Energy Recovery Ventilators in Cody, WY  

Providing Services Throughout the Big Horn Basin

The modern home faces a dilemma when it comes to bringing fresh air indoors. Because of the strong insulation on a home that helps it maintain energy efficiency, there is little chance for fresh air to find its way inside. But each time a window or door is opened to allow fresh air to sweep away stale, dry, or pollutant-filled air, it places additional strain on the heater or air conditioner (depending on the time of year). Is there a way around this problem?

Fortunately, the answer is yes. It’s an installation for your HVAC system called an energy recovery ventilator (abbreviated to ERV). An energy recovery ventilator allows you to draw fresh outdoor air into your HVAC system without losing or gaining excess heat. You will need to have a professional to install an ERV and maintain it, and the right people for the job are at Big Horn Heating & Cooling. Our indoor air quality team provides excellent solutions to improve the air in homes and they will be happy to help you.

For installation or other services for energy recovery ventilators, contact Big Horn Heating & Cooling. We service Cody, WY and the surrounding areas.

What an ERV System Actually Does

The working of an energy recovery ventilator is actually quite simple to describe, although the device itself is a complex piece of machinery. Basically, an ERV draws fresh outdoor air through a vent into the ventilation system, and then moves it through a counter–current of stale air drawn from indoors. What happens as the two air currents mingle inside the ERV is that heat transfers from one to the other, pre–heating or pre–cooling the outdoor air. The fresh air enters the home, its temperature closer to what it needs to be to avoid placing extra strain on either the AC or heater. The stale indoor air is exhausted outdoors.

Imagine a hot summer day. The ERV pulls in hot, but fresh, outdoor air and then runs it through cooler, but stale and contaminated indoor air. The fresh air loses heat to the stale air, and cools down. The fresh air is now much cooler so that when it reaches the indoors, it won’t cause the air conditioner to have to expend extra energy to cool it down.

The Benefit of an Energy Recovery Ventilator

An ERV can help you lower your energy bills while enjoying superior indoor air quality. You receive the same effect as if you opened up the windows and doors, but you conserve approximate 85% of the energy that would otherwise be lost to the outside.

An energy recovery ventilator also assists with balancing humidity: moisture transfers between the two air currents along with heat. This will help whether you have dry or humid indoor air.