ERV ventilator: health-related problems
I have recently renovated my home- is tight now, so I decided to install ERV.
Now I see that was fatal mistake. Instead of supplying fresh air,
1. The core is recycling (meaning bringing back) bad VOC , especially formaldehyde (easy soluble in the water) – therefore core along with moisture is bringing back bad stuff.
2. More importantly, ERV core itself is emitting strange wood-like smell. The smell isn’t going away after almost a year of using, and despite manufacturer claiming it will go away.
3. From 1 reputable brand I have switched to other reputable brand featured in Fine Homebuilding magazine, but problem stayed. Now I just think ERV core itself is just killing machine.
We started using in spring time, I was blaming outside pollen for health problems, although I have never ever had allergies. Yes I was upgrading filters and constantly ignoring smell.
I couldn’t believe that machine literally killing me, my wife, and my 5 years old son, in plain sight.
It started with respiratory problems, cough, allergy like ect., then pneumonia, then unexplained fever, and finally, after 10 months, doctors have diagnosed severe stage of Crohn’s disease for Lifetime.
Me and my wife are almost good except cough, but my son wasn’t that lucky.
My Questions:
1. Are there first hand people that are still happy using ERV ventilators? So far I have heard only happy manufacturers and contractors.
2. Are there people that experience similar unexplained health problems, and using ERV at same time?
3 . Where I can have my ERV tested, I mean laboratory that they can analyze air coming out of this machine? ( 1 of them is still on the wall and other sitting in the shed.)
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Replies
Zbigniew,
Most owners of homes equipped with an ERV are happy with the performance of their ERV.
If you or anyone in your family has medical symptoms, you can't find useful advice or help on this forum. You need to talk to a doctor. Your doctor will advise you how to proceed. Good luck.
Zbigniew,
No problems here with my ERV works great, there was a smell when new but went away in a couple of weeks.
If you are into a bit of DIY, most manufacturers use the same chassis for their ERVs and HRVs (make sure your ERV has a condensate drain as an HRV will need one). If you do a bit of digging, you can find their equivalent HRV and purchase the core as replacement item for yours. Most will just fit right in. You would have to adjust the defrost cycle as HRVs need more defrost.
As for formaldehyde, be careful with the sensor you are using. Lot of them have a large cross sensitivity to other VOCs such as alcohols.
If your house really has high HCHO levels, I would try to find the source and eliminate it.
Zbigniew,
Sadly, I see just as many improperly installed/commissioned ERVS as properly installed/commissioned.
I assume that you have had the ERV evaluated by an HVAC technician qualified to do such a task? Too often, the installation or commissioning is not done by someone trained and experienced with this equipment.
Peter