The use of high R-value SIP’s in the construction process ensures that every one of our homes is extremely airtight. For a healthy indoor environment, ventilation must be mechanically supplied to remove indoor pollutants and odors from your home. In a very airtight home, the ventilation system is an integral part of the home and is used year round. To provide this necessary ventilation, Tamarack Construction recommends and installs a Heat Recovery Ventilation system or HRV in every home we build.
Unlike a conventional exhaust fan that blows heated air outdoors, these highly efficient systems capture 56% to 94% of the existing heat in the air before it is released outdoors. This contributes to the overall energy efficiency of a home, first, because you capture heat you have already paid to produce, and second, because incoming cold, fresh air is pre-heated in this manner, it takes less energy to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your home.
For example, if it’s 10 degrees outside and a comfortable 68 degrees inside your home, installing an HRV ensures that you don’t have to bring that 10 degree outside air up to 68 degrees (a 58 degree difference) before you feel comfortable. Instead, you may be bringing in 45 degree air, and only have to warm it 23 degrees.
This highly efficient technology has been used in Canada, Europe and Australia for decades, and is gaining in popularity in the U.S. as people search for energy-efficient, healthy choices for their homes. Tamarack Construction installs
Venmar brand whole-house HRV’s. This firm is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council and has made over one million installations in North America since 1952.