August 31, 2016


An energy recovery ventilator can increase the comfort level of your home and improve air quality.

As the temperatures in St. Louis continue to rise, even into September, so does the humidity. That can affect the inside of your home as well. This may be the perfect time to talk with your trusted HVAC company about installing an ERV, Energy Recovery Ventilator, system with your existing heating and cooling units.

How an ERV Works

As our homes are increasingly becoming tighter due to an effort to make our homes more energy-efficient, new problems start to arise. Indoor air quality can be compromised as the same stale air is constantly being recycled through the house. Higher humidity levels may become an issue as you have basically created an airtight environment with levels that fluctuate drastically and far from the 40% ideal range.

Adding an ERV, or energy recovery ventilation, system to your homes HVAC system can take care of both of these issues. They are able to exchange the stale air with fresh, conditioning it first to match the indoor temperature of the house. In the summer the system is pre-cooling and dehumidify outside air as it is being brought into your home. The opposite happens in the colder months when the system is able to warm the air and humidify it. This leaves you with a comfortable indoor environment that is being infused with fresh air through the vents.

Like all new technology that is being introduced into your HVAC system, an ERV has proven to be an effective way of reducing your energy costs by reducing your heating and cooling loads.  It does this by using air that has already been conditioned to adjust the temperature of the incoming air into your home.

ERV Installation

Installing an energy recovery ventilation system is a job for your St. Louis HVAC professional. In order for the ERV system to operate optimally, it requires two connections to the outdoors. One that expels your existing stale air from the house, while the second draws in fresh, clean air. For the best results, these outside connections should be located on opposite sides of your home to avoid the stale air that is being forced out to be sucked back in through the inlet hole.

The ERV system will be integrated into your home’s existing ductwork so that the fresh air is being delivered to every room in the home. Once installed, its functions can be controlled by your digital thermostat and set to turn on and off with your HVAC system.

St. Louis HVAC Professionals

Contact Scott-Lee Heating to see if the ERV system is a good fit for your home. Controlling humidity levels inside the home while also supplying it with fresh air, is a great way to optimize the indoor climate of your house.

Call us now at (314) 200-0788 or fill out our online contact form.