About The Author: Travis Baugh is a Digital Brand Marketing Manager for Bryant, where he creates clear, helpful content to guide homeowners through heating, cooling, and indoor air quality decisions. His goal is to empower readers with the knowledge they need to choose the right comfort solutions for their home—confidently and comfortably.
Your Guide To ERV Systems
By Travis Baugh
Energy Recovery Ventilators, or ERV systems, are a popular type of home ventilation systems, designed to create a comfortable indoor environment while maximizing energy efficiency. An ERV system works by exchanging heat and moisture between the incoming and outgoing air streams, thereby recovering energy that would otherwise be lost. Let’s dive into what an ERV system is, how ERV systems work, and reasons to buy a Bryant ERV system.
What is An ERV System?
Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) systems are a type of HVAC ventilation system maintain a healthy indoor environment by exchanging stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air while minimizing energy loss. They recover and transfer energy and moisture from outgoing air to incoming air, enhancing both ventilation and energy efficiency.
The primary function of an ERV system is to provide a constant supply of fresh air in residential settings, removing indoor air pollutants such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide, and other contaminants, while also controlling humidity and odors.
ERV systems offer numerous benefits, including:
- Improved indoor air quality by reducing pollutants and allergens
- Help maintain comfortable indoor temperature and humidity levels by transferring heat and moisture between air streams
- Help reduce energy consumption and potential savings on heating and cooling bills.
By continuously refreshing the indoor air, ERV energy recovery ventilators create a healthier, more pleasant living environment, eliminating stuffiness, stale odors, and excess humidity.
Samantha Houchin, co-owner of The Weather Changers in Denver, Colorado, highlighted the growing importance of whole-home ventilators as modern homes become more energy efficient.
“Houses are being built so tightly these days, with triple-pane windows and advanced insulation,” Houchin said. “That efficiency keeps conditioned air in—but it also traps stale air inside without a way to escape. A whole-home ventilator helps by exhausting stale indoor air and bringing in fresh outdoor air.
“This not only improves overall comfort but also helps your HVAC system operate more efficiently. It can heat and cool your home more effectively because the air inside is being constantly refreshed.”
How Do ERV Systems Work?
Energy Recovery Ventilation (ERV) improves indoor air quality and enhances energy efficiency in homes. An ERV system transfers heat and moisture between incoming and outgoing air streams, ensuring a continuous supply of fresh air without wasting energy.
The core of an ERV system is a heat exchanger that allows thermal energy transfer between two air streams. In a typical setup, outgoing stale air and incoming fresh air pass through separate channels in the heat exchanger. As they flow in opposite directions, heat and moisture from the outgoing air are transferred to the incoming air, pre-conditioning it before it enters living spaces.
This heat and moisture transfer process is facilitated by a porous membrane or a heat exchanger core made of materials like aluminum or plastic. This core enables thermal energy exchange while preventing the mixing of the two air streams, maintaining a comfortable indoor environment throughout the year.
ERV systems are designed to provide balanced ventilation, ensuring sufficient fresh air supply while minimizing energy losses. By recovering heat from outgoing air, an ERV energy recovery ventilator reduces the energy needed to heat or cool incoming air, resulting in energy savings and improved efficiency.
Why Buy A Bryant ERV System
Bryant energy recovery ventilators allow you to bring fresh air into your home without opening the windows. Bryant ERV systems offer the ability to remove moisture from incoming air during hot, steamy months and can supply a refreshing infusion of outdoor air all year long. It’s a great addition to your home.
Smart Comfort Control
Select the airflow and let the system do the rest. Our “smart” control board manages system efficiency and air quality in all weather conditions, all year round. As indoor and outdoor conditions change, it automatically adjusts to deliver the proper amount of fresh air with minimal energy consumption.
Quiet, Efficient Airflow
The ventilator motor offers both performance and durability. It quietly and effectively keeps air circulating through the system while helping to maximize energy efficiency. Bryant ERVs are capable of intermittent or continuous operation depending on the control used.
Defrost Functionality
By preventing frost build-up within the system, our damper defrost keeps your ventilator performing at its best. The defrost function engages when outdoor temperatures drop below 23° F. Bryant ERV systems pre-filter particulates from incoming air and outgoing air to protect its core.
Multiple Wall Control Options
Bryant offers a wide variety of options for operating your ERV/HRV. Your dealer can help you select the control that best suits your system and personal preferences, including our premium, touch-screen model.
Efficiency
Bryant ERVs carry a sensible recovery energy of up to 81% SRE with a maximum airflow of up to 210 cubic feet per minute. A hinged door provides easy access for filter changes and core cleaning. They can be wall or ceiling mounted.
Limited Warranty
To the original owner, our ERVs are covered by a 10-year parts limited warranty upon timely registration.*
Get an ERV System Installed By Your Local Bryant Dealer
Infuse indoor heating or cooling energy into the incoming air with an energy recovery ventilator so you can have a fresh indoor environment even on extreme weather days. It's a much better fresh air solution than opening a window and letting your energy dollars fly out. Consult your local Bryant dealer to help determine the most suitable ERV system or heat recovery ventilator for your needs today.
*The limited warranty period is five years if not registered within 90 days of installation. Jurisdictions where warranty benefits cannot be conditioned on registration will receive the registered limited warranty period. See warranty certificate for additional information
Explore Bryant Ventilators
Choose a Bryant ventilator for improved indoor air quality and enhanced comfort in your home. Designed to bring in fresh outdoor air while removing stale indoor air, Bryant ventilators help regulate humidity levels and reduce allergens. With energy recovery or heat recovery options, these systems ensure efficient airflow while minimizing energy loss. Whether you need to boost ventilation in a tightly sealed home or improve overall air quality, a Bryant ventilator is an excellent choice for healthier, more comfortable living.
Energy Recovery Ventilator FAQs
An ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator) exchanges stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air while transferring heat and moisture between the two airstreams to maintain comfort and efficiency.
HVAC refers to the overall heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system, while an ERV is a component within that system specifically designed for controlled ventilation with energy recovery.
An energy recovery unit in HVAC is a device captures heat and humidity from exhaust air and transfers it to incoming fresh air, improving indoor air quality without wasting energy.
A fresh air ventilator simply brings in outside air, while an ERV also recovers energy and humidity, making it more efficient and better suited for balanced indoor comfort.
Yes, ERV systems can be worth it in homes with ventilation issues, as they provide fresh air, improve energy efficiency, and help control humidity and indoor air quality year-round.
