Air Exchanger Installation in Minneapolis & the Twin Cities
From century-old homes in South Minneapolis to new builds in the northern suburbs, Twin Cities houses have one thing in common every winter: sealed up tight with nowhere for stale air to go. Furnace Direct installs and replaces HRV and ERV air exchangers across the metro.
Twin Cities homes, two different ventilation problems
Older Minneapolis and St. Paul housing stock that's been retrofitted — new windows, blown-in insulation, air sealing — often goes from drafty to airtight in one project, and comfort gets worse instead of better because there's no longer any ventilation path. Newer metro construction is built tight from day one and typically has a unit already, which by now may be at the end of its life. Both cases end at the same fix.
What an air exchanger actually does
An air exchanger — also called an HRV (heat recovery ventilator) or ERV (energy recovery ventilator) — continuously swaps stale indoor air for fresh outdoor air. The trick is the recovery core: as the two air streams pass each other, the core transfers heat from your warm outgoing air into the cold incoming air, so you get fresh air without throwing away the heat you paid for. In a Minnesota winter that's the difference between a stuffy, condensation-prone house and a comfortable one.
Which unit for your home
HRV — the usual answer
For most Twin Cities homes fighting winter window condensation and stuffy air, an HRV is the right unit — it vents excess humidity rather than recycling it.
ERV — for the tight ones
Very tight new construction that runs dry in winter does better with an ERV, which holds back some indoor moisture.
- Windows fog up or drip with condensation in winter
- The house feels stuffy, or cooking and pet odors linger
- Indoor humidity feels high in winter or the air feels stale
- Your current air exchanger is old, noisy, or the core is shot
- You just tightened the house up (new windows, insulation, spray foam) and comfort got worse
How it works
Tell us about your home
New install or replacing an old unit — photos of your existing one help.
Get a flat quote
We recommend HRV vs ERV for your home and give you a straight, all-in installed price.
We install it
Our licensed Minnesota team installs or swaps the unit and balances it properly.
Serving Minnesota & the Twin Cities metro:
Get your free quote
Tell us about your Minnesota home and we'll come back with a recommendation and a flat installed price. No pressure, no gimmicks.