Hrv Cost For 3 Bedroom House
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Topic: DVS vs HRV Systems Posted: 21�July�2009 at 12:37pm
What is the difference does anyone know? Does anyone recommend one over the other?
Also, any ideas of costs?
We have a heat pump so I am quite keen to get a heat transfer system also. I know DVS does them but not sure about HRV.
I am getting quotes but am interested to hear others opinions.
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 12:41pmWe don't have one but are interested also (though we won't be able to do it for a couple of years.
I've also seen Moisture Master advertised and they have a transfer system and options for in-line heaters as well. Might be worth checking them out too. 
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 1:34pmI have looked on their websites and the price of a DVS ranges between $1400 upto about $5000 so I was quite surprised!
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 2:20pmWe have just had a HRV system installed (in May) and it cost $3500, our house is 3 bedroom plus study so we have 2 fans up in the roof and 6 outlets, one in each bedroom, one in the study, one in the lounge an one in the dining room (the house is actually open plan but you still need the extra outlets). Basically they put outlets everywhere except the kitchen and bathroom as in those room you need extraction and normally have via extractor fans or oven hoods.
I don't know a whole heap about them as it was DH that looked into it, but HRV don't have a heater, they just use the warm air from the roof and it's computerised so that the fan speed adjusts automatically depending on the temp/ desired temp etc. The HRV has the largest fans which means that they actually push the wet air out of the house and get rid of the condensation and dry the house out so you stop getting any whereas DVS warm the air and circulate it so basically the air is warmer and there is no condensation on the windows but your house is still wet so turn it off and the condensation will come straight back.
I'm totally impressed with HRV, best $3500 we ever spent, the house feels warmer, drier, nicer and no condensation, less dust also, and is suppose to cut flies down by 90ish % as well so looking forward to seeing if that is true in the summer.
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 3:10pmLoulee - did you find that it helps with your condensation problems also though?
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 3:37pmA heat transfer system won't sort out condensation, you need to remove the moisture. All a heat transfer system does is take heat from one part of the house (normally the lounge as that is where the main heating normally is) and transfers it to other parts of the house. If the air in that room is wet then you just move wet air from one place to another.
Even when it is freezing outside the HRV system is still running just on the lowest setting. When it's cold out with the sun up the roof gets quite warm so it ramps up. Plus the way it was explained to me is that because it will work on max when it is nice and warm it actually dries the house out so that when it is running on low it doesn't really matter as it would take years for the house to become wet again not just days or weeks.
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 3:53pm We are also seriously looking at getting one of these. The only reason being to get rid of condensation. Our house is 6 months old and I have literally just finished cleaning all our aluminium joinery for the 2nd time this winter to get rid of all the mould 
All of our windows are dripping in the morning. We have a heat pump so not worried about heating side of things, we just want a nice dry mould free house
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 4:26pm We looked at both DVS and HRV they're very similar only reason we went with DVS is cause they gave us a better price.
Our condensation is almost non existant, i didn't realise how little we get until I went to other houses that have heaps.
By drying the house out it does make it easier to heat and keep warm.
Angel June 2012
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 4:30pmWe get DVS's installed in our rental properties for work. I think mainly because the price was better and the service was much better.
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 4:36pmI have just been staying with my sister for a few days and they had HRV installed a few months ago - its awesome! Their house was so damp mouldy and now its so dry. They paid around $4000 I think for a 3bdrm, living, dining area (6-7 vents I think) and they say its definetly the best money they have spent (well paying off anyway).
What I found great was on Sunday it was a nice day but obviously by late afternoon it was starting to get a little nippy outside - the temperature in the house however remained fairly warm and it wasn't until quite late at night that we thought about lighting the fire.
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 6:49pmHRV does not heat UNLESS there is heat in the roof. We have one and best thing we got for this house - in winter I use to have to clean the walls in our room because of mould and I haven't done it since we got HRV in (which is going on 4 years) well worth it just for that. Our walls use to be really wet in the morning - nothing! BECAuse your house is dryer it warms up quicker and keeps the warmth for longer.
I had a friend who got a dvs and she was still getting mould in one of her south facing rooms - not something i would want to happen if I paid all that money just to get rid of it.
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 7:18pmWe have an HRV - have had it for 2 years now and for our small 3 bedroom house including ventilating the bathroom was $2,800.
From the day after it was installed we have not had any condensation (apart from when have a shower and not put the fan on!). The house heats a lot more efficiently as well as there is no dampness. Although I think that they do imply it heats more than it does.
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 7:31pmOur HRV was just under $4000, that was including our four bedroom house plus the 2 bedroom flat downstairs.
We had HRV, Moisture Master, DVS and one other company quote, HRV weren't the cheapest but the guy seemed to know what he was talking about and was really helpful.
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 7:47pmCheaper doesn;t always = the best. You get what you pay for basically.
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 8:52pmWe checked this out for our rental as didn't think the tenants would wipe the windows and sill every mornring as we had. We went with HRV in the end as from what the guys said to us, we believed it sounded better (and you can't turn it off. It turns itself on again after 8 hours. Good for tenants). we have a DVS in our place. Generally it works well, although when we have had frosts, there has been condensation in the mornings on most of the windows. One thing with DVS is that they don't believe there needs to be a vent in all bedrooms, despite the fact that people lose over a litre of body water over night. Also, they say it won't work if the house isn't heated well and they say there needs to be a gap in the curtains, especially if you have pelmuts (sp) and air can't get out the top. There is a temperature control/setting on the HRV which I like the sound of (my sister likes this feature on theirs). If we won lotto lol I would look at putting in an HRV to replace the DVS. Sorry for the novel, but we did look into it a bit
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 8:52pmWe have a DVS in our house (a 1950's bungalow style house) and we have next to no condensation. I totally rate it! It was already here when we bought the house so we were stoked!
We were also recently contacted by DVS to say that they now have those heat transfer kits to add to it and they start at around $400. Would be so worth it to get that installed as well, but haven't managed to convince the DH yet 
We also have an open fire so that helps reduce the condensation too unlike gas heaters that increase it!
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 21�July�2009 at 8:54pmWe installed HRV in our old house (3 bed bungalow). I think there were 4 vents, and from memory we paid around $2,500 or so - I honestly can't remember. This was a couple of years ago.
The system was great at drying out the house, but it didn't heat at all. Although with the air being dryer in the house, it was a lot quicker to heat with the fire & heaters.
We have just moved into a modern house with amazing insulation, but a pretty bad condensation problem. Moisture Master came over this evening to quote us for an install. Even though we have 4 bedrooms, they prefer to put the vents outside the bedrooms as if doors are shut then it doesn't work as well. Thus for a 3-4 vent system the quote was just over $3k, and they have an optional heat transfer system for a further $895
My advice would be to get a couple of different people around to give you quotes, and then go with what you feel the most comfortable with. Different systems work better in different houses.
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 22�July�2009 at 8:51am Another vote for HRV. We've got a old house which last winter every morning had to wipe the windows. Put one in late last year and it's been amazing! No condensation and the house feels so much more comfortable.
No, they don't heat but they push heat from the roof into the house. Which this winter hasn't worked so well as its been so grey. But the house is still warmer and the last week or so it's been sunnier and we've had the house very comfortable till early evening.
Ours was $3300 - 5 vents, 2 fans. Worth every cent! A brilliant investment.
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 22�July�2009 at 10:03am With DVS they start off with a basic price around $1500-1800 which is for the fan system and 2 vents, and then you add on $450 for each extra vent. They're bigger than HRV, and HRv put more in they were talking about putting in 8 in our house compared to the 4 we got with DVS.
We got vents put in the lounge, dining and only 2 bedrooms. The one we use as an office didn't think was worth it. We can add another one later if we choose to.
We got a good deal with DVS by going to the Akl home show.
Both are excellent, and great and getting rid of condensation.
Angel June 2012
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Post Options Thanks(0) QuoteReply Posted: 22�July�2009 at 7:51pmWe had an HRV installed about 6 weeks ago and from that day on we've had absolutely no condensation in the living areas and only a little bit in a couple of the bedrooms (we have pelmets so I'm thinking they'll be going). We have aluminium windows and we (I mean I) used to have to use a couple of towels each morning to mop all the water up. Even when I'm cooking at night with all the steam - there is never any condensation on the windows.
It cost us $3500 which gave us a vent in each of the 4 bedrooms, lounge and dining rooms. The other thing I'm finding great is that we can now leave the windows closed which gives us added security. Before I was having to leave them open on latches to help air the house out while we were at work.
There is a thermostat in the hallway which we've set at 22 degrees so as long as the temperature in the ceiling is higher than the temperature in the hallway it will pump the warm, filtered air into the rooms with vents. It pushes the cold, moist air out through natural vents in your home. I've only noticed a couple of days so far where I can feel a change in the room temperature, however, it's been easier for the gas wall heater to heat the lounge/dining/kitchen.
We didn't look at any other options or get quotes so can't compare but I'm really happy with the money we've spent.
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