Is a HRV the way to go?-installed/update

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by mike31154

Not sure I follow how exactly your system works though. The exhaust fan pulls air directly from your furnace cold air return? Is there another fan or at least opening to the outside to allow fresh air in to replace the exhausted air? My house was built in the late '50s and there are plenty of places for fresh air to get in. I have a fireplace in the basement as well as one in the living room, so I need to figure out if exhausting air without providing incoming would cause backdraft thru my chimneys. I also remember when I replaced the furnace in the condo I lived in in Ottawa, new code required the installer to run a simple duct from outside to the furnace to provide fresh air.

The exhaust fan only works when the furnace is on, just like the humidifier. So if the exhaust fan is active it creates a negative pressure and the furnace will draw in make up air from outside. And yes the exhaust fan draws air directly from the cold air return.