--- title: Heat Recovery Ventilation Melbourne date: 2023-05-07T20:28:00+10:00 author: Darren Burch canonical_url: "https://sogeo.com.au/heat-recovery-ventilation" section: Pages --- ![Stiebel Eltron LWZ 180 heat recovery ventilation unit installed in a hallway cupboard with ducts running up from the top of the unit]() # Heat Recovery Ventilation Melbourne SóGeo designs and installs heat recovery ventilation (HRV) systems across Melbourne and regional Victoria, on their own or as part of a geothermal or hydronic heating and cooling project. Fresh, filtered air around the clock, condensation and mould kept in check, and the heat you have already paid for stays inside. A heat recovery ventilation system continuously replaces the stale, humid air in a home with filtered fresh air, and recovers most of the heat from the outgoing air on the way through. In a well sealed modern home it is the difference between fresh air and a heating bill. SóGeo designs, installs and commissions HRV systems as standalone ventilation projects and as part of the heating and cooling systems we build. ![Heat recovery ventilator diagram: fresh air in, stale air out, with a filter, fan and heat exchanger in between](https://sogeo.com.au/uploads/general/heat-recovery-ventilation-diagram.png) ## The heat recovery ventilation systems we install A heat recovery ventilation system is three parts working together: the unit itself, the ductwork that reaches every room, and the commissioning that balances the airflow. We install a range of heat recovery ventilation units from several manufacturers, and we select the unit to suit the home rather than fitting one brand to every job: the size and layout of the house, the climate, how the home is heated and cooled, and where the ducts can run. That means central ducted systems for new builds and major renovations, compact units where a full duct run is not practical, and a choice between a heat recovery (HRV) core for Melbourne’s cool, dry winters and an energy recovery (ERV) core where humidity is the bigger problem. Because we are not tied to one manufacturer, the recommendation follows the design, not the catalogue. ## Why a sealed home needs it Older Australian homes ventilated themselves through gaps. A home built or renovated to a modern energy rating does not, so the moisture from showers, cooking and breathing stays inside and shows up as condensation on winter windows, mould in bedrooms and wardrobes, and stale air in the morning. Opening windows fixes the air and throws away the heat. Heat recovery ventilation fixes the air while keeping the heat in, and its filters keep pollen, dust and bushfire smoke outside. Our guide to [what heat recovery ventilation is and when a home needs it](/blog/what-is-heat-recovery-ventilation-australian-homes) covers the detail. ## HRV on its own, or with the heating Both. If you have an existing home with condensation, mould or air quality problems, or a new build where ventilation is the one thing still missing, we take on HRV as a standalone project: duct design, unit selection, installation and commissioning. If SóGeo is building the heating and cooling as well, ventilation is designed alongside it from the first site visit, so the duct routes, the plant space and the heat load are considered together and the whole system is commissioned as one. ## What it costs We do not publish a price list for heat recovery ventilation, because the honest answer has too many variables: the manufacturer and type of unit, the size and layout of the home, and how far the ducts have to travel. The unit is usually the smaller part of the cost; the ductwork, the plant space and the access to reach every room drive the rest, which is why a new build or a renovation with the ceilings open is the cheapest time to add HRV. Every SóGeo ventilation project is quoted from the drawings or a site visit, as a fixed quote against a design. Ask any installer for a design rather than a unit price, because an undersized or badly routed duct system will be noisy, out of balance and unable to recover what the brochure promises. ## Our process - Site visit, or a review of your drawings for a new build or renovation - Duct layout and unit selection to suit the home, the climate and the heating system - A fixed quote against the design - Installation and commissioning, balanced room by room - Handover with filter and servicing guidance, so the system keeps recovering what it was designed to *Building, renovating, or living with condensation and mould?* [*Talk to SóGeo about heat recovery ventilation*](/contact-us) *for your home, on its own or as part of a geothermal or hydronic system.* 01 ![Cutaway of a two storey home with a heat recovery ventilation unit in the roof space, extract ducts from the bathroom, kitchen and laundry, and fresh air supply ducts to the bedrooms and living room]() ### Ventilation that gives the heat back On a well sealed home, heat recovery ventilation is part of why a SóGeo geothermal system measured a SCOP of 8.1. Terry and Lynne Lefoe’s new build in Coimadai runs geothermal underfloor heating and cooling with heat recovery ventilation, and the system measured a seasonal coefficient of performance of 8.1, the highest of any project SóGeo has published. The ventilation is part of that number: the HRV unit recovers the heat that would otherwise leave with the exhaust air, so the heating load the heat pump has to meet is smaller and the compressor spends more of its life at part load, where it is most efficient. The [Coimadai case study](/case-studies/case-study-sogeo-revolutionised-home-comfort-in-coimadai-victoria) has the full picture. ## Frequently asked questions ### Do you install heat recovery ventilation without a heating system? ➕ Yes. We take on HRV-only projects for existing homes and new builds, as well as designing ventilation into the heating and cooling systems we install. ### Which brands do you install? ➕ A range, from several manufacturers. The unit is chosen to suit the home and the design rather than the other way around, so we are not tied to any single brand. ### HRV or ERV for a Melbourne home? ➕ Usually HRV. Melbourne winters are cool and dry, so recovering heat and removing excess moisture is the main job. Where summer humidity is the bigger issue, an energy recovery (ERV) core that also manages moisture can be the better fit. It is a design decision, made per home. ### How much does heat recovery ventilation cost? ➕ It depends on the manufacturer, the type of unit, the size of the home and the duct runs, which is why we quote from drawings or a site visit rather than publishing a figure. The unit is the smaller part; the ductwork and access drive the cost. ### Can heat recovery ventilation be retrofitted to an existing home? ➕ Often, where there is roof space, a subfloor or a ceiling void to run ducts through. Access decides the cost more than anything else. ### How often do the filters need changing? ➕ Once or twice a year depending on the air outside. Clean filters keep the airflow balanced and the heat exchanger recovering at its rated efficiency. ## Contact Us Get a free quote for your heat recovery ventilation at SóGeo ## Our Partners [ ![Reece](https://sogeo.com.au/uploads/suppliers/_AUTOx96_crop_center-center_none_ns/Reece.png) ](https://www.reece.com.au/) [ ![Stiebel Eltron](https://sogeo.com.au/uploads/suppliers/_AUTOx96_crop_center-center_none_ns/Stiebel-Eltron.png) ](https://www.stiebel-eltron.com.au/) [ ![Mitsubishi](https://sogeo.com.au/uploads/suppliers/_AUTOx96_crop_center-center_none_ns/Mitsubishi.png) ](https://www.mitsubishielectric.com.au/) [ ![Purmo](https://sogeo.com.au/uploads/suppliers/_AUTOx96_crop_center-center_none_ns/Purmo.png) ](https://www.purmo.com/au) [ ![Viessmann](https://sogeo.com.au/uploads/suppliers/_AUTOx96_crop_center-center_none_ns/viessmann_wordmark_rgb_1_vitorange.png) ](https://www.viessmann.com.au/)