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DIY guideHRV and ERV

Find and clean the HRV or ERV core and filters

Find the air exchanger, wash its filters, clean its core the way its label allows, and check the boost button works.

  • 30 min to 1 hr
  • 8 steps
  • Every step animated
Find and clean the HRV or ERV core and filters: the animation’s first picture

8 steps

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  1. Look in the basement or a utility room for a box with two big insulated pipes running outside and a few ducts.

  2. Switch it off at its control, then unplug it.

    Unplug it before you open it: the fans can start on their own.

  3. Undo the latches and swing the door open. Some doors lift off.

  4. Pull out the filters, noting which way each one faces.

  5. Vacuum the dust off, then rinse them in warm water with a drop of dish soap. Let them dry.

  6. Slide the core out by its strap. If its label says it can be washed, rinse it in warm water; if not, only vacuum it.

  7. Put the core and dry filters back, close the door, plug it in and press the boost button. The fans should speed up.

  8. Ice inside, water pooling under it, or a fan that won't run: leave it off and ask Handyman for a ventilation pro.

What you need

  • A vacuum with a brush
  • A tub or sink and dish soap
  • A towel

Call a pro if

  • There's ice inside or water pooling under it
  • A fan won't run or is noisy
  • The core is damaged or won't come out
  • Its drain or the outside hoods need clearing out of reach

Handyman says: Ice or water? I'll find a ventilation pro.

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