How Does MVHR Work?

How Does MVHR Work? Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems provide the solution of ventilating the rooms around your home which typically collect moisture.

The systems extract stale air contaminated with toxins that would ordinarily leave unpleasant smells and replaces it with fresh air without wasting heat that would typically escape using traditional ventilation methods or systems.

Because MVHR systems are also fitted with highly-efficient heat exchangers, they are able to recover heat which would normally be lost. This means the vast majority of heat that has already been generated is reused and does not go to waste.

With an increase in demand to use less energy, and a growing need to reduce energy bills, MVHR offers a solution to improve air quality around the home all year round.

Why Do You Need an MVHR System?

Government legislation in relation to climate change has had a subsequent impact on energy use and building regulations. Modern buildings have to be much more energy efficient these days.

As a result, new builds and refurbishments are built to a far higher technical specification than buildings that were constructed prior to the 21st Century.

New builds have superior heat insulation and are much more airtight than twenty years ago. The benefit is that homes and offices retain heat for longer.

However, on the flip side, the air quality has deteriorated, especially in rooms that accumulate a lot of moisture such as bathrooms, kitchens, and utility rooms which house a washing machine.

Everyday actions in the home produce high quantities of moisture and toxins that linger in the air. Estimates suggest the average family household will produce 15 litres of moisture a day. Even breathing will produce an average of five litres a day.

Water vapour contains molecules and bacteria which erode air quality and create bad odours. It also damages the walls of the house and creates problems such as mould and mildew.

The conditions caused by moisture are also a feeding ground for dust mites which make breathing deficiencies such as asthma worse.

How Do MVHR Systems Recover Heat?

Heat recovery is a modern process designed to continuously reheat cool air by means of a heat exchanger.

MHRV’s consist of two ventilation ducts that run parallel to one another. One of the ducts passes stale air from inside the house to the outside. The other extracts fresh air from the outside.

The cool air extracted from the outside runs through a heat exchanger which passes heat generated from inside the house – through your heating system – to the cold air.

The flow pipes with extract and supply air are separate to avoid air becoming contaminated. The heat recovery unit is connected by valves that are fitted to the ducts that run throughout the building.

Subsequently, you do not lose the energy you are paying for to heat your home – like you do when you open a window.

MVHR systems are separate from the heating system. They are typically installed in the loft or basement where there is sufficient space to house them.

Each duct of the MVHR is fitted with a fan which can automatically detect temperature and humidity levels.

This means that the heat ventilation system can determine when fresh air pulled in from the outside is warmer than the contaminated air in the house.

What are the Benefits of MVHRs?

Green technology is improving all the time. Subsequently, we have the capacity to improve living standards in the home and at work.

Heat recovery systems are a prime example of how advancements in energy efficient technology provides solutions created by the challenge to reduce your carbon footprint.

Not only do MVHRs retain energy that has already been generated, but they also provide other significant benefits that cannot be ignored.

Improves Air Quality

Heat recovery systems remove air that contains toxins and water particles and replace them with freshly filtered air. As a result, MVHRs create a healthier living space that smells and feels fresher.

Reduces Energy Bills

MVHR systems are capable of recovering 95% of the heat from the outgoing air. This means you can keep your home fully ventilated all year round without wasting energy.

Installing a heat recovery system, therefore, enables you to keep your home airtight whereby you can reduce your energy bills but still gain benefits from circulating fresh air through the house.

Alleviates Asthma and Other Respiratory Conditions

Having an airtight home may mean you can lower your energy bills, but without an effective ventilation system, poor quality air can lead to poor quality health.

Anybody that suffers from respiratory conditions such as asthma feels the negative effects of poor air quality. MVHR’s remove toxins and pollens from the air.

Eliminates Build Up of Toxins and Unpleasant Odours

The home develops an alarming amount of toxins that negatively affect the quality of air. Everyday products that contain volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) include, aerosol, cleaning fluids, cosmetics, grease, disinfectant and water vapours from cooking.

Other problems created by water vapour are condensation, damp, mould, mildew, dust mites, pollen and unpleasant odours. MVHRs reduce the risk of developing wider, and more expensive issues.

MVHR systems remove toxins that can have a negative impact on your health. By filtering low-quality air, you also eliminate unpleasant odours from your home and replace it with fresh air.

Moderate Comfort Levels

Modern MVHR systems use smart technologies that can measure the temperature of a room. During the winter months, cold air from the outside is converted into warm air that is used to retain heat in the home.

In the summer, however, outside air is usually warmer than cool air in a building. A heating system, therefore, transfers cool air from the inside to lower the temperature of fresh air coming in from the outside.

This enables homeowners and businesses to automatically manage room temperature so the heating is kept to a comfortable level.

MVHR’s provide numerous solutions caused by energy efficient regulations. Business owners and home owners that want to improve the environmental conditions, both indoors and outdoors, cannot afford to not ignore the positive impacts of mechanical ventilation with heating recovery systems.