About the founder, Austin Riesenberger

SWERV is a window-mounted ERV (Energy Recovery Ventilator). It brings fresh air into your room while recovering the heat that normally gets thrown out the window with ventilation. The fans exhaust stale room air through a ceramic core, which captures the heat on the way out. Then the airflow reverses and fresh outdoor air comes in through the warmed core, picking that heat back up. This cycle repeats every 45 seconds or so, giving you continuous fresh, filtered air without losing your heating or cooling energy. ERVs are standard in modern high-performance buildings, and SWERV brings that same technology to a single room with no ductwork or construction.

Both of those recirculate the air already in your room. An AC cools it but brings in nothing fresh. A purifier filters out particles but can't remove CO2 or the odors that build up overnight in a closed bedroom. SWERV actually exchanges stale indoor air for fresh outdoor air, filtered through a MERV 13 filter, while the core keeps your heating or cooling energy inside. It works alongside your AC or purifier, not in place of them.

SWERV fits double-hung, single-hung, and horizontal sliding windows at least 23" wide, with at least 6" of opening height. Windows wider than 48" work too, just email us at austin@swervair.com and we'll send extra foam blocks. The window needs to open and close smoothly and have a solid frame and sashes. Not supported: casement, awning, or tilt-open windows, doors, or any opening that can't be securely closed onto the unit.

That depends on fan speed, which you control with the dial. At sleep-mode speeds the sound is steady airflow noise rather than a mechanical hum, and it drops as you turn the dial down. Max mode is noticeably louder and meant for short bursts of rapid air exchange, not overnight use. Quieter operation is the single biggest focus of our next revision, so your feedback on real-world bedroom noise is some of the most valuable input you can give us. (A calibrated dBA figure is still being tested and will be added once we have reliable measurements.)

Much easier than a window AC. A window AC is a 50 to 80 lb two-person job with brackets and screws. SWERV weighs about 19 lbs, about as much as a countertop microwave, and installs more like a window fan: set it on the sill, close the window down onto it, done. Most installs take about 10 minutes, one person, using tools you already have (a sharp knife, cutting board, scissors, and a ruler). No drilling, no screws, no permanent modification. The one step that takes care is trimming the two foam side blocks to length, since a straight, square cut is what locks the unit in and seals it. The installation guide walks you through it.

Very little. At typical operation it draws about 10 watts, roughly the same as a Wi-Fi router or an LED bulb. Even at max speed it's just 42 watts, less than most laptop chargers. Running it all night costs about a penny at average US electricity rates, or a few dollars per year.

SWERV is a new product in early production. Beta units are built in small batches, and we use this phase to gather real-world data across many homes, windows, and climates before finalizing the design for full-scale manufacturing. You get early access and a direct line to the engineering team. In return, we ask that you read and accept the Beta Program Agreement before use, follow the installation guide carefully (including staying present for the first 10 minutes of operation), and share honest feedback: what works, what doesn't, and anything that seems off. If you hit an issue, contact support with your order number, photos, and a short description.

Check the pleated filter every 30 days for the first few months to learn your environment's dust load. Replace or clean it every 6 to 12 months, or whenever there's visible buildup. Wipe or wash the removable stainless steel outdoor pre-filter every 6 to 12 months as well.

Yes, and it's a fair thing to ask an early-stage company. The SWERV filter is custom to the unit rather than an off-the-shelf size. We tested filters from more than 20 manufacturers before choosing this one because it gave the best combination of MERV 13 particle filtration, activated carbon, high surface area, and low pressure drop.

We hold a large inventory and sell replacements on our site. If SWERV ever stopped supplying them, we would tell customers directly, release our remaining stock at a steep discount or free, and give owners the specifications and manufacturer contact needed to order compatible filters straight from our filter partner. You would not be left with a unit you cannot maintain.

We're also exploring a washable prefilter that never needs replacing and only gets rinsed every 3 to 6 months. It wouldn't capture smoke, pollen, or odors the way the current filter does, but it would be another path to keeping the unit running.