Installation of a vänEE AI Series V160H80RT air exchanger in Beauharnois, replacing a 1994 vänEE TRADE 150

Thirty years of service, and a nameplate that tells the whole story

The house is located in a residential area of Beauharnois built in the early 1990s, a few streets from the canal. Like many bungalows and split-level homes from that period in Montérégie, it had received its air exchanger during construction. The appliance was still there, suspended by chains between two joists in the unfinished basement, between a laminate flooring box and a roll of mineral wool insulation.

It was still running. That is precisely what makes this type of case tricky: an appliance that runs is not necessarily an appliance that ventilates.

The homeowners had called us for a simple reason: a buzzing sound that had become noticeable upstairs, and an electricity bill that was not going down despite having new windows. We started with what we do on every residential ventilation service call: read the nameplate.

What the nameplate taught us in thirty seconds

The label affixed to the appliance door listed the following information:

• Product number: 1601500
• Model: vänEE TRADE 150
• Power supply: 120 V, 60 Hz
• Power: 105 W, 1.2 A
• Serial number: 7A3194-00259
• Certification: CSA LR 50679, made in Canada

These few lines are enough to frame the case. The serial sequence places its manufacture in the mid-1990s—an appliance more than thirty years old, installed at the same time as the house. The TRADE 150 belongs to a generation of HRVs designed before electronically commutated motors, before configuration screens, and before integrated airflow measurement existed on the residential market.

The most revealing figure remains the 105 W. This is not adjustable peak power: it is the appliance’s power consumption while running. An HRV from this generation has only two speeds, and it draws essentially the same current at both. In continuous operation, that amounts to approximately 920 kWh per year, solely to run two fans.

The five end-of-life signs we identified on site

1. Rolling noise audible upstairs. The original motor bearings deteriorate. The noise gradually increases, so slowly that occupants get used to it and report it only after years.
2. Actual airflow far below the original rate. The recovery core, which had never been removed, was clogged throughout its entire thickness. A blocked core no longer recovers heat and chokes off airflow.
3. Balancing dampers never repositioned. The manual dampers were exactly where the 1994 installer had left them—and the ductwork had since been modified during the partial finishing of the basement.
4. No wall control. All controls consisted of a red toggle switch and a mechanical humidistat screwed onto the unit's door in the basement.
5. Filters unavailable at hardware stores. This model's dimensions do not match any common size today.

The mechanical humidistat and the habit it created

On the unit's door was a mechanical humidity control with a dial graduated from LESS HUMID to MORE HUMID, with an explicit instruction: in summer, turn it to OFF.

This instruction was consistent with the technology of the time. A 1990s HRV without modulation capacity introduced hot, saturated outdoor air during a heat wave, making the house feel more oppressive. Turning the unit off from June through September was the reasonable compromise.

Thirty years later, the practice has persisted in thousands of homes across Greater Montreal, including those of homeowners who have since replaced their unit. This is one of the instructions we systematically review during commissioning: a modern air exchanger should be adjusted, not switched off. Cooking, showers, and the basement generate humidity twelve months a year.

Why repair was not the reasonable option

At AirGreen, our instinct is to repair rather than replace whenever that is justifiable. We took that approach seriously here, consulting the manufacturer's service-parts list for this family of units.

The conclusion is clear:

• The 150 series' recovery core still appears in the service-parts lists.
• The filters for this model are listed as available while supplies last—a notice published several years ago.
• Two distinct circuit boards exist depending on whether the unit was manufactured before or after June 1994, indicating the age of the affected equipment.
• No replacement motor is listed for the 150 model; only the 200 model still has one.

In other words: the day a motor fails on a TRADE 150, the unit is finished. Putting several hundred dollars’ worth of parts into a cabinet whose component most likely to fail is no longer available is not doing a customer a favor. We explained it this way to the homeowners, with the figures to back it up, and the replacement became the obvious choice.

The replacement: what we kept and what we redid

A well-executed air exchanger replacement does not mean tearing everything out. Some of the work completed in 1994 was solid and deserved to be reused.

What we kept

• The galvanized rigid ductwork in the basement, in good condition, properly supported, with generous-radius elbows.
• The existing wall penetrations to the outdoors, whose diameter matched the new unit.
• The overall location, between the same joists, with sufficient clearance to open the front panel and remove the core.
• The room return and supply grilles, whose original locations were appropriate.

What we replaced

• The end-of-life flexible duct sections. The outer jacket had cracked in places, compromising the insulation and vapor barrier of the exterior runs. Every flexible section connecting the unit to the outdoors was replaced with new insulated duct, aluminum tape, and clamps.
• The exterior hoods, whose grilles were partially obstructed and dampers stuck.
• The condensate drain, rebuilt with a trap and a continuous slope toward the drain.
• The control. The mechanical dehumidistat on the door was removed in favor of a control accessible from the living area rather than at the back of the basement.
• The electrical supply, properly reconnected and verified.

The new unit: vänEE AI Series V160H80RT

The choice was a unit in the same airflow class as the outgoing one, which made it possible to reuse the existing ductwork without resizing it.

Balancing: the most tangible difference

An HRV must exhaust exactly the volume of air it introduces. With an exhaust imbalance, the house becomes depressurized and draws air in through leaks in its envelope, the floor drain, and the return-air duct. With the opposite imbalance, it pushes humid indoor air into the walls, where it condenses against the air barrier.

On the TRADE 150, this balancing was done with manual dampers, once, during installation. There was no way to check for drift without instruments.

The AI Series includes an electronic airflow measurement device. The installer enters the target value on the LCD screen; the unit controls the speed of each of its two fans to maintain that value, continuously compensating for duct resistance, filter fouling, and outdoor conditions. Adjustment no longer depends on the memory of an installer who has retired.

What the replacement changes on the bill

The calculation is straightforward. The old unit drew 105 W whenever it ran, with no ability to modulate. The new unit, configured to a low continuous airflow suited to the house, operates at a fraction of that power most of the time and only increases its speed during requested periods of increased ventilation.

There is also a less visible but more significant benefit: a clean core with 82% sensible recovery returns some of the heat indoors that the clogged 1994 core allowed to escape outside. Over a full heating season in Montérégie, this recovered heat matters more than the fans' own energy consumption.

The work process

Replacing an air exchanger with a functional existing duct network takes half a day to one day. Our sequence:

1. Power shutoff and circuit verification.
2. Removal of the old unit and recovery of the suspension chains and anchors when they are in good condition.
3. Inspection of the existing system section by section, identifying the flexible ducts to be replaced.
4. Installation of the new cabinet and connection of the four ports.
5. Rebuilding the identified duct sections, insulating and sealing penetrations.
6. Drain connection with a trap and verified slope.
7. Electrical connection and wall control installation.
8. Automatic airflow test, selection of the installation configuration, and programming of the minimum and maximum airflow rates.
9. Measured values report and delivery to the customer.
10. Occupant training on operating modes, increased ventilation, and maintenance of indoor filters.

The Rénoclimat grant also applies to replacement

The provincial Rénoclimat program grants $500 for the installation or replacement of a heat recovery ventilator (HRV) or an energy recovery ventilator. The unit must be certified by the Home Ventilating Institute and listed in section 3 of the certified products directory—which is the case for the AI Series, which bears HVI 2100 certification on its nameplate.

The key sequencing point to remember: the energy assessment must take place before the work, and a second assessment is required afterward. A homeowner in Beauharnois who has their old unit replaced before the first visit loses eligibility, even with a fully compliant unit. We systematically warn our clients of this requirement before scheduling an installation date.

How to read your own unit's nameplate

This check takes two minutes and lets you know whether you are in the same situation.

1. Locate the label, generally affixed to the front door or the side of the cabinet.
2. Record the model number and the serial number. Older series often include a sequence indicating the year of manufacture.
3. Check the wattage. A unit displaying 100 W or more without a stated modulation range belongs to a generation without ECM motors.
4. Look for a recent certification mark. The absence of an HVI or ENERGY STAR mark on the nameplate dates the unit to before current programs—and makes it ineligible for financial assistance if certification were required.
5. Open the door and look at the core. If it has never been removed, it is clogged.

A unit more than twenty years old that has never been disassembled barely ventilates anymore, regardless of what the noise it makes may suggest.

The most common mistakes when replacing a unit

• Reuse a cracked exterior flex duct as is. The compromised insulation causes condensation all winter and drips onto the joists.
• Install a much higher-capacity unit on a system designed for the old one. The new unit strains, consumes more energy, and makes noise without any real benefit.
• Keep the original mechanical humidistat thinking it will simplify things. It bypasses the functions of the new unit.
• Don't redo the drain. The original trap is often dry, clogged, or installed with a reverse slope.
• Skip the airflow readings. Without recorded values at commissioning, no one can later determine whether the system has drifted.
• Forgetting to check the grilles. Thirty years of successive coats of paint gradually close the louvers of the original grilles.

Maintenance required for the new unit

• Every three months: vacuum the interior filters; replace them once a year.
• Once a year: remove the core and wash it with warm, soapy water.
• In spring and fall: inspect the screens on the exterior hoods.
• In winter: make sure the fresh-air intake has not been buried after a snowfall.
• Every two years: have the actual airflow rates checked, especially if the basement or the rooms served have been modified.

Why entrust an air exchanger replacement to AirGreen

A replacement project is different from a new installation. It requires determining what should be kept, what needs to be redone, and being able to tell a customer that their unit is no longer supported by available parts.

At AirGreen, we have been installing and replacing air exchangers, heat pumps, and HVAC systems for more than twenty years, with over fifteen teams serving Montreal, Laval, Longueuil, the North Shore, the South Shore, and the entire Montérégie region, including Beauharnois, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Châteauguay, Mercier, and Sainte-Martine.

What our customers actually get:

• An honest repair-versus-replacement assessment, based on the actual availability of parts rather than the invoice amount.
• A calculation of the airflow rates according to the Quebec Construction Code method before recommending a unit.
• A complete inspection of the existing ductwork, section by section, rather than simply replacing the cabinet.
• Airflow rates measured and recorded at commissioning and provided to the owner.
• Preparation of the subsidy application and an explanation of the required sequence.
• An RBQ licence (5645-9605-01) and projects documented with real photos.

If your air exchanger dates back to when your house was built, if you hear a humming sound that wasn't there before, or if you have never opened the cabinet door, write to us at sales@airgreen.ca or call (514) 316-2973. We serve Beauharnois and the entire Greater Montreal area, read the nameplate, measure the airflow rates, and provide you with a no-obligation, itemized recommendation.