HRV service & repair
from $189Every sealed Winnipeg home has one, and almost nobody services it. A clogged HRV core is why your windows sweat all January.
Sound familiar?
- Windows dripping with condensation all winter, especially overnight
- A musty or stale smell that doesn't go away no matter how much you clean
- HRV unit humming, rattling, or noticeably louder than it used to be
- Air in the house feels stuffy, or everyone seems a little congested
- The control panel shows an error, or you're not sure the unit is running at all
What's actually causing it
Clogged core
The HRV core is the part that transfers heat and moisture between outgoing stale air and incoming fresh air, and almost nobody services it. A core caked with dust loses efficiency and stops pulling moisture out of the house effectively — which shows up first as sweating windows.
Unbalanced airflow
If the stale-air-out side and fresh-air-in side aren't balanced against each other, the house ends up slightly pressurized or depressurized, which can worsen condensation and make the ventilation feel like it isn't doing anything.
Dirty or missing filters
The intake filters catch dust and debris before it reaches the core. Left unchanged, they choke airflow the same way a dirty furnace filter does.
Iced-over exterior hood
The intake or exhaust hood on the outside wall can ice over or get buried in a snowdrift in extreme cold, which restricts airflow much the same way a blocked furnace vent does.
What we do
- Core cleaning, filter replacement, and airflow balancing
- Check the exterior intake and exhaust hoods for ice or snow blockage
- Service Venmar, Lifebreath, vanEE, and Broan units
- Diagnose whether a condensation or stale-air complaint is actually the furnace or, far more often, the HRV
Straight answers
My windows sweat all winter — is that a furnace problem?
Almost always it's the HRV, not the furnace. A sealed Winnipeg house relies on the HRV to move moisture out, and a clogged core is often the whole story. It's a service call, not a renovation or a new furnace.
Do I actually need an HRV running in a Winnipeg house?
Most newer or recently renovated homes here are sealed tight enough that they already have one installed for exactly this reason — without mechanical ventilation, moisture and stale air have nowhere to go. If yours isn't running, that's usually where condensation and stuffy-air complaints trace back to.
How often does an HRV actually need service?
About once a year is a reasonable baseline for filters and a core check, more often if anyone in the house has allergies or you've got pets. It's easy to forget because nothing about it seems urgent until the windows start dripping.
Why does my HRV ice up in extreme cold — is that normal?
Some frosting on the core during a deep cold snap is normal, and most units run a periodic defrost cycle to clear it on their own. A core that's frozen solid, or water leaking from the unit, isn't normal and is worth a call.