Auto-Balancing HRV for Makeup Air
sfortier
| Posted in General Questions on
Hello, Broan/Venmar/VanEE do have a new lineup of HRV/ERV that auto-balance themselves (https://www.venmar.ca/n-series.html), up to 160 CFM.
Anyone has experience with those? Wondering if I could rely on those to provide makeup air to at least my dryer (unlikely to work for a range hood so going ductless for that one).
I’m self building a new house and it is going to be really air tight (under 1 ACH50 for sure)
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Replies
An auto balance unit is designed to maintain balanced flow through the core whenever there are pressure changes. This means by its very design won't supply makeup air as supplying makeup air requires unbalancing the ERV.
You could theoretically unbalance the unit through external controls but you have to be careful as it is now pulling a lot more cold outside air in which can cause the core to freeze up.
Makeup air is best supplied through other means.
It takes a pretty tight house to need makeup air for a dryer but possible. Dryer blowers do have some oomph behind them so they can handle a bit of depressurization.
The simplest is to go with a non venting dryer. There are many options out there nowadays, besides not needing makeup air, they are also way more efficient.