How the Dehumidistat Works
High indoor humidity levels, during the heating season, have become a problem in many well
insulated, tight homes, excessive condensation on the window is a visual sign of high indoor
humidity levels. High indoor humidity levels can result in mold and mildew and the eventual
degradation of the building structure itself.
Your HRV reduces indoor humidity levels when the outdoor air is drier than the indoor air. These
conditions usually occur during the heating season when outdoor temperatures are less than 15oC
(59oF). During the heating season, the operation of the HRV may reduce indoor humidity levels
sufficiently to eliminate the need for further dehumidification. If your home requires further
dehumidification, use the dehumidistat feature located on the main control. This feature
aggressively addresses high indoor humidity levels by initiating high speed ventilation when the
indoor humidity levels rise above the adjustable set point on the control. Refer to the Main Control
instructions located in the Installation Guide for instructions on how to set the dehumidistat. The
dehumidistat function should be set to off for all seasons except the heating season because a
dehumidifying effect occurs only when the outdoor air is dryer than the indoor air. (Refer to the
Control Instructions for information on how to set the dehumidistat).
Your Lifestyle RNC Digital Control has an adjustable dehumidistat which can be set to achieve a
further dehumidification effect from your HRV. High speed ventilation will be initiated upon
exceeding the dehumidistat set point regardless of the mode and speed of operation. Once the
humidity in the house is reduced, the HRV will revert back to its previous setting.
We suggest operating the HRV for the first few days without use of the dehumidistat function to
observe if a further dehumidification effect will be required. The dehumidistat operates in % of RH
(relative humidity) with 80 being high and 20 being low. Set the dehumidistat to 80% to disable. If
after a few days, further dehumidification is required (the house is still too humid), set the humidity
level to a lower amount.
The average person is comfortable between 30% and 50% RH. The dehumidistat should be set to
off for all seasons except the heating season. Off is achieved by setting the dehumidistat to 80.
Dehumidistat Notes
Dehumidistat Disable automatically disables the dehumidistat function on the main control when outdoor
temperatures exceed 15oC (59oF) for a full 24 hour period. All other HRV features and functions operate normally
while the dehumidistat function is disabled.
Dehumidistat Re-Enable automatically re-enables the dehumidistat function if either the outdoor temperature
drops below 15oC (59oF) for a full 24 hour period or if the HRV is reset (unplugged for 30 seconds).
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