kiwirock:

 

Sales people be sales people, confusion marketing tools. :) "Balanced" ventilation with an actual heat exchanger ('h'eat 'r'ecovery 'v'entilation) is certainly the bees knees all seasons.

 

I would argue to others that suggest not using PPV units it as much during the night in winter, that's when they're almost needed the most if your heat source drops for the night.  In saying that, we don't have either. Heatpump stays on minimum 13 over night or when no one home, windows are cracked open in the morning and kitchen fan put on high to draw fresh air in during breaky, and all locked back up for the day.

 

Moving from a piled house with polyethylene ground sheeting to slab was the difference between mold and no mold for us. Both double layered roof insulation, reflective insulation under the piled house. Both places bathroom windows open a crack for faster return air for the extractor when in use.

 

I think a balanced HRV would hardly ever have to run where we are now. Maybe 5 minutes an hour over night if needed just to keep co2 down for a more comfy sleep in the smaller bedrooms (that's if the neighbours aren't one of those that don't know how to burn a fire hot and clean rather than smoky/wasted fuel).

 

With a balanced HRV they are tuned to the house. pretty common to set them up to 0.5 ACH, which is a higher than whats required but as you don't have the heat loss penalty more is better.

I'm not a fan of old school running time. i don't see the point of storying the rubbish and breathing it in when you can simply remove it straight away.