Closing Home Inspections Growth Mindset Newsletter: The ERV

Opportunity is everywhere, the key is to develop the vision to see it.

 -Robin Sharma

The Energy Recovery Ventilator often referred to as the ERV. Chances are you have probably     walked past one of these while showing a home paying no mind to it, and why would you, it looks like a metal box installed somewhere typically in an attic or a basement. However this device is an amazing asset to have in a home.           

See with modern homes in an effort to lower our carbon footprints, they were spray foamed and built with more insulation than older homes. This was done in mind to keep more conditioned air inside the home longer requiring the A/C and Heating systems to work less. This leads to lower heating and cooling bills along with extending the life spans of some very expensive heating and cooling systems. This increase in insulation and spray foam is what people refer to as homes being built “tighter”.         

The core is in the center

Now with homes being built tighter there is the concern that a home can not breathe, meaning that air and allergens will stay in the home. Builders and contractors use a blower door to test how much air flows through the home before and after insulating and spray foaming. They also add ventilation to prevent mold from happening. The ERV aids in maintaining that air flow circulation as well. The way an ERV works is through two fans, one pulling air out of the home and one pulling air in. The middle of the ERV is its core. This is where the magic happens. With ERVs the old air leaves the home along with humidity and allergens but a portion of the heat or cold stays and gets transferred to the new air coming in. So even though it’s 70 degrees inside the home and 30 degrees outside, after the cold air enters it becomes 52-55 degrees. 

The life expectancy for an ERV is 20 years and the maintenance for it is minimal. The filters need to be cleaned or changed out every 3 months. and annual maintenance is done by an ERV specialist This is done to keep its core clean along with ensuring there is no blockage in the system. The Department of Energy has found that an ERV can lower the heating and cooling load of a home by up to 25 percent. Basically the ERV is like a whole house fan on steroids. The next time you see one of these just know a golden opportunity is standing right in front of you.                                                                                                             

By Jonathan Eliza

Internachi CPI

MA Home Inspector License # 1198