Everything you need to know to install a Broan Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV)

This is a guide on why an Energy Recovery Ventilator is needed and how to install an Energy Recovery Ventilator.

[@silverbackag9790]

I just wanna see this guy go “Great Scott Marty!”

[@rasras4749]

Well done guys. Applause!!!

[@nedunonnyp704]

I Have Broan B150E75NT AI Series. I'm using the T1 Independent Install Setup. When Exhausting/Supplying from/to more than One Area/Room/Locations, How do you maintain Suction/Supply Air? I Have noticed a Significant drop in Air Suction from Exhaust and Decrease in Supply Air when I "Tee" in to more than One Area. The 6in Ducts drastically drops the air movement after I "Tee" Off into Any Location. How do You Overcome this?

[@BroanNuToneLLC]

Thank you for your inquiry. According to our Product Support team, you may need to use an 8" trunk line. The reduction in ducting and splitting ducting will always reduce the output, the system is always pushing/pulling as much cfm as it can. But when you split the ducting you also split the cfm. If you would like to discuss this with our team directly, please call 800-637-1453.

[@FreezeinHellBatman]

I have a Broan HRV and last night them Temperature outside was 34.5F and the fresh air coming into my house was 46.0F and the stale air exiting was 42.9F! This thing is amazing and is going to save me and estimated 20-30% on heating costs in my leaky house built in 1879! Question for Broan? What allows the core of this HRV to recover more heat than is exiting the building. If it was just equalizing the temperature difference you would expect to see incoming and exiting air to be the same? What sorcery or physics allow all this energy savings for my building?

[@BroanNuToneLLC]

Good Morning, In colder climates, where home heating is essential, the Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) is the proper choice. The HRV keeps the home supplied with a steady flow of fresh outdoor air. As stale, warm air is expelled, the heat recovery core warms the incoming fresh, colder air before it is distributed throughout the home. The result is a constant supply of fresh air, no uncomfortable drafts and greater comfort. In addition to heat recovery and improved air quality, the HRV provides necessary ventilation while controlling excess humidity.

[@timpearn9383]

Great video! My question is at the beginning the first guy suggested keeping the fresh air connection a minimum of 10' from the air handler blower and the installer installed that connection much closer than 10'? I take it that it is not that critical?

[@Lolatyou332]

I think code requires at minimum 6 feet. 10 feet is recommended.

[@GenesisMuseum]

If you were to get an unbiased answer, they would tell you that unless you have no other option, it is not recommended to tie into existing ductwork at all. This 10' (or 6') minimum is to try and alleviate issues such as the ERV fans being overwhelmed by the HVAC system, or the need to run the HVAC every time you want the ERV to run. If you have to do things like tie in to the HVAC or install a "combo" inlet/outlet, or use small ducts like 4", then you do what you have to do. But if at all possible, use 6" duct connections separate from the HVAC, and separate them along the house far from each other, or in strategic locations (i.e. inlet near plants, outlet near dryer vent, etc).

[@larryseibold4287]

In an install like this (both stale air from building and fresh air to building going directly into the existing duct work with a small separation and tied into the fan of the air handler), is it important where the air handler filer is located? if the filter is in the return grill, will the significant pressure drop across the filter be an issue, growing as the filter dirties over time? Does the filter need to be at the air handler instead, where it is in front of the two connections? Does that or the grill location work when the two duct connections are on either side of the air handler, where the stale air is trying to be pulled from the low pressure side of the air handler and the fresh air is trying to be delivered on the high pressure side using two different fans in the ERV/HRV? The installation manual does not seem to address the filter location of the air handler and the pressure problems that it creates.

[@BroanNuToneLLC]

Thank you for your question regarding the ERV video. It shouldn't matter where the air handler filter is located in the return side of the furnace. Whether the filter is before the ERV ducts or after them, the ERV will adjust itself to remain balanced and the set cfm. If it cannot due to a restricted filter, it will display a code letting you know that either the fresh air or exhaust air is restricted.

[@michaelsuggett710]

Is there any restriction to how close the exhaust system can be from other exhaust systems (water heater, furnace exhaust, etc). or can they be right next to each other since they are exhausting?

[@BroanNuToneLLC]

Thank you for your ERV question, Michael. There is no restriction for the exhaust as all the exhausts are venting out.

[@Jaiguruji07074]

@marty, I like to have this unit be installed, could you recommend some one in the 19067 zip code?

[@BroanNuToneLLC]

Good Morning, We recommend reaching out to your local HVAC company for installation. If you have any questions regarding application or specification, please call our Product Support Team at 800-637-1453. They will be happy to assist you.

[@michaelsuggett710]

Would using the modified setup of taking the intake air and directing it into the supply ducts cause too much humid air to enter the home since it is bypassing the furnace / ac coil?

[@BroanNuToneLLC]

Thank you for your ERV question. This unit shouldn't cause excessive humidity. The majority of the humidity will transfer to the exhaust air through the ERV core before it enters the AHU ducting. The A/C is not always cooling when the ERV is running. We hope you will find this information helpful.

[@michaelsuggett710]

@@BroanNuToneLLC I live in a cold climate (Wisconsin), and I am concerned about the defrost cycle, but the manual says for T-4 and T-5 (which I would need to do) " (THIS CONFIGURATION DOES NOT ALLOW RECIRCULATION MODE TO OPERATE.) So I was concerned that the unit would not defrost properly because the air recirculates in the core? Would I be reading that correctly? So I would not be able to have defrost on? What does the incoming air have to be in order for the defrost cycle to kick on? I read somewhere 23 degrees, but that seems high as other units are in the negatives before defrosting cycles. I would prefer to use the T-5 setup where the air goes directly into the supply side. 1. With the goal of being able to run the unit continuously, but I was concerned with this section of the manual that says for a T-5 install "Unit should be synchronized with central forced-air system operation to avoid condensation and mold growth in central forced-air system distribution ducting if cooling mode of central forced-air system is used. " Which means there is no method for existing ductwork in which the system can run continuously using T-4 or T-5 install it would have to be interlocked. Would that be a correct understanding, that I can only do T-4 or T-5 with an interlocked furnace?

[@BroanNuToneLLC]

@@michaelsuggett710 According to our Product Support Team, the unit will still recirculate for defrost in these configurations. You just won't be able to run the unit in recirculation mode. T4 configuration requires the unit to be synchronized with the forced air system, but T5 configuration is not required only recommended to avoid the possibility of condensation in the ductwork when in the cooling mode. If you would like to discuss your application with a member of our team directly, please call 800-637-1453. They will be happy to assist you.

[@slipperyslope3912]

Exterior intake and exhaust are way too close. Shouldn't use same hole. System might as well breathe its own farts.

[@BroanNuToneLLC]

We appreciate your feedback on the ERV video. The TYIK1 tandem transition kit is a concentric vent kit and is designed to not bring in exhausted air. These kits should only be used on 110 cfm models or less. Due to the design of this kit, there is almost no cross-contamination. It has been tested and per the specification sheet, the cross-contamination rate is 3.2% between stale air to the outdoors and fresh air from the outdoors.

[@nieldcreek2098]

Very poor animation

[@bubbahubba5009]

A video of a cluttered mess in the basement where the camera work is terrible nobody can see wtf David Lee Roth is doing here

[@GenesisMuseum]

I think it's useful because it's far from ideal. The worst are the installations where they are still building the house...of course it's easy because you can run the ducts anywhere and don't have to worry about walls. But most ERV systems seem to be retrofits, installed in areas where no one thought anything was going to be installed.