Bath exhaust with ERV in the South?
Colby Forester| Posted inGeneral Questionson
I am currently building a house and would like to use a ERV for bath fan exhaust for all of the bathrooms. My problem is I live in the South and the air gets pretty humid in the summer. Would using a ERV still be a viable option or should I go exhaust only for each bath? I assume if I exhaust the bathrooms then I would need a HRV to combat the outside humidity?
GBA Detail Library
A collection of one thousand construction details organized by climate and house part
Search and download construction details
Replies
Jody,
Many ventilation experts recommend that using an HRV for exhausting air from bathrooms is better than using an ERV, and -- at least in theory -- they're right. That said, I'm not sure how much difference it makes in a long run.
In general, I think that the purported advantages of an ERV compared to an HRV are usually overstated, and in most situations, either can work.
For more information, see these two articles:
"Does a Home with an HRV Also Need Bath Fans?"
"HRV or ERV?"