If you are renovating or designing your dream home, this could be the best time to consider a MVHR system which offers many benefits to the indoor environment.
First things first…
What is MVHR?
MVHR is a whole house ventilation system that extracts stale air, excess moisture, pollution and more from your home and replaces it with fresh, filtered air. Heat is recovered from extracted air and transferred to the new fresh supply air (not in the summer though!), helping reduce your heating bills by up to £300 per year! The system helps maintain comfort and good indoor air quality all year round.
Why is now the perfect time?
Renovations, extensions and new #selfbuilds are a great time to consider installing MVHR because it gives you the most flexibility when it comes to installation and accessibility – we’ve put together the key things to consider when looking at MVHR for your home.
Which Unit?
A MVHR system is made of the unit and the ducting, so of course, the unit you choose is important! Choose a unit which is appropriately sized to your dwelling size/floor area for optimal performance and most importantly low running noise. The harder you have to run your unit to meet airflow levels, the noisier it will be. As a go to, it is recommended that the unit runs at no more than 60% capacity on the constant trickle speed.
Most units will advise the size of property they are suitable for however further consideration of duct type/size also impacts suitability as ducting adds resistance to the airflow - best thing to do is get a specialist involved or get your system designed and all the calculations will be completed.
What Ducting?
The ducting in a whole house system supplies and extract air to each room. Considerations for ducting revolve around installation and sizing.
Are you installing the system yourself?
If so, Semi-Rigid ducting systems offer a ‘push fit’ for simple installation on site. What is the size of your ceiling void? Where will the duct runs go? Ducting is available in a range of sizes and diameters, however the smaller the ducting, the higher the potential for increased noise levels. Again, it’s best to have a chat with a specialist who will look at duct performance and resistance and advise on where and how to install the ducting.
Accessibility
This is important for long term performance! Making sure your unit is placed somewhere that annual maintenance can be easily done, as well as making it easy to change your filters (every 6 months is recommended). Most MVHR units are put in a storage cupboard, loft, utility for easy access.
Warranty
A MVHR unit runs 24/7 and includes crucial parts like motors and PCB’s that control how the system works. Like many other products in our homes (e.g Boiler), annual maintenance helps lengthen the life of a unit, but over time, parts will need to be replaced.
Manufacturers offer a range of warranties that cover key parts up to 5 years. Check this out when you are deciding on the unit you want.
Extras
With some units, there are options to integrate pre heater, comfort cooling and even introduce moisture back into the air to reduce ‘dry air’ symptoms. In high pollution areas, or where allergies are a concern, in-duct high grade filter boxes are also available. These options offer additional benefits to your whole house ventilation system – all around comfort! You can’t see air, but it has a lot to answer for!
Budget
We know everyone’s budget is different and when it comes to MVHR there are lots of units across many price points. If you have no idea how much a system is going to cost, The Air Shop offer a 60 second quote based on your floor area – this gives you an idea of how much a system might cost (not including installation).
Do you need a design?
The Air Shop can help with advise on system or a full layout of your MVHR system. From your plans, we can create and draw a system completely bespoke for your home that meets your needs, and where applicable, the relevant Building Regulation Air Flow Rates. The layout will show where to place your unit, ducting routes as well as the most discreet and practical places for things such as grilles and valves.
A MVHR System is a great addition to any home – the important thing is that if you are investing in it, you get it right and it does its job in your home!
If you need to ask a question, or you want some help deciding if it is the best strategy for you call our MVHR specialists on 033 0223 6776 or email sales@theairshop.co.uk
