Energy Efficient Bathroom Wall Fans
jackofalltrades777
| Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on
I was looking at ERV/HRV units from Zehnder but the ridiculous $10k price tag is for the wealthy, not for the middle class homes. I can’t believe they charge so much for a unit that blows air with some plastic tube ducting. Ridiculous!
Any other reasonably priced ERV/HRV units that are worth looking into?
Another option is to just install a wall bathroom fan but I would like something more energy efficient and not just have a 6″ hole in the wall that is open to the outside air 24/7 hours per day 365 days a year.
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I just installed my third Panasonic bathroom exhaust fan. They are truly very quiet and have a built-in damper at the unit. I'll probably add another damper at the wall as there's a 20' run to the exterior. This time I got the unit with a motion sensor and humidity sensor and plan to leave it connected at all times. It'll be interesting to see how it works out. With the new brushless DC motor, its energy usage is less than 1 amp.
Even the most efficient bath fan is zero percent energy recovery. For a couple of extra dollars more you can get a Panasonic whispergreen spot ERV. If you don't mind a bit of ducting, their IB100 ERV is good value.
For larger places Renewair ev-premium line is a pretty good deal. The upcharge for the larger unit is pretty small and running at low speed gets excellent efficiency. Nice side benefit is the unit takes standard air filters.
Thanks for the info! Is this the unit you are talking about? $985
https://www.supplyhouse.com/Panasonic-FV-10VE2-Intelli-Balance-100-Energy-Recovery-Ventilator-Temperate-Climate
Does anyone sell the plastic ducting that Zehnder makes?
Zehnder will sell their Comfotubes alone, they would just prefer that you buy their equipment as well. The equipment really is nicer and better-performing than other brands but it comes at a premium. Comfotubes also cost a lot for what you get, though they are nice--you can save a lot of money buy installing your own rigid metal ductwork.
And to be fair, the Zehnder unit itself was not $10K--I imagine that was for system design, all parts and pieces, commissioning and possibly for installation as well. Comparing apples to apples with other systems, design, installation and commissioning, Zehnder is still more expensive than the competition but by perhaps 10-15%, or 20% at most.
Being it's a small house (1,700 sqft) with only 2 baths and short duct runs. The 4" ducts would work best due to space limitations. Will 4" exhaust and 4" intake ducts and wall openings be okay?
With the Panasonic ERV and DIY install, I can have the system installed for under $1,300.
Panasonic ERV is what I used in my own home.
No complaints. Price was crazy reasonable.