HRV intake hood too close to exhaust in Greater Vancouver

Where an HRV's exterior hoods are placed matters more than most homeowners realize. If the fresh-air intake hood sits too close to the stale-air exhaust hood, your HRV can pull its own discharged air right back into the home — a problem called short-circuiting. Here is why intake-to-exhaust spacing matters for Greater Vancouver homes and what to do if yours looks too close.

Why Spacing Between the Hoods Matters

An HRV is a passive ventilation appliance that breathes through two exterior hoods: one brings fresh outdoor air in, the other pushes stale, humid indoor air out. If those two hoods are too close together, the freshly exhausted air gets drawn straight back in through the intake before it can disperse. Instead of supplying fresh air, the unit recycles its own stale exhaust, which defeats the whole purpose of ventilating.

Manufacturers and good practice call for a minimum separation between intake and exhaust hoods, and the intake should be positioned away from other contaminant sources too. In tightly packed Lower Mainland lots and townhouses, hoods sometimes end up closer together than ideal.

• Stale or odd-smelling air despite the HRV running
• Humidity and odours that the HRV does not clear
• Intake and exhaust hoods only a short distance apart
• An intake placed near a dryer vent, furnace flue area, or garage
• Frost or moisture clustering around both hoods together

What You Can Safely Assess

You can safely go outside and look at where the two HRV hoods are mounted. Note roughly how far apart they are and whether the intake sits near other exhaust sources such as a dryer vent, a plumbing vent, or a garage. Confirm both hoods are clean and clear while you are there. You should not relocate ducting yourself, but observing the layout helps a technician evaluate whether short-circuiting is the cause of poor air quality.

If the air never quite feels fresh and the hoods are clearly close together, that placement is a strong suspect, especially when filters and core are clean.

Correcting Hood Placement

Fixing this usually means relocating one of the hoods or extending ducting so the intake draws clean air well away from the exhaust and other contaminant sources. A technician can confirm the spacing against the manufacturer's requirements and reroute the affected duct. HeatLand can evaluate your HRV's exterior hood placement and correct short-circuiting so the unit supplies genuinely fresh air. Ventilation work of this kind may qualify for CleanBC or FortisBC rebates.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if my HRV intake and exhaust are too close?

The fresh-air intake can pull in air the unit just exhausted, so instead of bringing in fresh air the HRV recycles its own stale, humid exhaust, leaving the home stuffy.

How far apart should the hoods be?

There is a recommended minimum separation that varies by manufacturer, and the intake should also be kept away from other exhausts like dryer and plumbing vents. A technician can verify the spacing.

Can I move the HRV hood myself?

Relocating a hood involves rerouting ducting and re-sealing the exterior penetration, so it is best left to a technician. You can safely observe and note the current placement.

Could close hoods be why my HRV isn't helping with humidity?

Yes. If the unit is short-circuiting its own exhaust, it cannot effectively remove humidity and odours, even when the filters and core are clean and the fans are running.

HeatLand Heating & Cooling is a licensed and insured, TSBC-certified HVAC company serving homeowners across Greater Vancouver. Our technicians diagnose the real fault, explain your options in plain language, and complete the work safely and to code.

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