Running air exchanger in the summer?
Nick
We've recently moved into a newly built two-floor home with forced air
heating/cooling and an air exchanger. We're running our air handler
fan and air exchanger continuously to provide fresh air. The problem
is, our summers are humid so the air exchanger brings in humid air; if
it's not hot enough for the air conditioning to come on (heat pump) and
dehumidify it, the humid air stays in the house, making it somewhat
uncomfortable. On the other hand, if we turn off the air exchanger in
the summer, I think the inside air would get stale and stuffy without
fresh air coming in, right? What can we do? What's the recommended
practice regarding air exchangers -- should they be on or off during
the summer?
Thanks,
--
Nick
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Before you buy.
MechAcc
Is this an energy recovery ventilator contact the manufacturer. If it
isn't then contact your HVAC contractor and see about getting a
thermostat that has dehumidification capabilities. Carrier/ Bryant has
one called a thermidistat. When the air conditioning turns on as the
room temperature reaches set point if the humidity is above its set
point it runs the air conditioner until the humidity set point is
reached or two degrees lower than the cooling set point. Makes the air
conditioner run longer to dehumidify when the heat gain is low.
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David Andersen
Comfort is something no one seems to be able to put a specific number to.
If you are uncomfortable, turn on the a/c. That is the only device that will
remove moisture. A dehumidifier is an a/c where the sensible heat is not
sent outdoors. So that will only work if you are only trying to remove
moisture and don't want it any cooler in the space. In fact it will heat
things up. Seeing you have your a/c off, I am assuming you are trying not to
run it for some reason. So if you don;t want to run it, and it is too damp
in the house, shut off the device that is bringing in the moisture.
To some extent, the a/c and the air exchanger work against each other. How
much, is based on the efficiency of each. You can not have the best of both
worlds by turning either one off. They were designed to work together.
An economizer verses an air exchanger, only gives you fresh air when the
temperature and moisture conditions are right in the outdoor air. Maybe you
should watch the weather and turn off the air exchanger when the humidity
gets above the point you start to feel uncomfortable. You can install an
automatic control to do this for you as well.
Arista Engineering
to even out the temperatures in the house then constant fan is fine.
Questions
1)Is your air exchanger a heat recovery ventilator with a crossflow heat
exchanger looking like a plastic or aluminium 'diamond' ?
2)Is the air exchanger an energy recovery ventilator with a wheel that
rotates?
3)Is your air exchanger something that just exhausts stale air and brings in
an equal amount of fresh air with no heat exchange?
Answers
If 1 is "YES" then either shut it off for the summer or set the dehumidistat
to the maximum setting of 80% so it does not come on until indoor humidity
is abnormally high. It could also be interlocked to run only when the
compressor runs.
If 2 is "Yes" then call the guy who installed the air exchanger and find out
why you are getting so much humidity. The wheel should remove humidity from
the incoming air and add it to the stale air being exhausted.
If 3 is "Yes" either shut it off completely or interlock it so that in the
summer it is only on when the compressor is running.
I think if you run the fresh air system intermittently in the summer that
you will not find it stuffy.
In the winter you will want the constant supply of fresh air and I would
always have the air exchange system on. However if you are running a
constant fan you may find it drafty.
I would say if you have any kind of heat or energy recovery system,
hopefully it supplies fresh air to the return air of your air
handler/furnace. Leave the furnace fan in auto mode in the winter. Let the
air exchanger pressurize your duct work and fresh air will be forced out
every supply register and return grille when there is no call for heating.
Fresh air will be supplied everywhere however you should not notice any
drafts.
Nick
In article <96973699...@RedRat.CandW.ky>,
"Arista Engineering" <ari...@spamthis.ky> wrote:
> Questions
>
> 1)Is your air exchanger a heat recovery ventilator with a crossflow
heat
> exchanger looking like a plastic or aluminium 'diamond' ?
Yes, this is the kind I have.
> Answers
>
> If 1 is "YES" then either shut it off for the summer or set the
dehumidistat
> to the maximum setting of 80% so it does not come on until indoor
humidity
> is abnormally high. It could also be interlocked to run only when the
> compressor runs.
If the power switch on the exchanger is set to "On", it will circulate
air at low speed. The humidistat switches it to high speed, but
doesn't shut it off completely, so if I want to shut it off I have to
go down to the basement every time, which is not a good solution :).
If I could get it to run only when the compressor runs, that would be
great. How can I do this?
Arista Engineering
Nick
"Arista Engineering" <ari...@spamthis.ky> wrote:
> You could use a relay. What is the make & model number?
It is a Brock HPB-150. The air handler/furnace is a York (don't know
the model number).
Abby Normal
They bought out Enviro Air in 98 I think. The Enviro's were alright, they
did not have the control options thatVenmar or VanEE had. Your best bet is
to hire someone to install a couple relays. He could make you up an
Auto/Off/Summer switch. Auto, it would run as it does now, Off is Off, and
in Summer it could run whenever there was a call for cooling. Get an
experienced guy.
Where are you Nick, Quebec, New Brunswick?
Nick <ni...@my-deja.com> wrote in message news:8re7d4$i8$1...@nnrp1.deja.com...