As our homes become better insulated and more leak proof, it can be difficult to keep them ventilated. Proper ventilation is important in keeping our homes free of odours and pollutants and eliminating excess moisture that can cause structural damage.
1 Open the windows
When most of us think about ventilation, we open the windows. However, if there’s no breeze outdoors then the effect will be minimal with virtually no air exchanged between the indoors and outdoors.
2 Use natural ventilation features
Air is exchanged in the house through the creation of a solar chimney, with vents located at the top of the building. As the sun heats the air it rises and is drawn out through the vents. The pressure in the house changes and fresh air is drawn in.
3 Extractor fans
Commonly used in bathrooms to extract odours and moisture, these are low cost and effective but only supply ventilation for the rooms in which they’re located. One disadvantage of extractor fans is that they can pull noxious gases into the house.
4 Supply ventilation
Inexpensive and simple to install, supply ventilation uses existing ductwork or can be run as a stand alone system with dedicated ducts. They allow for air to be filtered and to equalise the pressure in a property, minimising the problem of contaminants but they can force moisture laden air into the ceiling and walls, causing problems with condensation.
5 A balanced ventilation system
This type of system uses separate fans to drive inlet and outlet airflow, giving you control over where air is drawn from and extracted to. This type of system can exhaust odours and moisture from kitchens and bathrooms and deliver fresh air to living rooms and bedrooms.
6 Heat recovery ventilators
By using an air to air heat exchanger, also known as a heat recovery ventilator or HRV, you can locate the fans together to precondition the air coming into the building. Ideal for use in colder climates, an HRV such as the https://www.restorationuk.com/condensation-products/single-room-heat-recovery-ventilators/product/kair-heat-recovery-room-ventilator-k-hrv150 will allow you to tansfer both moisture and heat from one airflow to the other for superior condensation control.
In a modern well insulated home, mechanical ventilation is essential to keep your property comfortable, fresh and condensation free and a heat recovery system is the most energy efficient way to achieve your goal.
