ERV port placement in kitchen - GreenBuildingAdvisor

ERV port placement in kitchen Gadfly87 | Posted in Expert Exchange Q&A on March 24, 2026 03:29pm I am retrofitting an ERV in my finished home and I need advice on where to locate exhaust air (i.e. intake) registers in my kitchen. This is an exhaust ducted system with 3-in Zehnder ComfoFlex exhaust ducts running up a partition wall cavity from the lower level, behind my refrigerator. Given the obvious constraints of running duct work, I’m limited when it comes to register placement. However, I am able to run the ducts over top of the kitchen cabinets.  In the attached photo, I’ve identified three possible port/register locations: A: Just above the refrigerator is a nice little gap in the cabinetry where I could place a wall register but it might be an eyesore and will probably be a pain to install. B: I could run a duct down the back of the corner cabinet so the register is just above the toaster oven. This is also where we do a lot of food prep and slow cooking so it’s an ideal spot for catching odors. However, I’m not clear on whether this will be a fire/safety issue or if it’s too close to the stove. In case it’s relevant the microwave above the stove has a kitchen exhaust fan ducted to the outdoors. The rectangular duct sits above the cabinets. C: I would like to have a register as close to the ceiling as possible. The kitchen is in a large open-concept space with a vaulted / cathedral style ceiling. It would be nice to capture warm, humid air near the ridge. The partit...