So. You've bought the Zehnder unit, the ventilation strategy has been designed for your home, it is installed, and now you're ready to finalize it's set up and get the ventilation ball fully rolling. That means it's time to get your H/ERV unit commissioned.

Why Commissioning Your Zehnder System is Important

Both you and your home need to breathe...right? If you've invested time, energy and money getting to this stage and it would be a shame for the unit to not service you and your home the way it's designed to. Commissioning is a crucial step in getting your unit properly running to ensure a balanced airflow in and out of your house. Once the unit has been installed and turned on, we will make sure it is functioning properly and performing according to the design plan for your home. Commissioning the system to balance the supply and exhaust air is important in making sure the airtightness of your home is honored and every occupant is comfortable and breathing healthy air. 

The Commissioning Request Process

Now that you're ready to get your ventilation balanced, what is the process to commission your unit?

To get started, you'll need to fill out the Commissioning Request Questionnaire through the Zehnder website. Please note that completion of this form is important; not only does it get you started with the process, it also serves to ensure that the unit is fully installed and ready to be balanced when the commissioning agent arrives. If the questionnaire is inaccurate or incomplete, and the unit is not ready for commissioning, the result may be a "No Show" or failure to perform fee of $165 plus travel fees.

This form is then sent to Zehnder, who will send your request and it's system design to the appropriate commissioning agent. The agent will contact you and confirm payment and schedule the best time to come to the project to perform commissioning.

What to Expect at and After Commissioning

Once the agent comes to commission your H/ERV unit it is hands off from there! If there are particularly high vent registers or diffusers the agent may need a ladder, but otherwise they are set up to balance the airflow on your unit. This process can take a few hours depending on which unit you have installed (for example, a CA200 unit is smaller and would take about an hour or two to commission while a bigger unit like a Q600 may take a few more hours depending on the size of the home and locations of the registers). 

Once the agent is finished with the commissioning, they will send you a final report of the updated and balanced airflow of your unit.

Meet Sarah Nuamah, Small Planet’s New USA Commissioning Agent

Sarah Nuamah has been working for Small Planet Supply for a couple months. Although she is new to Small Planet Supply, she isn’t new to high-performance building. She brings an energy efficiency background to her position.

Sarah previously worked in reviewing home energy modeling data and certifying homes built at least 10% above Oregon building code, granting them their Energy Performance Scores (EPS).  Sarah also currently serves as a Passive House Northwest board member.

In her spare time, Sarah likes to knit and do crafty things, cook, hike and explore the wonders of the Pacific Northwest.

Stay updated with the latest trends and innovations in the construction industry. Subscribe to Planet Supply’s newsletter to be notified about new blog posts and other useful information each month.