Single Room HRV?

[bobbob911]

Hello,

Do single room, quiet (<30dB) HRV units exist in North America?

I have a single finished room in my basement that requires fresh air ventilation. My house has no existing ductwork (hot water heated, no central air). It seems outrageously expensive to install a whole house HRV with ductwork to the room.

I notice in the UK there are many examples of equipment like this, for example:

http://www.vent-axia.com/awwebstore/products/vacas/hr25.asp
http://www.vent-axia.com/awwebstore/products/vacas/hr100s.asp

Is anyone aware of a solution available here? I'd prefer a non-window based unit since I dont want to block the only window in the room with the HRV.

Thanks!

[mayguy]

I don't know why we don't have them here in the states. I agree, we should have them..

I think the only reason why they have it is that most of the homes in the UK are hot water heat, so forced air is very far and few.

[teddy bear]

Why wouldn't a small amount of simple exhast ventilation solve the problem. Typically, homes leak 50-100 cfm of interal air out through the ceiling/roof in the winter (Stack effect) and out through the down wind side of the home the rest of the year. So, exhausting 50 cfm of air from a room any place in the home decreases the ceiling/wall leakage directly and increases the make-up leakage slightly. Typically, exhausting 50 cfm of air decreases exfiltration 25 cfm and increases infiltration 25cfm. The energy content of increase unconditioned air is less than $75/year. HRV saves half of this. How much willing you invest to save $40/year.