Airxchange Inc.’s Replacement Energy Recovery Wheels took home the gold award in the Ventilation category of this year’s Dealer Design Awards contest.

“When energy recovery wheels become damaged or too dirty to allow air to pass, the energy savings that were assumed in the HVAC system design are lost,” said Christopher Glover, director of aftermarket sales, Airxchange. “Our replacement wheels are designed to easily replace only the energy recovery wheel, recapturing savings and eliminating the need to replace the entire HVAC system.”

Dan Cullen, owner of Cullen Mechanical Inc. in Malden, Massachusetts, said he doesn’t usually get the call from consumers to replace recovery wheels until the machine is already broken and can’t be fixed. Although he has only completed a couple of jobs so far with the Airxchange recovery wheels, he said he plans to stick with this product for a number of reasons.

Cullen said the product design is innovative, lasts longer, is easy to install, and minimizes downtime.

“It’s a lot easier to deal with than the OEM parts,” he said. “The plastic wheel design holds up much better than the old-style paper media wheels, which are very susceptible to moisture.”

Unlike other recovery wheels that come in one piece, Airxchange wheels come packaged in separate components that can be assembled on the roof, according to Cullen. 

All components are packaged in sub-assemblies that are light and small enough to fit through standard floors, hatches, and stairwells.

“Sub-assemblies negate the need for expensive lifting equipment, cranes, and/or costly structural modifications that are often required when replacing energy recovery wheels,” said Glover.

“The whole process is very easy,” said Cullen. “We gave them the measurements, they came out and verified them before they built the wheels, and they literally came in with a one-day installation — their guys helped my guys install the wheels.”

System downtime is minimal using Airxchange’s recovery wheels, which benefits both contractors and consumers. And because they are made of plastic, they have removable segments that can be cleaned or replaced to ensure factory-level performance for the life of the product, according to Glover.

The Replacement Energy Recovery Wheels currently replace wheels ranging from 25-156 inches in diameter. Once in place, all wheels can be assembled with basic hand tools. Airxchange plans to continue market research to improve the product and expand the available sizes and airflow ranges.

“We are expanding the list of performance options for system designers,” Glover said. “They can prioritize thermal effectiveness or airflow and even choose from multiple desiccants (if applicable). Our unique approach even allows users to reconfigure wheels in just minutes without having to replace an entire wheel, should the design parameters change in the future.”

SILVER

Delta Products. Corp earned the silver award with its BreezSignature 80/110 CFM Exhaust Fan/Dimmable LED Light/Night-Light with Dual Speed.

With the use of brushless DC motor technology, the SIG80-110DLED delivers exceptional reliability, longevity, is virtually silent, and exceeds Energy Star’s efficiency requirements. The standard application of the SIG80-110DLED is residential bathrooms, but it can also be used for utility closets and work spaces that require ventilation to improve and maintain proper IAQ. Consumer feedback, industry trends, and trade surveys influenced the innovation behind the SIG80-110DLED, and three years of research went into developing the product.

The SIG-80-110DLED is rated Energy Star Most Efficient 2017. And, while the SIG80-110DLED meets and exceeds industry standards for sound and energy efficiency, Delta Products intends to continue to search for ways to improve the functionalities and features of this ventilation fan.  

Publication date: 7/24/2016

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