Critical mistakes made when installing Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) in your home…

Mechanical Ventilation Systems with Heat Recovery (MVHR) are becoming much more commonplace in new builds and they can play an very important part in energy efficient design.

They can also negate overheating problems, improve indoor air quality and can remove issues associated with increasingly airtight dwellings.

So here’s what to look out for when installing a MVHR system in your home…

Recently I visited a four year old house where the Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery System (MVHR) was disappointing.  But why?  It had been supplied and installed by a leading NI company. 

The capacity was too small for the house.  Many of the MVHR suppliers have taken their guidance from Germany and Austria – but the outdoor air in these countries is much drier than very moist Ireland.  We need big air changes per hour (ACH) because of where we are located.

Another problem which occurs with MVHR on a regular basis in Irish homes is noise often caused by poorly designed ducting.  Because high ACH are required the ducting should be “trunk and branch” as opposed to mini bore. 

A third problem can be the air in the home becoming too dry.  This is caused by the cheaper MVHR systems using a counterflow heat exchanger.  House owners are attracted by these because the efficiency of heat recovery is very good.  But these systems dry the air.  The effect on the nose and sinuses is similar to that of an air conditioning system in a hotel bedroom. 

Reinco has been advising on MVHR for 12 years.  In many cases we recommend thermal wheel heat exchangers. 

We do not sell products, nor do we take a commission which means that we recommend what is best for the particular house – no strings attached. 

Have you got a MVHR system installed recently? or are your building a new home and want to make sure you are installing the correct system?

Call Eric today on : 📲 07729125002 or email
📧 eric@reinco.co.uk and book your home consultation, let’s make your home a happy, healthy home!