2ndary Suite - HRV?

[Kloubek]

Ok, so we are building in Chestermere, and one of the requirements for a secondary suite is to have a separate heating system. We are toying between different heating methods, though I am unsure if we want to add a second furnace due to the initial large expense, and we aren't sure if we want someone living in our basement for the entire duration of us owning this house or not.

If we went with baseboard or in-floor heating, the city requires us to have an Heat Recovery Ventilator system. Now, I know houses typically have this already but I'm wondering what intake/exhaust is actually required for this system in a separate suite scenario? Is the intake the cold air return grate? What about the exhaust? Can something like this splice into the current system, even if they are not being heated by the one furnace?

I did try looking online, and know that this question could be answered by just talking to the city, but I'm not even sure exactly who to speak to there.

In building this home, we want it to be completely set up for a future suite, so don't want to wait until after it is built to figure these things out.

Thanks guys.

[jeffh]

One 'in' is from outside and is considered your fresh air. I believe you will want a electric inline heater installed on this line. The 'out' for the fresh air line is now supply air and will go to a grille in your bedroom and/or main area. The other 'in' is return air(cold air grate, as you put it) which could be in the main room and a bedroom. The 'out' for the return air line is exhaust air that goes to a wall cap outside. Try to keep the returns away from the suite's kitchen(greasey air is nasty to the hrv air exchange cartridge). I think you can also run the bathroom exhaust into the return too, but personally, I'd just (electronically)interlock the bath fan with the erv/hrv. And no, this system will be separate from your furnace, and thus any lines in the basement being fed from the current furnace will have to be removed and blanked off. Look at Lifebreath hrv's snd related installation documents. They are wonderful units.