Ventilation system question
arnoldk
| Posted in Mechanicals on
Hi,
I am looking for some opinion from everyone on GBA on which ventilation setup I should lean towards. I know there are different views and approach but I am open to all of them at the moment.
I will be using a Mitsubishi Zuba Central which is a ducted heat/cooling heat pump system with a Vanee G2400E ECM (ERV) ventilation system.
Our initial plan was for a dedicated ducted ERV system but the mechanical contractor advised us it would cost more for the additional ducts and we would also need to install a post-heater just downstream from the ERV to increase the fresh temperature heading to the rooms.
They suggested a hybrid approach, use the forced-air heating duct system to supply the fresh air which would eliminate the need for a post-heater since the fresh air would be mixed with the recirculating air. The exhaust would be taken from the bathrooms using a dedicated duct system.
– Is it worth the additional thousands of dollars for a dedicated ducted ventilation system?
– If I go with the hybrid system proposed, would the ERV unit have sufficient power to circulate fresh air on its own when the heating/cooling system is not required or will the furnace blower need to be synchronized with the ERV unit?
Thank you,
Arnold
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Replies
The independent, ducted system is the gold standard. You don't need a downstream heater. The standard recommendation is to position the vents such that they're not blowing directly onto people. I've stood right underneath a vent while it's running at maximum and I couldn't feel it.
Hi Trevor,
Do you feel the independent, fully ducted system significantly better to warrant the high price tag?
Thanks,
Arnold