Whether we are talking about a building or a person, we need to be able to breath clean air.

Without it we are unhealthy and tired. In old houses this was never a problem- single glazed windows, doors and windows not sealing properly, draughty attic spaces all contributed to fresh air entering the home. However, in a modern home, efficient building materials and practices mean we can struggle for enough fresh air. This is why it has become essential to properly ventilate your home. All new houses, by law, must have ventilation systems fitted.

Indoor air typically contains more types and higher concentrations of pollutants than outdoor air, even in industrialized areas. Some common home indoor air pollutants include:

  • Biological pollutants (mold spores, dust mites, bacteria, viruses, pollen, animal dander).
  • Combustion pollutants (including carbon monoxide), lead in dust (from old paint or lead-tainted soil).
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from off-gassing (of building materials, adhesives, paints, finishes, pesticides and some household cleaning products) and sometimes asbestos.
  • Radon, a radioactive soil gas, poses a serious hazard in many areas.

In essence, there are 3 ways to ventilate your home.

Drill holes in the walls in each room, with a vent to the outside. This is quite cheap to do, but causes draughts and can be very uncomfortable. It is a very inefficient way to ventilate.

Mechanical ventilation can be controlled and tailored to operate at optimum levels, depending on occupancy.

As it can be demand controlled, it is efficient, comfortable and healthy.

Heat recovery and ventilation is a very efficient way to get clean air in to your home. As the stale air is exhausted, the heat is taken from it and used to preheat the fresh air coming in to each room.

Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery & Ventilation (HRV)