FAQ

An ERV, or Energy Recovery Ventilator, is a ventilation device that continuously exchanges stale indoor air for fresh outdoor air while recovering the heat and moisture from the air it removes. It's how a home or room gets a steady supply of fresh air without losing the energy already spent heating or cooling it.

A ductless ERV is a compact, self-contained ERV that installs through a single opening in an exterior wall, with no ductwork connecting it to the rest of the building. It ventilates one room or space directly, which makes it practical for condos, bedrooms, additions, and any building where installing ducts isn't an option.

An ERV pulls stale air out of a space and draws fresh air in from outside at the same time. Both airstreams pass through a heat exchange core inside the unit, which transfers heat, and in an ERV's case, moisture, from the outgoing air to the incoming air before it enters the room.

Both recover heat from outgoing air to warm or cool incoming air. The difference is moisture: an ERV also transfers humidity between the two airstreams, while an HRV only transfers heat. That makes an ERV better suited to balancing indoor humidity year-round, which is why it's the more common choice in most Canadian climates.

A standard ERV connects to a home's ductwork and ventilates the whole house from one central unit. A ductless ERV is a standalone unit built into one wall, ventilating just the room or space it's installed in. Ductless units are the practical option for renovations, condos, and additions where ductwork isn't feasible.

Yes. An air purifier filters and recirculates the air already inside a room, it doesn't bring in outside air or remove CO2. An ERV replaces stale indoor air with fresh, filtered outdoor air, which is the only way to actually lower indoor CO2 and bring in new oxygen.

Holtop ERVs are designed to work in any building, residential or commercial. They can be installed via either the back or the side of the device, and require access to air from the outside. To learn more, call us at 604-222-2100, or see our Installation Guide.

ERV installation is straightforward and requires few steps. For customers in the Lower Mainland (Canada), our team of experts can perform installation in your home. To learn more, please see our Installation Guide.

The Holtop Smart App is compatible with both iOS and Android devices

We offer free shipping to Canada and provide home installation for customers in the Canadian Lower Mainland. For more information, please see our Shipping Policy