Heat Recovery Ventilation unit

cb7

Has anyone put this into there house.? Just wanted to see what you thought of it as a heating system. I have put it into my house and it is going ok, I thought it would be better.

ju_q

In the process of building at the moment and would like to put in a ventilation system, but am addled by all the different models and companies etc. Also, my boyfriend was told that they may cause health problems in the future! Would appreciate advice on cost, models etc and whether or not people who have one would put one in if they were to build again. Thanks.

CJhaughey

try this link http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/search.php?searchid=9429840
a little bit of reading here.

cb7

Yes we put one in. To be honest I would not recommend putting one in. We paid 5000 Euro for it. The plumber fit everything so this included all pipes, the unit, everything. It is ok just. We only have it up and running a month or so, do not know yet how it will affect the electricity bill as well.
Another thing is all the pipes, they are boxed off in all the rooms and it does not look well. Maybe ours is not running efficiently yet. But if I could go back I would not of bothered and got solar panels instead.
It could be good for a basement that has no ventilation.

I would recommend putting a stove in that has a back boiler on it as it heats the radiators and water. I almost did not get one, am very glad we did. Also put oil in

CJhaughey

I have a Temovex 480, came as part of the house package, I installed it with a friend. The ductwork is spiral galvanised and in several diameters depending on what it is doing.
TBH it is fantastic, it keeps the house dry and at an even humidity level.
Salt flows freely and mould does not grow anywhere in the house.
It is not a question of whether or not you should install one in a new build more a question of which model and how to install it.
New houses are getting more airtight, to make them more efficient. Sealed houses need to have ventilation or they will develop damp/mould from condensation.
So you either have to cut holes in the wall, leave your windows open all over the house or use a HRV to control the airflow within the dwelling.
The first two options are not really controllable if you have windy weather, which leaves HRV.
You can control the amount of air entering the house, the amount leaving and in individual rooms there should be an adjustable duct to allow the occupant to set the level appropriate for them.

gizmo555

CJhaughey wrote: »

try this link http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/search.php?searchid=9429840
a little bit of reading here.

That link is broken CJ . . .

BoozyBabe

CJhaughey wrote: »

So you either have to cut holes in the wall, leave your windows open all over the house or use a HRV to control the airflow within the dwelling.
The first two options are not really controllable if you have windy weather, which leaves HRV.

Not true!
There's a system out there called Drimaster.
Ventilates the house without holes in the walls, & without the expense of a HRV system.

I was V interested in HRV, but couldn't justify their cost, nor could their salesmen at any show I went to.
I had no intention of putting holes in my walls.
I then heard of the drimaster system & have heard nothing but good comments about it.

I have not installed it yet, so I cannot say it defo works, but I WILL be installing it.
It costs about 200stg, if I remem correctly, so if it doesn't work, do big expense lost. If it does, then that's excellent!!!

HRV & wall vents are NOT the only options

http://www.nuaire.co.uk/Product/Residential_Products/Positive_Input_Ventilation/Drimaster_365

sas

BoozyBabe wrote: »

Ventilates the house without holes in the walls, & without the expense of a HRV system.

I took a look at that website.

I liked this section in 1 of their documents

"A gradual pressure is built up forcing moisture and indoor air pollutants out through natural leakage points found in every home...."

So basically it actively forces the air you've spent money heating
out through the various gaps you are forced to leave in the fabric in order for it to work.

HRV is pricey, no doubt there. I'm not convinced this is a better solution than trickle vents however.

BoozyBabe

I haven't said it works. In fact I've said I haven't installed it yet, but I will.
I've nothing to lose.
HRV is FAR too expensive, & wall vents are ugly & I don't want big gaping holes all throughout my house.
With wall vents, not only do you have the "natural leakage points" in your house, but you also add to these by drilling huge holes in your walls, as well as add trickle vents to your windows.

Instead, I'm opting to JUST use my "natural leakage points".

I imagine the cost to me of this heat escaping through those leakage points would be quite small, & therefore make HRV next to impossible to pay for itself in any sort of acceptable pay back period.

As I orginally said, this is all theory, & it could be useless!! I might end up drilling holes in my walls. But for its cost, it's something I can afford to try.

All reports have been very positive.

& the original point of my post was simply to state there is another alternative to the two listed.

CJhaughey

I suppose it is more controlled than just the hole-in-the-wall method but it depends on heat escaping through the ceiling.
It looks to me like an extractor fan with some filters on it.
If your house is well sealed then you will risk forcing warm moist air into the fabric of the house which will not be great for the house.

BoozyBabe

I think it's the opposite of what you're saying, is it not, CJHaughey?
It sucks air FROM the attic & blows it into your house.
This then forces the stale air to leak out under doors, through gaps in windows, if there are any, etc?

It doesn't suck the stale air from the house into the attic.

You are FAR more technical than me though, so perhaps I've taken you up wrong.

sas

BoozyBabe wrote: »

I haven't said it works. In fact I've said I haven't installed it yet, but I will.
I've nothing to lose.

Not quite sure of the relevance of this to my post but ok....

BoozyBabe wrote: »

HRV is FAR too expensive, & wall vents are ugly & I don't want big gaping holes all throughout my house.
With wall vents, not only do you have the "natural leakage points" in your house, but you also add to these by drilling huge holes in your walls, as well as add trickle vents to your windows.

You may not have to have big gaping holes. You can have trickle vents on windows. There are some requirements in the buildings regs. based on how tight your home actually is as to how much ventilation is required. I'm not in a position to comment on this though. The trickle vents alone may no longer be sufficient in a house built to a certain airtightness level.

BoozyBabe wrote: »

Instead, I'm opting to JUST use my "natural leakage points".

How exactly is this level of ventilation supposed to be measured? Natural leakage points are typically due to poor workmanship and detailing. I haven't heard of natural leakage points being planned into a house.

BoozyBabe wrote: »

I imagine the cost to me of this heat escaping through those leakage points would be quite small, & therefore make HRV next to impossible to pay for itself in any sort of acceptable pay back period.

According to the documentation for that system the house is actually slightly pressurised which effectively pushed warm air out through the leaks. I don't see how the correct performance for this can be designed in using natural leakage.

BoozyBabe wrote: »

As I orginally said, this is all theory, & it could be useless!! I might end up drilling holes in my walls. But for its cost, it's something I can afford to try.

I didn't say it didn't work. I simply put forward my thoughts which you have appear to have taken as an attack on your opinion.

BoozyBabe wrote: »

All reports have been very positive.

From who?

BoozyBabe wrote: »

& the original point of my post was simply to state there is another alternative to the two listed.

I'm sure there are alternatives. If you can get an engineer\architect to sign off on it your ventilation solution could be you opening your windows for 10 mins every morning and evening. Not sure how this would fit with the regs. however.

Another thought, with HRV the pipe layouts (when planned by reputable companys which are very much in the minority) the extracts typically come from your bathrooms\kitchens. This in theory ensures that the more moisture intensive areas are actively ventilated more quickly to prevent problems. How does this system provide similar ability?

Please don't take my posts as attacks because they aren't. When an alternative solution is proposed I am entitled to question it. If there are valid answers then there are.

Good luck

CJhaughey

BoozyBabe wrote: »

I think it's the opposite of what you're saying, is it not, CJHaughey?
It sucks air FROM the attic & blows it into your house.
This then forces the stale air to leak out under doors, through gaps in windows, if there are any, etc?

It doesn't suck the stale air from the house into the attic.

You are FAR more technical than me though, so perhaps I've taken you up wrong.

What I am saying is that it appears that the fan/filter combo sits in the attic pulling air from the attic into the house, the heat part presumably relies on the attic being warmer than the outside air due to heat escaping up through the insulation and into the attic.
So you need to have a warm attic space for it to effectively return heat into the house, which means that you are losing a lot of heat.
Then running slight overpressure it forces the air in the house out through whatever gaps it can find. Presumably trickle vents in the windows, holes ini the wall but hopefully not gaps under external doors or around the windows.

Airflow in individual rooms? I guess depends on how much air can escape from each individual room via window vents etc.
Warm wet air? Hopefully not pushed into the walls in the Utility/Bathroom/Kitchen
I suppose it is an option but you will still need bathroom extractors/vents to work properly.

My experience with HRV is that the house is always dry inside Humidity is around 40% (less if the logburner is running) and the bathroom dries out very quickly after use.
The filters both extract and intake get dirty and need to be changed/washed every 4 months or so to remove all the insects and gunk from the house.
Cooking smells disappear (even fried mackerel) quickly and do not linger.

alfaromeo84

From what i see, HRV serves a few different purposes. I'm starting a self build, and the engineer recommends it as it will gain a higher BER rating, do away with room/window vents, improve air quailty, improve moisture extraction, and improve security(no windows left open by mistake, or on vent).

But i guess from the point of view of keeping actual heat in the home during winter, does it work, and pay its way.

CJhaughey

Do you need more reasons than the ones you have outlined above?

HRV works in MY house to keep the house ventilated and warm.
YMMV

alfaromeo84

So CJHaughy, you are saying yes, its will pay its way, as it will keep heat levels in the house up. Aside from the other reasons i outlined, remember its the engineer who said this, Heat Recovery Ventilation is what the system is called.

MicktheMan

cb7 wrote: »

Has anyone put this into there house.? Just wanted to see what you thought of it as a heating system. I have put it into my house and it is going ok, I thought it would be better.

To the OP:
HRV is not a heating system. What it is is an energy efficient method of ventilating an air tight house if designed and installed correctly.