Wood stove and HRV system operation

[bee man86]

This is our first winter in this 1350 sq ft home. The heat sources are a wood burner downstairs and radiant in flow heat and a freestanding propane gas stove upstairs. We only need the wood stove to heat the house - the other sources will be back up for when we are away. There is an existing HRV system which was serviced and is working. The HRV has intermittent -low-medium or high settings. There is no ductwork in the house.

My understanding is that an HRV system is necessary to circulate fresh and moist outdoor air into the house and remove stale dry air. Am I correct in thinking that while heating with wood the HRV should be set on high as the wood stove dries the air out?

Is it beneficial or necessary to have a large pot of water on the stove to add moisture as well as the HRV?

I thought of cracking a window to allow moist air in but all this is what the HRV is supposed to do, no?

My wife especially finds that her skin feels dry and somewhat itchy. and the dog seems to be scratching a lot too ( although that may be seasonal allergies).

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this. Thanks

 

[begreen]

Get a good humidifier. A pot on the stove does not put much water into the air.

 

[EbS-P]

HRV should be thought of as a fresh air supply. In tight smaller homes it might help lower CO2 levels. They are not humidifiers or dehumidifiers. They might be marketed as such but really are poor at both.

An air quality monitor even a cheep one (pm 2.5 Co and CO2 ) might be helpful to see if running it has any effects on air quality.

 

[peakbagger]

There are two types of HRVs, The standard variety just exchange sensible heat, there are also a version that can exchange latent heat (moisture).

 

[EbS-P]

There are two types of HRVs, The standard variety just exchange sensible heat, there are also a version that can exchange latent heat (moisture).

Some make the distinction HRV (heat ie sensible) vs ERV (energy ie latent and sensible).

 

[kennyp2339]

Wood stoves don’t dry the air out, it warms the air creating the ability to hold more moisture, when a house goes below sub 25% it’s because the cold make up air is dry to begin with, cold is denser and doesn’t hold as much moisture, once it warms up it lowers the humidity of the house.
2 things to do - outside air kit for the wood stove, seal any and all cracks, gaps and replace worn window & door weather stripping