Do you have an old ERV or HRV that has overstayed its welcome? Want to level up your indoor air quality with the CERV2’s built-in IAQ sensing technology? Replacing your old ERV or HRV with the CERV2 is a simple task with great rewards!
Ducting
The CERV can often simply use the exact ductwork that was used in the original ERV or HRV system. The ducts on these systems are:
- Fresh Air From Outside – Unconditioned (fresh) air from outside the home. Single duct connecting to an exterior wall vent (typically with a coarse mesh grill).
- Supply Air To Inside – Conditioned (fresh) air, often branching off into multiple ducts. The Supply Air is typically delivered to living spaces (bedrooms, family room, etc), but may also be injected into a central forced-air system.
- Return Air From Inside – Conditioned (potentially stale) air, typically removed from “wet” areas, such as bathrooms, kitchens, laundry rooms, etc.
- Exhaust Air To Outside – After energy has been extracted from the stale Return Air, it is sent outside through a single duct. The duct connects to an exterior wall vent (typically with a coarse mesh grill).
One area of consideration would be the specified airflow of the original ERV/HRV and the size of the ductwork. Some ERV/HRVs are installed with the idea that living spaces may only need a couple of CFM (Cubic Feet Per Minute) of fresh air, and therefore use very small diameter ductwork. While the CERV can still deliver air through smaller ductwork, higher airflow rates could potentially result in larger pressure drops and increased airflow noise.
Electrical
The CERV2 may likely be used on the same electrical circuit that the ERV/HRV was wired to. The CERV2 plugs into a standard 120v NEMA 5-15 outlet with an electrical appliance cord. One area of consideration would be if the original ERV/HRV may be wired for 240V (especially if a pre-heater is used). The CERV2 does not require a pre-heater, and has no low-temperature operation limit.
Condensate
ERV/HRV systems can produce condensate when exchanging energy between airstreams, and therefore require a condensate drain. The CERV2 is similar, however because of its integrated heat pump, it is far more effective at dehumidifying incoming fresh air in the summer (or removing humidity from the air in recirculation mode). The CERV2 uses a 3/4″ PVC condensate drain, and comes with a clear P-Trap that allows for easy maintenance and cleaning.
