Replacing an Old Air Exchanger in Minnesota
If your air exchanger is loud, iced up, leaking, or simply hasn't run right in years, replacing it is usually straightforward and far cheaper than people expect. Furnace Direct swaps out old HRV and ERV units across Minnesota.
How long does an air exchanger last?
Most residential air exchangers run about 15 to 20 years. What usually fails first isn't the whole unit — it's the recovery core, the motors, or the defrost damper. Once a unit is in that window and starting to need parts, replacement typically costs less over time than chasing repairs on a discontinued model where parts are hard to source.
Signs yours is done
It stopped keeping up
Windows fog again, the house feels stuffy, or humidity climbs in winter even with the unit running — usually a clogged or failed core.
It got loud or ices over
Rattling, grinding, or visible frost inside the cabinet points at motor or defrost failure. Both are common at the 15-year mark.
What a replacement involves
In most cases the existing ducting, exterior hoods and electrical are still sound, so a swap is a shorter job than a fresh install — we pull the old unit, hang and connect the new one, tie in the drain and controls, then balance the airflow. If we find ducting that was undersized or badly run the first time, we'll tell you before we do anything, not after.
- 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.