It has taken several weeks to put together the ductwork for both the supply and exhaust for the RecoupAerator ERV system. It seems I keep needing another part to make the next connection. I realized that I purchased 10″ exhaust vents, but I decided to connect all the exhaust vents to 8″ instead of 10″ pipe. So I need reducers for two of the vents. The third I bought after I made the 8″ duct decision.
The general plan for the ductwork was designed with the idea that the ducts would all be on the same side of the ERV or on the top. But the supply and exhaust to the outside are on one side and the supply and exhaust to the ERV are on the other. I arranged the ERV so that the interior supply and exhaust pipes are towards the back of the attic area and the exterior connections are towards the front. On the supply side I eliminated the living room tee and the utility room duct. The bathroom and kitchen ducts are next to each other on a wye pipe.
Duct Layout
There are three ventilation returns in the central attic area which are not shown in the diagram. One is on each side of the attic: towards the living area and towards the family room. One is above the bathroom as the inspector told me the bathroom needed both a supply and exhaust. It is possible to see the 10″ return air duct in the upper left corner and the supply pipe along the kitchen wall under the junction box for the kitchen and the bathroom.
Supply piping and Exhaust Duct
The next photo shows the family room 10″ return air duct and the supply piping that is connected through the front wall of the house.
Family Room Exhaust Duct
I had to reconfigure the intake piping for the exhaust several times and the wiring that was stapled to the walls in the two sections had to be moved. I moved the living area return duct several times to get it aligned better with the tee for both large rooms. The four inch PVC pipe is the second radon port that will be connected to a fan on the roof.
Early Exhaust Duct Connections
The tee that ducts the bathroom exhaust vent finally made it to a position that appears possible to connect that duct.
Redone Exhaust Duct Connections
Before I can install the bathroom exhaust vent I will need to build the wall between the bathroom and the attic leaving a door area large enough to service the ERV. But the next step is to finish the vent in the roof for the exhaust piping.