I get what you’re saying, but I’m not convinced HRVs are the magic fix for every house.
That’s kind of my issue—if you have to remember to turn it on all the time, is it really solving the problem? I feel like builders should be putting in better passive ventilation from the start, not just relying on gadgets. My place is new too, and honestly, sometimes I think the “energy efficiency” pitch just means they skimped on airflow.“if I forget to run it for a day or two, things get damp again.”
I hear you on the “energy efficient” new builds. My house is just a few years old and it feels like a plastic bag half the time—crazy airtight, but if I don’t crack a window now and then, the air gets stale fast. I did try an HRV, but honestly, if I don’t leave it running all the time, we’re back to condensation on the windows. Part of me misses the old drafty place I grew up in... at least you never had to worry about mold. Maybe a mix of passive vents and mechanical stuff is the way to go, but builders seem to just throw in whatever’s trendy and call it a day.
My house is just a few years old and it feels like a plastic bag half the time—crazy airtight, but if I don’t crack a window now and then, the air gets stale fast.
Totally get this. The push for airtightness is great for energy bills, but man, it’s a double-edged sword. I’ve seen a lot of “sealed up” homes where moisture just lingers. HRVs are solid if they’re balanced right, but sometimes builders undersize them or don’t set the controls for real-world use. Honestly, a couple of passive vents (like trickle vents) can make a world of difference—just enough fresh air without losing all your heat. It’s wild how old-school draftiness actually kept some problems at bay.
It’s wild how old-school draftiness actually kept some problems at bay.
Funny how we used to complain about drafts and now I’m half wishing for a little breeze in my living room. I tried those stick-on humidity sensors and, wow, the numbers spike fast after a shower or cooking. Anyone else notice HRVs can be noisy or is that just mine rattling away? Wondering if it’s worth tweaking the settings or just living with the occasional window crack...
I’ve seen a lot of new builds where the HRV is basically an afterthought—just slapped in and left to rattle. Mine was so loud I thought something was wrong, but turns out it was just cheap ducting vibrating against the joists. Honestly, I’d rather deal with a bit of noise than cracked drywall from trapped moisture, but it’s wild how much we traded for “tight” houses. Sometimes I miss those leaky old windows... at least you knew the air was moving.
