What about my Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV)?
So if you have a home built in the last 20 years or so chances are you may have an HRV installed. These are designed for use in energy efficient homes. This unit constantly changes the stale air in a home by exchanging with fresh exterior air.
These units need regular maintenance as well to prolong the lifespan and improve the air quality inside the home. Follow your user manual’s recommended maintenance frequency, but as a general guide cleaning the filters every two months is a good practice.
Locate your specific HRV user manual for any specific instructions.
Locate and turn off the HRV unit power.
Remove the cover and clean or replace the filters.
Go to the exterior of the house and locate the two wall vent covers for the HRV, clean from any debris.
Visually inspect the condensate drain hose for any blockages, if none take a cup of warm water and pour through the bottom of the HRV unit to confirm proper drainage.
Clean any dirt/dust off the fan blades.
Replace the filters.
Close the unit.
Turn on the power.
You are done for the next two months, set a reminder in your calendar for the next maintenance interval on your HVR unit.