Don't forget to flush the condensate tube as it will plug and make a mess lol. I do believe an HRV is one of the best ideas in modern homes. The balance for incoming and outgoing needs to be looked at once in a while and I like mine slightly pressured so it pushes out. Cheers David.
Neat! Never have seen inside one before. Always figured the heat exchanger would be copper! I guess the plastic works well as it can be thin. Glad to see it has some filters on it too.
To make your outside screens easier to deal with and more convenient to clean. You could make some custom fit window screens that slide over the vent or just snap into the vent box and then when you want to clean them just pop them out and give him a good wash with the garden hose you can even have a couple of sets so you haven't washed one ready to replace when you think about it
That's exactly what it is. I have plans to build one (even most of the material waiting) but I have been so busy with solar projects I haven't had the time to do a ventilation project.
That was exactly what I was thinking, it looks pretty darn straight forward too. I always assumed it was a bunch of aluminum or copper fins and tubes like on an air conditioner.
Hi dxcrive, Some brands use aluminum fins. I've even seen some cors made with a "Tyvek"-like material stretched back and forth over a frame. And some ERV's even use ceramic cores. But, from what I've seen at shows, most HRV's have moved to this construction.
I finished adding cellulose to my house, and I'm eyeing this as a future project. An update on how it's going would be really helpful. I'm going to swap out the old gas furnace for a heat pump, and it seems like this is a good idea while work is going on. Also, the Habitat for Humanity thrift store has been getting some nice Fantech ones, and they're $100-200. I don't think they come with the control switch, but that's still a deal.
Yeah, I'd snag one at that price. The HRV hasn't been 100% trouble-free. I've had to fix the dampener twice. Seems the dampener is the weak link. I clean mine twice a year and it runs 24/7. If I did it again, I'd try to find a model that has an over-sized core, but the fan can still run at a low CFM.
Thank for the video. Interesting seeing maintenance side of it :). By any chance can you do a video on air sealing doors or what type of doors you have in your airtight house. Thanks
Hi, very informative video. I have few queries: Do we need to turn off the hrv while doing this activity? Also, if we wash the filters, we need to put it back when they r dry, the hrv will be off till that time?
I turn off my HRV before opening the cover. Then I leave it off until I'm done cleaning it. I wash the filters and shake them out. Then I put the filters back in while still damp.
I'm fine with the plastic pipe or galvanized duct. To make galvanized duct work there are a few things you need to do: 1. Seal joints with duct mastic. 2. have vibration dampers to cut down on noise. 3. Even interior ducts might need some insulation to prevent condensation problems. With the plastic pipe I still had to glue the joints to seal them, but it is permanent and won't dry out over time like mastic. It is also less thermally conductive, so I don't have to worry about interior ducts forming condensation (which I have checked and verified). The plastic has more mass to it, so that means less vibrations and quiet. Plastic pipe gets expensive very fast from the fittings. Especially if you want a duct larger than 4". But for me, my house is so small that I only needed 5 pieces of pipe total, so my cost was still very low.
What are the cores usually made out of? Is there any kind of fabric filter inside the core? Mine is exact same shape as yours but metal on the outside, not sure whats in the inside…
My hubby installed our new HRV in the winter time. I just noticed now that the basement humidity is 65% & the main floor humidity on our NEST says 50%. Also the condensation tubing from the HRV is bone dry 😬😬 there’s actually a massive spider crawling in it as I’m typing 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️ Why is our tubing bone dry? Ty
Hi M. Poz, i'm curious about using PVC pipe for air ducting against metal duct about static electricity? I read many time, isn't recommended to use it.... Personally i prefer work with plastic pipe.
I've read about static electricity being a concern with dust collection. I don't know if it's possible for it to be a concern here, but I've never had a problem. We are only moving 40 CFM (cubic feet per minute) for fresh air. This is low volume and low velocity through 4 inch pipe.
Next time I would make my own HRV. This was $900. But, anything different about the install? I'm pretty happy with overall. The vents are far enough above the ground, and under overhang that I've never had an issue with snow blocking them, so no need for them to be higher. For the first year I actually did have an extra air filter. I built a sheet metal box to house a 20x20x4 MERV11 air filter. I installed it between the air intake and the HRV. But had to remove it. What happened is I was getting condensation inside and/or outside the box (depending on time of year). This was making a puddle on the floor and wetting out the paper filter. I've had this other thought... If I ever got a chance at a junkyard or something to snag one of those cool air filter housings for big rig trucks, you know, the big stainless steel canister types that are about 18" DIA and 30" tall sitting on the outside of the engine compartment. I would take one of those and mount it on the wall of the house, then the air would enter the top, go through the filter, and then out the bottom would be an elbow into the crawl-space. How cool would that be!? Ha!
DavidPoz I really like my merv 16 carbon filter for my furnace. It has really cut down my nose and allergy issues from oct 2019 to present time. I want an HRV in my house! And I had a quote of $3000 to install one in my 900sqft home.
David, I just put the Panasonic ERV in a house. One thing I could never find was its efficiency rate. In your research, how does it compare to your Kubix HRV?
There are a few models, but I pulled this data sheet from one of Panasonics. The efficiency will vary between 65 and 88% depending on some factors. It's a nice unit and Panasonic is known as a good company. file:///D:/Users/David/Downloads/FV-10VEC1_Submittal.pdf
@@DavidPozEnergy Thanks. Interesting, I haven't experimented with that yet. It's currently set to run 10min/ hr. We are monitoring the house, but it's not my house. It's projected to run about $600/year for 'all in' utilities: Heat, A/C, hot water, lights, etc. If they wanted to add solar, it could easily be net zero. Lot's of good info on your channel. I just subscribed yesterday. Keep up the good work!
With all that crud on the screen and filter I'm surprised that you were getting much fresh air at all. Was the unit struggling? How long was it since you last cleaned those items?
Well, since he built the house, a basement creates a ton of expense that can be avoided with a crawlspace. I do hope the crawl is sealed, it'd be a shame to have a tight house with a ventilated crawlspace...
@@DavidPozEnergy I personally enjoy a nice basement and might care more about a beautiful Mech Room over a kitchen. But having a workshop can make up for it, for sure.
DavidPoz the site won’t teach DIY to non pros, but it is a HUGE free resource for help understanding what is needed for the homeowner. And ONLY licensed contractors can interact with homeowners... no jack of all trades can respond.
Don't forget to flush the condensate tube as it will plug and make a mess lol. I do believe an HRV is one of the best ideas in modern homes. The balance for incoming and outgoing needs to be looked at once in a while and I like mine slightly pressured so it pushes out. Cheers David.
Good point. I did check it (clear) so I didn't bother including that because I wasn't cleaning it.
heya that is a easy cleaning system and so practical and then retainging 80 % of the heat loss that is great
Thank you.
Neat! Never have seen inside one before. Always figured the heat exchanger would be copper! I guess the plastic works well as it can be thin. Glad to see it has some filters on it too.
Thanks for checking out the video. I love taking things apart on my channel. Yes, the plastic is very thin, so it works well enough.
It's polycarbonate cell sheeting you can buy for dirt cheap. I'm shocked that this is used in a commercial unit that probably cost over $500.
Nice work. I would suggest that you replace the outside screens with a screen that has larger openings to allow more air flow past.
To make your outside screens easier to deal with and more convenient to clean. You could make some custom fit window screens that slide over the vent or just snap into the vent box and then when you want to clean them just pop them out and give him a good wash with the garden hose you can even have a couple of sets so you haven't washed one ready to replace when you think about it
I think I would like external housings with high efficiency filters.
thank you for educational video
that heat exchange core looks like it's just a bunch of stacked coroplast. I wonder if it makes sense to DIY build one of these.
That's exactly what it is. I have plans to build one (even most of the material waiting) but I have been so busy with solar projects I haven't had the time to do a ventilation project.
That was exactly what I was thinking, it looks pretty darn straight forward too. I always assumed it was a bunch of aluminum or copper fins and tubes like on an air conditioner.
Hi dxcrive, Some brands use aluminum fins. I've even seen some cors made with a "Tyvek"-like material stretched back and forth over a frame. And some ERV's even use ceramic cores. But, from what I've seen at shows, most HRV's have moved to this construction.
I finished adding cellulose to my house, and I'm eyeing this as a future project. An update on how it's going would be really helpful.
I'm going to swap out the old gas furnace for a heat pump, and it seems like this is a good idea while work is going on. Also, the Habitat for Humanity thrift store has been getting some nice Fantech ones, and they're $100-200. I don't think they come with the control switch, but that's still a deal.
Yeah, I'd snag one at that price. The HRV hasn't been 100% trouble-free. I've had to fix the dampener twice. Seems the dampener is the weak link. I clean mine twice a year and it runs 24/7. If I did it again, I'd try to find a model that has an over-sized core, but the fan can still run at a low CFM.
Thank for the video. Interesting seeing maintenance side of it :). By any chance can you do a video on air sealing doors or what type of doors you have in your airtight house. Thanks
Thank you for the suggestion. I'll add it to my spreadsheet on videos to make. (not joking, lots of videos to get to)
DavidPoz cool thanks :)
Depending on the unit/maker you shouldn’t get the core wet. Usually you vacuum it.
where can i buy a replacement cube filter in Canada?
I don't know. Sorry. Venmar wouldn't sell me parts because I wasn't a dealer.
What is the average cost to have a HRV installed and maintained?
Hi, very informative video.
I have few queries:
Do we need to turn off the hrv while doing this activity?
Also, if we wash the filters, we need to put it back when they r dry, the hrv will be off till that time?
I turn off my HRV before opening the cover. Then I leave it off until I'm done cleaning it. I wash the filters and shake them out. Then I put the filters back in while still damp.
Its the first time I see plastic pipes to move air. Do you like it? I guess they don't get dirty as fast as galvanized melat ones ? Thanks!
I'm fine with the plastic pipe or galvanized duct. To make galvanized duct work there are a few things you need to do: 1. Seal joints with duct mastic. 2. have vibration dampers to cut down on noise. 3. Even interior ducts might need some insulation to prevent condensation problems.
With the plastic pipe I still had to glue the joints to seal them, but it is permanent and won't dry out over time like mastic. It is also less thermally conductive, so I don't have to worry about interior ducts forming condensation (which I have checked and verified). The plastic has more mass to it, so that means less vibrations and quiet.
Plastic pipe gets expensive very fast from the fittings. Especially if you want a duct larger than 4". But for me, my house is so small that I only needed 5 pieces of pipe total, so my cost was still very low.
What are the cores usually made out of? Is there any kind of fabric filter inside the core? Mine is exact same shape as yours but metal on the outside, not sure whats in the inside…
About how long is a lifetime for a HVAC?
My hubby installed our new HRV in the winter time. I just noticed now that the basement humidity is 65% & the main floor humidity on our NEST says 50%. Also the condensation tubing from the HRV is bone dry 😬😬 there’s actually a massive spider crawling in it as I’m typing 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️ Why is our tubing bone dry? Ty
My HRV doesn't produce condensation in the winter. It's usually something I see on hot-humid days in the summer.
Hi M. Poz, i'm curious about using PVC pipe for air ducting against metal duct about static electricity?
I read many time, isn't recommended to use it.... Personally i prefer work with plastic pipe.
I've read about static electricity being a concern with dust collection. I don't know if it's possible for it to be a concern here, but I've never had a problem. We are only moving 40 CFM (cubic feet per minute) for fresh air. This is low volume and low velocity through 4 inch pipe.
Would you do anything differently? Air intake further from the ground? Air filter before the hrv?
Next time I would make my own HRV. This was $900. But, anything different about the install? I'm pretty happy with overall. The vents are far enough above the ground, and under overhang that I've never had an issue with snow blocking them, so no need for them to be higher. For the first year I actually did have an extra air filter. I built a sheet metal box to house a 20x20x4 MERV11 air filter. I installed it between the air intake and the HRV. But had to remove it. What happened is I was getting condensation inside and/or outside the box (depending on time of year). This was making a puddle on the floor and wetting out the paper filter.
I've had this other thought...
If I ever got a chance at a junkyard or something to snag one of those cool air filter housings for big rig trucks, you know, the big stainless steel canister types that are about 18" DIA and 30" tall sitting on the outside of the engine compartment. I would take one of those and mount it on the wall of the house, then the air would enter the top, go through the filter, and then out the bottom would be an elbow into the crawl-space. How cool would that be!? Ha!
That would be awesome! I'm totally stealing your use of PVC for simple ducting too.
Cool. I'd love to see a picture of your ducts after you finish.
DavidPoz I really like my merv 16 carbon filter for my furnace. It has really cut down my nose and allergy issues from oct 2019 to present time. I want an HRV in my house! And I had a quote of $3000 to install one in my 900sqft home.
@@DavidPozEnergy Wow, make your own. I'd love to hear your ideas. I've a new modular with 1400 sq ft. and 2x6 walls sitting in South Carolina.
Better title-- "Poz cleans up the hoodz"
David, I just put the Panasonic ERV in a house. One thing I could never find was its efficiency rate. In your research, how does it compare to your Kubix HRV?
There are a few models, but I pulled this data sheet from one of Panasonics. The efficiency will vary between 65 and 88% depending on some factors. It's a nice unit and Panasonic is known as a good company. file:///D:/Users/David/Downloads/FV-10VEC1_Submittal.pdf
@@DavidPozEnergy Thanks! I went with it because it was a Matt Risenger recommendation. Then realized I couldn't find a spec! So thank you!
Your welcome. If you run the fan on a slow speed the efficiency goes up. Just have to meet your ventilation requirements.
@@DavidPozEnergy Thanks. Interesting, I haven't experimented with that yet. It's currently set to run 10min/ hr. We are monitoring the house, but it's not my house. It's projected to run about $600/year for 'all in' utilities: Heat, A/C, hot water, lights, etc. If they wanted to add solar, it could easily be net zero. Lot's of good info on your channel. I just subscribed yesterday. Keep up the good work!
Hi
I just realized my HRV heat core was Installed upsidedown....it's that okay or it goes one way only ?
Thank you
It might be OK, I don't know for sure. The important thing is to make sure the condensate can still drain to the pan.
hay Dave how many times did you hit your head on the sink LOL
Quite a bit the first year, but I have finally learned better.
bin there done that more than i like to say
💪👍
With all that crud on the screen and filter I'm surprised that you were getting much fresh air at all. Was the unit struggling? How long was it since you last cleaned those items?
Unit was not struggling. I'm guessing about 9 months since last cleaning.
New England and no basement?
That's correct, I live in Massachusetts and have a crawl-space. Thanks for watching.
Well, since he built the house, a basement creates a ton of expense that can be avoided with a crawlspace.
I do hope the crawl is sealed, it'd be a shame to have a tight house with a ventilated crawlspace...
Hi SuperVstech, Yes, the crawlspace is sealed. The crawlspace is inside my thermal envelope.
@@DavidPozEnergy I personally enjoy a nice basement and might care more about a beautiful Mech Room over a kitchen.
But having a workshop can make up for it, for sure.
Hi Stephen, I agree. I would have loved to build a full basement, but my town forbid me from doing it.
First and nice video
Thanks.
Do you visit HVAC-talk forum? It is full of helpful contractors like me to offer insight and assistance...
I've never been to that forum. Thanks for letting us know.
DavidPoz the site won’t teach DIY to non pros, but it is a HUGE free resource for help understanding what is needed for the homeowner.
And ONLY licensed contractors can interact with homeowners... no jack of all trades can respond.
If you put a thin filter on the air intake would that work to make cleaning easier? Example, remove filter wash install, instead of using a vacuum.
You could do that. The vacuum is pretty fast though. Whatever helps keep the bugs out.
1st view and like!
Thanks.
heat recovery 85% of the theoretical 50% , over all efficiency = 42.5%
I think 50% is heat balance not heat exchange