An ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator) brings outdoor air into your home and exhausts stale indoor air, with a core that transfers both heat and moisture between the two streams. The result: fresh air without losing the conditioning energy you’ve already paid for.
When an ERV makes sense in Colorado
- Tight, modern homes (low natural infiltration)
- Homes that feel stuffy or accumulate odors
- High-altitude homes where natural humidity is already low
- Homes with elevated CO2 or VOC concerns
For Colorado, ERVs (which retain moisture) are usually preferred over HRVs (which don’t) because preserving the home’s modest humidity is valuable in our dry climate.
ERV vs. HRV
- ERV — transfers heat and moisture. Better for dry climates like Colorado.
- HRV — transfers heat only. Better for humid climates where you want to keep indoor moisture out.
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Right Way Mechanical is a family-owned HVAC contractor serving Wheat Ridge, Arvada, west Denver, and the Colorado foothills.