ERV recommendations for my situation
So we switched our upstairs HVAC to mini splits, now I’d like to get some ventilation in there.
Climate is northeast US: hot, humid summers and cold winters, with fairly short falls and springs it seems lately. Home size is 3000 sf, but I’m only ventilating the top floor which is about 1200 sf.
Whole house fans are kind of ruled out, given that they just pull in humid air with some outdoor pollution indoors (I live near a busy street). HRVs seem like they’re similarly ruled out, making the winters too dry and the summers too humid indoors.
So I guess ERVs are all that’s left. Here are my criteria:
– ERV core can be removed and cleaned, ideally with a strong solution. I saw that Zehnder cores can be removed and even cleaned with bleach, are there any other brands that allow for this?
– Can allow for higher MERV filters for incoming air.
– Ideally aren’t made of cheap materials which offgas.
– Good CFM rating, decent value
– Bonus: have a regular power plug instead of requiring wiring
Any ideas?
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Replies
I think a Brian AI series would fit. It has a washable core and has MERV13 option.
While the Broan AI ERV does have the MERV 13 option, I'm pretty sure the core is not washable. You can vacuum it but that's about it.
My ERV is now over a decade old and about the only thing I have done is blow out the core after some drywall dust got into there. I do run an external merv 13 pre-filter on the fresh air intake which definitely helps (the external filter is pretty ugly every time I replace it).
I've gone through one set of blower bearings though, I think that mechanical bits is what will go before you have to worry about cleaning the core.
I don't think you'll find an ERV core that is cleanable with detergents.
I think Zehnder cores can be cleaned with soap and bleach:
https://www.zehnderamerica.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CORE_Cleaning_Disinfection_Instructions_V2_ENG.pdf
Wondering if any other brands are the same
I installed a broan AI 210 erv last year and finally checked the inside of the erv this weekend finding it spotless thanks to in-line filters. I have a merv 13 in-line filter box for the fresh air intake that caught plenty of bugs and a merv 8 in-line filter for the stale air before it gets to the ERV. The single 14 by 20 2 inch thick stale air filter still looks new while the two 14 by 20 2 inch thick fresh air filters got switched out and the filter box vacuumed.