How to operate and maintain your HRV to prevent mould growth - Venmar Solo 1.5

[@blusheen378]

Excellent , detailed patient explanation. To use and maintain.

[@mrau84]

Great job explaining the functionality, right down to the smallest of details. Much appreciated!!

[@sonne2351]

I 'eco' ;) the comments below but would like to add. I appreciate the fact that you are located in Manitoba. Sitting in Alberta I can relate much better to you & the video than someone sitting in Florida and explaining all the relevant functions& concerns that apply to that climate!!!! So thank you!

[@immixxous]

Great helpful video.

[@dominicb6175]

Great video , I bought a house 4 years ago , did all the maintenance like you showed . However I better understand how it operates and the wall control part was super helpful thanks to your video.

[@bearsouthof6086]

Thank you for video. I have a newer infill home here in Alberta and this winter bedroom in master has lots of moisture on that I'm fighting with. Running dehumidifier all day and opening blinds. Now I guess will have to move bed away as large headboard up against and I think this is preventing airflow.

[@conradwiebe7919]

happy to say I subscribed :). I've watched both this and the asbestos video you've made and found them both to be super well done.

[@GanrielleGildea]

Thankyou!!!!!!

[@geofiggy]

Good evening Mark. Thank you for this Episode. Hope you're well. I know this Episode is about a year old, but I just came across this brilliantly and eloquent guidance. You're correct and I had no idea of how to use my ERV incorrectly as the previous owners did not leave the manual. I did download the vänEE manual, but it's confusing. I wonder if you can do a video for the ERV. I was wondering if you can also guide us on how to replace a noisy motor. Thanking you for this episode as well as in advance for any new information you can provide on my request. God bless.

[@Sigmacadabra]

Great video

[@catherinemurphy8220]

Excellent presentation ! I moved into an apartment and I think the ever is in the attic , I doubt it’s been cleaned . Electric heating system , since I’ve closed my windows for the year I find my eyes are burning , when I’m out of my home I’m fine once I get home burning eyes , also the house smells a bit stale …I’m am at aloos and my landlord says just put the control to 50 . Can you advise ? Thanks !

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

If you are questioning whether the HRV has been cleaned I would definitely inquire to your landlord about cleaning it as this should be done at least annually, every 3 to 4 months for the filters. Monitor your humidity level in the apartment and it should be between 30% and 50%, closer to 30% during freezing outdoor temperatures. You may need to use a dehumidifier if you noticed heavy condensation on Windows during sub freezing temperatures. Hope that helps.

[@GearingT]

What does the damper motor do? Should the damper open and close?

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

The motor should open the damper when the unit is in operation then close the damper once the unit shuts off.

[@marschock1134]

Great video. I cleaned filters and now won't power on. Is there a reset like newer vanee units? I have the same one as in your video

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

I don't believe there is a reset switch. Try holding the door button with the door off and listen for a click. The only "reset" I can think of is to unplug the unit, wait 60 seconds then plug back in. Hope it works for you.

[@partizanbgd0113]

Excellent video. Is it possible or recommended to connect my HRV’s humidistat to the ecobee thermostat to keep them both on one unit?

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

I'm sure it is possible but it may require an additional circuit to marry the two units together.

[@partizanbgd0113]

@ thank you for your reply. I decided to keep them separate. It gives me better control of fresh air circulation.

[@paulrandolph8469]

In other words, having alternatimg layers stacked in the core maximizes the contact surface area, and thereby maximizing heat transfer.

[@ChrisM-o4s]

Hii I have a issue water was building up on the other side of the core with no drain.....well black mold started growing....I haven't checked it I a year unfortunately...I have no clue how this works.....ive keep it on eco mode ...started see all my plants get white powdery mildew.....open that box up and what a mess....mold every where .....😮 what do I do now ....please help

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

It sounds like the drain may have gotten plugged. It is recommended to remove and clean all interior surfaces with vinegar then follow up with a soap and water mixture. The filters should be discarded and replaced and the core should be properly cleaned.

[@ksimmons5442]

Great video! What temp/humidity do we stop running it at? In Minnesota we have winters that are sub zero, but summer can be 90 and 98% humidity. When should I turn it off and then back on again? My dial on the humidistat goes to 80 degrees Fahrenheit

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

I recommend that you operate your HRV to control humidity when the temperatures get below freezing and turn it off when the temperature goes above. I operate a dehumidifier set to 35% year round that controls the humidity during the warmer months.

[@syurkus]

We recently purchased a home that uses this exact model. Few questions regarding its maintenance and operation. For winter months should we keep it on min constant or the alternating? The knob for that control unit can it be purchased? Previous owner broke the inner tension clip that holds it on. The filters around the core, looking on Amazon they run 109$ for a pair, are there any reputable websites that have equally quality filters for cheaper? The fans inside the silo, when looking ours the fan wheel is caked full of built up thick dust likely from moisture and lack of filter replacement. Is there an easy and or recommended way to clean both fans? The hose discharge line for condensation, should that line be a specific type of hosing outside thickness? Ours is dirty or moldy, hard to tell so we wanted to replace it but didn’t know if there was a recommended type to use?

[@syurkus]

Thanks for the video it was extremely helpful.

[@virgil3241]

Damn this is one of the best laymans term videos for HRV I have ever seen. And Ive been watching a ton lately to make sure things are done right. No making people feel bad for picking an HRV over an ERV either to make themselves feel better. I recently installed an HRV this fall so we have better air circulation and refresh since the house has been worked on and sealed for all the Canadian Home Grants. With Manitoba getting as cold as Alberta, whats the best way to ensure that the HRV core or cabinet dont freeze up. Been seeing many pictures of issues with HRV in extreme cold, so want to know the best way to not have this happen

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

I live in the Winnipeg area and have yet to have any issues with freezing. You can install an inline heater to warm the freezing air slightly if you run into any issues. Hope that helps

[@virgil3241]

@@breatheeasyecosolutions4726 This winter will tell the tale. I know it all depends on outside temps as well. I think many have issues of freezing due to not understanding them, or bad setups, or not lowering their humidity in the house when they see a cold snap coming.. I have flex pipes on mine, so an inline heater wouldnt be an option I dont think

[@CuttingKnives]

I set my dehumidistat to 45% humidity, but my inside humidity is around 30%. And the HRV just running constantly. Why is it running constantly when the humidity is already below the setting?

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

What type of main controller do you have? If you have the same one in the video with the dial, try turning the dial and listening for the click. The unit should come on and run continuously when it is set to below the click and off when above the click. If you have a different controller with humidity displayed it is possible that your unit may be faulty or that your controller is set to continuous operation. Hope that helps, good luck.

[@Moffia56]

How does the bathroom control work.

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

There should be one of three styles. 1) A standard light type switch 2) A button switch 3) A multi-button timer switch. Once activated, it turns on the HRV then sends a signal to turn on the furnace fan. The exhaust point in the bathroom should be on the top of one of the interior walls.

[@tw3513]

My HRV is always running and I can’t get it to turn off. Any advice?

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

My guess is that you may have a faulty controller or faulty remotes switch.

[@susnorth40]

The wall control in your thumbnail is the one we have. Our system didn't come with a manual we purchased the house with the HRV already installed. Can you run through how to use that specific controller ? I've tried to find it on line with no success.

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

The dial is to adjust the relative humidity and the min/max/intermittent is to set the ventilation. As discussed in the video, I find it easier to use a digital humidity gauge.

[@susnorth40]

@@breatheeasyecosolutions4726 thank you!

[@haiderenterprises3669]

Humid level remain 30 to 35% only. It doesn’t go up to 45% any suggestions

[@breatheeasyecosolutions4726]

I have a dehumidifier set to 35% humidity and training directly into a floor drain. My humidity at most gets to 45% relative humidity. If your humidity remains between 30 and 35%, you should not have any issues with the house. If you find that it is too dry for breathing or your skin, you can use a humidifier but make sure you monitor the humidity and not exceed 50%. Of course it is recommended to keep your humidity between 30% and 50% during the subfreezing temperatures. Hope that helps, take care.

[@naurdaurnt]

Whoa hang on.. I'm confused. We are supposed to turn this OFF in the summer / humid months? I live in Atlantic Canada right next to the ocean, its humid year round, and we all have baseboard electric heaters, and no furnaces or central air. We just only have these HRV Venmar type things. I thought that I was supposed to run it year round. Perhaps this explains the mould that we got last summer in our basement!!! I truly thought you're SUPPOSED to run it, to move the air around and prevent mould. But you're saying you turn it off in summer. Do I have that right? Does that apply even in places without HVAC like air conditioning / forced air furnace?

[@naurdaurnt]

omg. As I continue watching, you describe my situation perfectly - "renters who dont understand the system and it causes mold growth" AHHHH.

[@naurdaurnt]

boy could I have used this video in January 2022. I googled the manual, and watched several youtube videos but they were like 2 minutes long and I just blindly followed the instructions. I am so grateful for this thorough explanation of the ENTIRE unit and how it does what it purports to do. I will now attempt to clean mine, for the first time in 3 years... wish me luck.

[@naurdaurnt]

KZbin is going to flag me for spamming you haha, but I just want to say thank you again. I run a dehumidifier year round in my basement and in the summer i have to empty the 50 pint unit 3x per day. It broke after one season (thankfully, costco made it an easy return). The next one has lasted but boy does it get a good workout each day. fall / winter is far less humid so i only need to empty it once or twice a week just so theres no stale water sitting in it. I think my entire life will change with your advice. I won't run this darn HRV in the spring/summer, and my dehumidifier will thank me for it. My electric bill, too! $900 was my most expensive hydro month so far, most winter months its $600-800, and i had this thing running on high and cranked low, so it was obviously jacking up my electric heating costs. Thank you so so much! Sincerely, a broke stay at home mum who is pinching every penny!