I just installed an ERV (Energy Recovery Vent) into my 1970-built bedroom — it has drastically increased the air quality (I have it set to exchange the entire house volume 8x per day). It is as quiet as the ceiling fan, nowhere near as loud as a dehumidifier (which pair well, together, for overall room/house comfort). I also leave the central HVAC fan `ON` 24/7.
There is a HVAC cost because the ERV is only ~60-75% efficient (at recovering heat/humidity with external supply air exchange), depending on the cfm/setting... but it gets rid of every stink, and you smell the morning dew and approaching thunderstorms. As is recommended, I leave mine on 24/7 — it has a boost mode which can be activated with switches wired anywhere else (e.g. bathroom, for during showers)... I plan to use a wallswitch timer for this temporary airflow increase, because the 24/7 setting I've set is 70% efficient, and at MAX it drops to only 60% energy recover.
The Panasonic unit I installed was ~$600, plus an additional $100 in venting. Took me about eight hours to DIY install (but I have decades of blue collar electric under my belt and am familiar with house). This would have probably been bid out ~$2500 if a company were doing it, on a simple install (i.e. <25ft ducting to non-roof penetration).
I think either DIY or Pro expense would be worth it, particularly if your air is stale / litter box / subtropical humidity. Modern building codes require HRVs/ERVs in most new construction, so if your building is even just a couple decades older, ERVs are worth looking in to (HRV if you live in desert climates).
Is there another tool that is more pragmatic? Like a hepa air filter device or something?
Activated carbon. These NASA plants absorb VOCs. Same as activated carbon. But you need a lot of it. Like several KGs of it in one air filter. The mainstream air filters you buy usually have 100-200g of it only. Need 5 - 25kg ideally.
For particulates (smoke, dust, allergens, etc.) you can get a good HEPA filter. For odours and VOCs, filters with active carbon can work extremely well but you need one with a big mass of carbon. A carbon filter is easier to jerry-rig to a fan, air duct or existing HEPA air purifier because they often have a very low airflow impedance.
maerF0x0|7 months ago
ProllyInfamous|7 months ago
There is a HVAC cost because the ERV is only ~60-75% efficient (at recovering heat/humidity with external supply air exchange), depending on the cfm/setting... but it gets rid of every stink, and you smell the morning dew and approaching thunderstorms. As is recommended, I leave mine on 24/7 — it has a boost mode which can be activated with switches wired anywhere else (e.g. bathroom, for during showers)... I plan to use a wallswitch timer for this temporary airflow increase, because the 24/7 setting I've set is 70% efficient, and at MAX it drops to only 60% energy recover.
The Panasonic unit I installed was ~$600, plus an additional $100 in venting. Took me about eight hours to DIY install (but I have decades of blue collar electric under my belt and am familiar with house). This would have probably been bid out ~$2500 if a company were doing it, on a simple install (i.e. <25ft ducting to non-roof penetration).
I think either DIY or Pro expense would be worth it, particularly if your air is stale / litter box / subtropical humidity. Modern building codes require HRVs/ERVs in most new construction, so if your building is even just a couple decades older, ERVs are worth looking in to (HRV if you live in desert climates).
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_recovery_ventilation#Fixe...
[example] https://www.homedepot.com/p/Panasonic-WhisperComfort-60-20-5...
[see also] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indoor_air_quality#Improvement...
aurareturn|7 months ago
max51|7 months ago