, it will be money and effort well spent.
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