Chris,

I consider an HRV/ERV a necessity in a tightly built structure, so using it for heat distribution as well as fresh air is simply killing two birds with one stone.  My HRV can remove hot air from the ceiling and distribute it to the colder rooms on the north side of the house for the same cost as having a light on (90 watts).  It runs about 5 hours out of 24.  Instead of whipping the air up in just one room, I pull air in from the peaked ceiling in the living room (plus the kitchen and the bathroom), run it through the HRV, and redistribute it.  The only "extra" cost was running a duct up to the peak to make sure I could access that normally wasted heat. 

I actually kill three birds with one stone.  I added a 1,500 watt duct heater ($19 off of Ebay) so that I can bump up winter time incoming air temps to 90-100 degrees if I need to.  With the heating element on, it works as a mini forced air heating system blowing at 150 cfm instead of 1,500 cfm.  That way, the HRV puts warm air on the bathroom floor and under the kitchen table, both traditional locations for cold feet on cold mornings.

90 watts to run the ERV is about a third the cost of running a noisey ceiling fan and there are no blades whizzing around.  I don't care what people say, if you turn down the TV, you'll hear the ceiling fan.  I house sat at a neighbor's cabin and, compared to mine, there was a constant droning of the fan and the blades cast shadows that magnified the fact that there was a big piece of equipment churning up the air at the ceiling.  Here's a picture of what an ERV circulation system for a peaked ceiling looks like.  It's the one on the left, the other one is the smoke detector. 

It just occurred to me that if you can't hear or see a ceiling fan, a smoke detector will do you no good.

Mark

Noisy ceiling fans??????

Our ceiling fans, and we have six of them in our Arizona home, are the quietest that I have ever experienced!  I've tried Hampton Bay (Home Depot), Hunter, etc. and they all make a lot of noise.  These are so quiet that we can run the one in our bedroom on low, and sleep like babies!!  Take a look at www.noblewinds.com for information.

glenfotre;

Ditto ............ our MB fans runs 24/7 - 365 for last 7 years, has never kept me awake

DallasBill,

My IR shoots 45 degrees.  That's the air I pulled the figure out of.  I've never ever seen one that shoots as narrow as yours.  What brand?

There seems to be some misunderstanding on how an ERV/HRV operates.  It takes moist air out of the bath, lutefisk smells out of the kitchen, and hot air out of the peak.  That air is exhausted, period.  Incoming air passes it in the air-to-air heat exchanger and is distributed as warm fresh air.  Since an HRV/ERV is required in tight construction, I just designed mine to replace furnace, ceiling fans, bath fan, etc.  In fact, I put the timer that controls the periods during which it runs right next to the toilet.  Should you decide when on the pot that you'd like a fan on, you simply push the override button and the fan runs.  It DOES NOT distribute that air around the house, thankfully.

I didn't realize ceiling fans were so expensive.  Makes my HRV and duct work seem like a bargain.  Nice to know that they do make quite ones.  Why is it that the uglier they are, the more they cost?

The "door" in the peak is my code compliant attic access.  The inspector was leary at first, but the code states access door size, not whether it has to be in a ceiling, as is most common.  It also doesn't require fold-down stairs, etc.  I had just enough room to put the access in the peak, thereby leaving all of the truss cords free to have OSB as flooring for storage space.  I'm planning on a tall book shelf right underneath the door with a bookshelf ladder that will serve double duty as attic access.  The hardware is new old stock nickel-plated icebox hinges and latches, an Ebay find.  I bought 10 sets, so other cabinets and closets have matching icebox hardware.  But I tell kids they are freezers where I keep icecream.

Mark