Value Tier
ERV
HRV
Broan (Basic Line)
Madison Air · Founded 1932 · USA
3.8
out of 5
At a Glance
"Sub-$1K residential ERV installs"
Type
ERV / HRV
Sensible Recovery
70%
Total Recovery
62%
Airflow Range
60–150 CFM
Price Tier
$
Filtration
MERV 8
Cold-Climate
Standard
Defrost
Built-in
Our Expert Review
Broan's basic (non-AI) line covers the budget end of the residential ERV/HRV market. These units share the brand's strong North American parts network but skip the auto-balancing, smart controls, and higher-efficiency cores of the AI Series. We use these only for budget-driven retrofits where the customer needs balanced ventilation but won't spend on a Panasonic or AI Series — most often in rental properties and small homes.
Pros
- Lowest entry price in the Broan family
- Strong U.S. parts availability
- Brand recognition with homeowners
- Acceptable for code-minimum installs
Cons
- No auto-balancing (only AI Series has it)
- Lower efficiency than the AI line
- Plastic enthalpy core has shorter lifespan
- Basic mechanical controls only
Top Models
ERV70 70 CFM
$500-$700
📊 70 CFM ERV⚡ 68% sensible
HRV90 90 CFM
$700-$900
📊 90 CFM HRV⚡ 72% sensible
Warranty Coverage
Parts
5 years
Core
5 years (core)
Labor
1 year