LF HRV installation pictures

[mark]

Going to pick up a Greentek PH7.15 (http://www.imperialgroup.ca/greentek_ventilationhrverv.cfm?c=409) and go the DIY install route.

Gone through the installation manuals from different manufacturers but pictures worth a thousand word type thing. Anyone willing to put up some up of their installs so I can get ideas for layout etc.

[mark]

Okay, here's mine.

Now that it looks like the cold weather is done finished my installation. Did it over 2 weekends but that was short days due kids soccer, wife dragging me away, etc. Biggest hassle for me was crawling through the trusses (getting too old and fat). Definitely no more than a 2 day jobs for someone that knew what they were doing. Still can't believe a company was ballsy enough to quote $4000 for a unit installed ($3K labour).

Only place to put the unit was in the window opening. No big deal as in the 6 years been here, only opened the blinds a couple of times.
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h316/das75/HRV-finished.jpg

House has cathedral ceiling so placed a single stale air intake near the high point.
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h316/das75/HRV-stale.jpg

Couple more holes in the rim joist (shiny hoods the inlet and exhaust)
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h316/das75/HRV-vents.jpg

Only wall I had to open up was in a closet so easy to fix.
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h316/das75/HRV-closet.jpg

[BlueTang<3]

Sweet yeah companies labour is terrible, I am very interested in seeing how this turns out for you comfort wise in your home.

[mark]

Looks like it's going to work. Until I get the dehumidistat dialed in, can see not having enough humidity being the problem.

Before I started the HRV yesterday around noon, was measuring around 48% RH, by evening was 35% and this morning down to 30%. Another big indicator was lack of condensation on the bedroom windows. It's usual to find condensation in the mornings when we pull up the blackout blinds but only a slightest bit today in the kids room.

[vaporize]

HRV is absolutely the way to go, out of the 1200 gallon or so different tanks, it used to be around 60-70% humidity even with full dehumidifer. In the winter months, it drops to around 30-40%.

Unfortunately for the summer months it gets to be a bit of an issue. Nice installation pictures. and Seriously labour is crazy, I think I was charged $1000 alone just in labour.

[bkelly]

You guys ever have your fresh air intake line condensate so much that the plastic wrap that holds the insulation around it fills with water? Mine did this winter , i dont want mold there, what slope direction does yours run. Mine is metal piping 6 inch and solid piping also for the corners it runs about 10 feet from the exterior wall to the HRV. Any solution for this.
Thanks
Brent

[vaporize]

You guys ever have your fresh air intake line condensate so much that the plastic wrap that holds the insulation around it fills with water? Mine did this winter , i dont want mold there, what slope direction does yours run. Mine is metal piping 6 inch and solid piping also for the corners it runs about 10 feet from the exterior wall to the HRV. Any solution for this.
Thanks
Brent

do you have a drain at the bottom of the HRV?

[bkelly]

yes set up just like the photo in this thread. I think mine is water coming off the pipe leading to the HRV, i have a slight slope going to the HRV on that pipe but not much as theres a door in the room the pipe has to clear.

[mark]

You guys ever have your fresh air intake line condensate so much that the plastic wrap that holds the insulation around it fills with water?

Are you're meaning condensation in the insulation? If the inner and outer lining are intact and sealed on both ends you shouldn't get any.

I tried not to have any low point (dips) in my fresh air run and the inlet on the outside wall is higher than the port on the HRV.

[wingedfish]

So what do you figure is a fair price for two guys for a day? A grand is fair where I come from. Good on ya guys for diy'ing the job.

[bkelly]

yes it was like a bag of water in the plastic sock that contains the insulation, ill try sealing the insulation at both ends , ill post some photos of my set up prob tomorrow. i also installed myself.
BTW:
I saw some pressure balancers on ebay when i was looking way cheeper . I never balanced as its an older house , i opened the baffles full .

[mark]

wingedfish, no problem a $1000 for labour and probably would have agreed to $2500 a unit with installation, to cover markup on the unit and other materials. Just couldn't do $4000.

bkelly, again the insulation shouldn't be wet. No expert but I'd replace.

[mark]

Not only does it remove the humidity, it actually does recover the heat.

Inserted a temp probe in the ducts a couple of feet from the unit (house side) exhaust 22°, fresh air 13° with the outside air measuring -9°C.

[The Codfather]

Good to hear.

[e46er]

There are multiple ways to do HRVs
A stand alone system with supplys in the bedrooms and living room and exhausts in the kitchens bathrooms is best but alot of labour $$$ but you can also just tie it into your supply and return ducts off a forced air system not as good but substainally cheeper

[mark]

Fully ducted would have been best but since I was installing in a house complete with finished basement still think having a separate stale intake with fresh air tied to furnace a good compromise (middle picture). Think my numbers also show it worked out okay.

Here's a diagram of installs
http://www.americanaldes.com/images/stories/LIBRARY/VENTILATION-SOLUTIONS/hrv-installation.png

[e46er]

yes.

how did you do picture 2 if your house is finished?
picture 2 is better than picture 3 but very rare to see as you also need the house open to do that. tell u the truth Ive heard of it but never actually seen picture 2 style.


most people do picture 1 or 3.

[Scythanith]

yes it was like a bag of water in the plastic sock that contains the insulation, ill try sealing the insulation at both ends , ill post some photos of my set up prob tomorrow. i also installed myself.
BTW:
I saw some pressure balancers on ebay when i was looking way cheeper . I never balanced as its an older house , i opened the baffles full .

Yep, mine was like that on my old HRV installation. The after the fact fix was to change out the insulation and really make sure the new stuff was taped off well from the in house air. Also, your HRV will probably have a feature that switches to inside air when the unit begins to freeze up from bringing in too much cold fresh air.

[Scythanith]

For your install, add a loop to the condensate tube. This keeps the HRV from drawing air from the end of the tube, which is usually sitting on the floor near the stinky floor drain.

Here is mine.

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i-9hrJkRZ/0/L/i-9hrJkRZ-L.jpg

http://www.lithicimages.com/photos/i-jhhDmz5/0/L/i-jhhDmz5-L.jpg

[mark]

yes.

how did you do picture 2 if your house is finished?
picture 2 is better than picture 3 but very rare to see as you also need the house open to do that. tell u the truth Ive heard of it but never actually seen picture 2 style.


most people do picture 1 or 3.

Though furnace is wall vented, convention gas hot water heater and luckily there was room in the chimney chase. Still have the option of running a branch for stale air intake to main floor bath if ever felt like squeezing through the attic again.