ERV vs. HRV - zone 7 - GreenBuildingAdvisor

ERV vs. HRV – zone 7 _Chris_ | Posted in Mechanicals on April 7, 2026 09:09pm I’m looking for an opinion on whether I should install an ERV or an HRV. I’ve looked at past questions and most of them that I can find are a few years old with different specifics, so I thought it would be worth asking again. I’m building the house myself and I just don’t know enough about this to decide with confidence. Here are a few facts: – Zone 7 Canada (north of Kenora, Ontario)– 800 sqft w/loft. Very high ceilings.– Off grid solar/propane with hydronic in-floor heating and wood stove back up.– 2×6 walls w/2″insulation board on the exterior.– R60 roof– lived in by 2 ppl most of the time (95%). From what I’ve read we could go either way and likely be ok but I fundamentally I want to know if an HRV will dry the air out too much or conversely will an ERV humidify the air too much? Am I over thinking (yes, definitely yes….) Any expert opinions will be appreciated! Thank you 🙂 Answer GBA Detail Library A collection of one thousand construction details organized by climate and house part Search and download construction details Join the leading community of building science experts Become a GBA Prime member and get instant access to the latest developments in green building, research, and reports from the field. Start free trial Related Questions ERV vs. HRV and Humidity in Cold Climate ERV vs. HRV for Freestanding Recording Studio ERV vs. HRV: humidity reduction ERV vs. HRV Replies matthew25 | ...