The Best Time of the Day to Ventilate Your House

Complete Guide to Ventilation and Condensation Control

Condensation can atomic number 82 to a whole range of bug. It is also a very visible problem, peculiarly in the colder wintertime months.

Condensation control and adequate ventilation in a belongings are extremely important, as left untreated condensation can lead to damp and mould problems likewise as aggravating health conditions.

WHAT IS CONDENSATION?

WHAT CAUSES CONDENSATION?

WHERE DOES CONDENSATION OCCUR?

Practice I HAVE CONDENSATION?

ISSUES WITH CONDENSATION

HOW DO I CONTROL CONDENSATION?

HOW DOES VENTILATION Piece of work?

WHY VENTILATION IS A GOOD IDEA

VENTILATION TYPES

WHAT VENTILATION OPTIONS ARE THERE?

-       Natural Ventilation

-       Passive Ventilation - WHAT IS PASSIVE VENTILATION

-       MEV

-       Heat Recovery Units

VENTILATION BUILDING REGULATIONS

VENTILATING PERIOD HOMES

VENTILATING CELLARS AND BASEMENTS

VENTILATION PRODUCTS

WHAT IS CONDENSATION?

Condensation occurs when moist air comes into contact with air, or a surface, which is at a lower temperature. Air contains water vapour in varying quantities; its capacity to do and so is related to its temperature - warm air holds more moisture than cold air. When moist air comes into contact with a colder surface, the air condenses some of its moisture onto that surface.

The air in our homes contains water vapour from cooking, washing, drying clothes and other activities. During common cold conditions this warm, moist air travels to cooler parts of our homes. The excess water vapour in the air then deposits on cold, impermeable surfaces such every bit windows and, in some cases, walls. This is called condensation. Condensation can also occur in less visible places similar behind furniture, blocked-in fireplaces and underneath laminate flooring.

CAUSES OF CONDENSATION

In lodge to make homes more energy efficient, some are fitted with insulation, cladding and made air-tight with double glazing. This means that the moist air generated by everyday activities (as detailed above) is unable to escape which leads to condensation. The conditions that determine condensation are as follows:

• The level of moisture in the air
• The temperature of the air in your home
• The surface temperature of the windows & walls and other surfaces

Practice I HAVE CONDENSATION?

Condensation is mostly noticeable when it forms on non-absorbent surfaces (i.e. windows or tiles) merely it can form on any surface. You may not notice condensation until you tin see mould growth or see materials rotting. Whatever room in a house that is colder will deed equally a magnet for condensation.

The following symptoms suggest you have condensation:

• Steamed-upwardly windows and puddles of h2o on the window sills
• Walls that are damp to touch
• Peeling wallpaper
• Black spots of mould on walls and ceilings – peculiarly common in bathrooms
• A musty smell

PROBLEMS WITH CONDENSATION

Condensation can lead to a whole range of clammy and mould issues. Some of these cause corrective harm, some of these will incur financial costs and others can actually be harmful to the health of you and your family.

Condensation can lead to mould which in turn results in mould spores that easily become airborne. When inhaled, these microscopic spores can trigger a range of respiratory weather condition such equally asthma, dust allergies and hayfever. This is particularly harmful to young child and older people.

Condensation is a problem caused when at that place is inadequate ventilation. Poor ventilation is besides associated with headaches, tiredness, and dizziness, and in extreme cases carbon monoxide poisoning.

There are increasingly worrying reports nearly so-called Toxic House Syndrome, which is when a person'due south wellness deteriorates due to the air quality in their homes. Information technology is related to the large number of potentially harmful chemicals like carbon monoxide and dander in our homes that increase the risk of heart disease and cancer. Proper ventilation is the main mode that exposure to these airborne pollutants can be dramatically reduced.

HOW Practice I CONTROL CONDENSATION?

Condensation can be controlled through ventilation. There are a diversity of unlike ventilation methods and systems that can focus on single rooms or be installed to ventilate whole homes.

Ventilation

You want to achieve these things with ventilation:

• No more than condensation
• No more damp, stale air
• Clean, filtered fresh air

As a expert starting indicate, it makes sense to take measures to create less moisture. You tin put lids on pans when cooking, add together common cold water earlier hot h2o when running a bathroom, dry clothes outdoors or in a room with a humidity-controlled extractor fan, avoid drying damp clothes on warm radiators. You should too regulate heating so that is constantly on at a lower heat. By preventing rapid changes in the temperature, you lot will help reduce condensation. You should as well regularly open windows to allow cross ventilation.

Despite taking these initial steps, you are likely to find that condensation is still an issue, specially in colder months. Correctly installed ventilation systems are the well-nigh effective way of stopping condensation. The upshot of heat loss is one that is inherent with ventilation and must exist addressed by the organization. The common ventilation systems include passive ventilation systems, humidity controlled extractor fans, passive stack ventilation, and heat recovery units.

Key Considerations When Looking at Ventilation Systems

• Suitability for property – the type of property y'all are ventilating should determine which ventilation method you use. Bungalows and flats are different than houses. The number of wet rooms, the blazon of roof, your ability to install ducts and grilles all accept an touch.
• Costs – this includes initial outlay and running costs. Many ventilation systems accept low running costs and the initial costs are commencement in fuel efficiency.
• Noise – units needs to be quiet, both during normal and boost modes.
• Ease of installation – as well equally the initial installation, y'all will want a ventilation organization which requires very depression levels of maintenance.
• Compliance with the Building Regulation Ventilation Requirements – it must meet Part F & 50 England and Wales and contributes towards 'conservation of fuel and power.'

Why Ventilation is a Good Thought

Ventilation is not simply the best way of preventing condensation in your home, it will also dramatically improve indoor air quality. Most ventilation systems provide health benefits by reducing naturally-occurring Radon gas and carbon monoxide. Too every bit this, many units are equipped with filters capable of removing up to 95% dust particles and other allergens. This can include pollen filters that can both assist y'all keep cool indoors and savour the benefits of fresh pollen-free air. Hayfever sufferers can benefit massively from a place where they can escape pollen and focus on bringing the symptoms under control.

At that place are four types of ventilation system outlined in the Building Regulations:

• System one - Intermittent fans and background ventilation
• Arrangement 2 - Passive stack
• System 3 - Continuous mechanical extract ventilation (MEV)
• System 4 - Continuous mechanical counterbalanced ventilation with estrus recovery

Single Room Ventilation

When looking to ventilate a unmarried room in your home, commonly one more prone to moisture and condensation, there are a few options. Single room ventilation can encompass everything from simple passive vents to rut-recovery units.

Intermittent Extraction Fans / Extractor Fans

In the past, it was mutual for mechanical extraction to be used in wet rooms (rooms with more moisture like kitchens and bathrooms) to remove moisture and bad smells. These fans use more energy and price more to run but likewise remove valuable heat from the dwelling, pumping it outside. The preferred alternative today is an individual room heat-recovery ventilator.

Single-room Heat-recovery unit

Estrus Recovery ventilation systems replace stale moist air with filtered, fresh and warm air from outside. As the stale air is fatigued out it passes over a heat exchanger, which traps (recovers) the heat from the outgoing air in guild to warm the incoming fresh air. This dramatically reduces the amount of heat wasted and reduces abode energy bills. These units provide a continuous air alter.

When humidity levels increase, the unit automatically switches to a boost mode. You take the power to set the humidity level at which heave mode is activated to ensure that condensation does non occur. When humidity levels take returned to an acceptable level the heat recovery unit returns to its standard trickle style.

A practiced option is a Vent Axia Heat Save Heat Recovery unit. Each unit of measurement contains a reversible fan that changes direction after 70 seconds, alternating between blowing fresh air in and getting rid of warm moist air. An integrated thermal accumulator collects upwards to 84% of heat, saving money on bills and limiting your negative impact on the environment.

The Kair Heat Recovery Unit recovers upward to 86% of heat, making it an effective source of ventilation with heat recovery for a single room. Y'all can detect out more about installing a Kair unit of measurement hither.  The Monsoon Alternating Menstruum Oestrus Recovery fan is a continuous menstruum supply and extract fan with a built-in heat substitution. Information technology is very good at reducing humidity in single rooms.

Natural Ventilation

Yous can buy passive vents that work by using vapour air differences to ventilate a room. These systems utilise the scientific principle that when the room temperature and humidity are greater internally than those externally, then moist air volition ventilate outside. These vents, like our acknowledged Perma-Vent, incorporate no moving parts and therefore require naught maintenance. They use a vapour permeable membrane, which allows moist air out of the building without allowing a draught back inside.

WHOLE Firm VENTILATION

There are four master methods of whole home ventilation systems that we will cover: Passive Stack, Positive Input, Positive Pressure and Mechanical Extract Ventilation.

WHAT IS PASSIVE VENTILATION?

Passive ventilation makes employ of natural forces like the natural buoyancy of hot air and air current to encourage airflow through your holding. Some ventilation systems use a heat commutation unit to capture the oestrus from the warm air before information technology exits your dwelling house. This is then used toheat the incoming fresh air and so that you have fresh warm air.

Many passive ventilation systems utilise positive pressure from wind to encourage air movement through the building. The positioning of vents is essential for this model, taking careful annotation of windward and leeward sides of the roof.

Positive Input Ventilation (PIV)

Positive Input Ventilation or PIV systems work past drawing in fresh, filtered air from exterior in gild to ventilate the house. PIV encourages the movement of air from inside to exterior from a unit that is ordinarily installed in a loft.

These units reduce or eliminate surface condensation altogether past replacing humid stagnant air with fresh filtered air. These systems have full advantage of the benefits of solar proceeds, distributing the rut in the loft around the property from a central hallway.

The PIV arrangement too removes indoor air pollutants such as carbon monoxide and radon gas. The units are fitted with filters that continue out pollen and external pollutants such as traffic fumes when drawing outside air in.

They are constructive at decision-making humidity levels throughout your home. Near PIV units are fitted with an internal temperature sensor that continuously monitors the temperature in the loft. This allows the unit of measurement to boost the air book when the loft temperature is above a sure level. If the loft temperature reaches a certain indicate then the unit volition switch to standby mode (no airflow). Once installed, the airflow can be set to suit the house size and, if required, the way it responds to the temperature changes within.

The Nuaire Drimaster Eco Estrus provides whole habitation ventilation using the Positive Input Ventilation principle.

If you don't have a loft or access to the loft space then you can have hall units that are ideal for flats and cellars such as the Nuaire Flatmaster PIV.

Positive Pressure Systems

Positive pressure systems gently pressurise your property in order to increment air circulation. PPV units introduce fresh filtered air that is and then heated into your home, displacing moist boiling air. They are cheap to run and quiet, and are highly effective at preventing condensation.

PPV systems are available both for backdrop with lofts and flats. If yous have a loft go for the Monsoon Energysaver Positive Pressure System For Lofts With Heater.

For flats, yous desire to opt for a PPV wall unit of measurement that can be installed in a hallway such equally the Monsoon Energysaver Positive Pressure level Organization For Flats.

Continuous mechanical extract ventilation (MEV)

MEV operate via a centralised organization, unremarkably located in a loft or cupboard, that has a series of ducts that get off to any wet rooms e.m. kitchen, utility rooms and bathrooms. The organization so draws moisture-laden air from all of these humid rooms through grilles and takes it to a single discharge point to outside.  Many systems will have humidity tracking so that the organization kicks in at certain humidity levels, without the demand for users to manually increase.  Replacement air is provided through groundwork ventilation only.

Passive Stack Ventilation

Whole-firm passive stack ventilation – or PSV – systems rely on differences in air force per unit area to create air flow from outside a dwelling to inside and vice versa. Hot air rises because it is a lower pressure level than cooler air. The fact that this hot air is buoyant in cooler air means this is sometimes called buoyancy ventilation or the 'stack effect'.

PSV is all near using these natural forces to ventilate a house past installing stacks and ducts which draw warm, moist air through grilles from a bathroom or kitchen and out through the roof. The ducts need to be installed with swept bends and shallow angles (non sharp angles of 45 degrees or more than) to allow air to travel freely. As well many bends will stop the system from being constructive too every bit peaks and troughs. Similarly the excerpt grilles need to be costless from any obstruction so the moist air can travel freely. Each duct must have its own termination betoken in the roof.

The air from exterior tends to be lower pressure, especially when it is further from the footing, and can become sucked into the home. This fresh air tin can then be introduced through vents in walls or windows in habitable rooms or ducted in from the roof

Some PSV systems remove air and introduce fresh air via the aforementioned vent. Thank you to advances in science these systems provide increased levels of control – such every bit humidity-controlled extract and inlet valves which open and close according to internal weather.

Important: They demand to be correctly installed to ensure they are effective – this means ducts and extract terminals presenting no hindrance to airflow. Y'all need to avoid cross-flow betwixt stacks by ensuring at that place is at least a metre gap between exhaust points.

PSV systems can be installed with either:

• Ridge Terminations / Ridge Extract Terminals / Ridge Ventilators – placed anywhere along the roof ridge
• Tile Terminations – within one-half a metre of the ridge, away from the direction of the wind
• Stack Terminations – to protrude higher up the summit of the ridge and exist fitted with a cowl

Ventilation Building Regulations

The Ventilation of Domestic buildings are covered under Function F and L of the Building Regulations, revised in October 2010. The ventilation edifice regulations were updated due to the increasing importance of ventilation, in particular in relation to the 'conservation of fuel and power'.

The regulations primarily cover installation, design and performance. You must ensure that any ventilation systems installed in England and Wales comply with parts F & L, which nosotros will summarise:

Part F - Ventilation (Planning Portal Part F)

Part F focuses on system performance including:

• Airflow Rates
• Noise
• Ventilation Rates – this is how much the organization leaks air
• Installation - You can read the Domestic Ventilation Compliance Guide for further tips on installation and how to comply with Part F

Part 50 – Conservation of Fuel and Power(Government Planning Portal - Role L)

Office Fifty deals with energy efficiency – covering both rut loss every bit a result of the system and its bear upon on energy efficiency and the electricity used to power the arrangement.

This covers the regs in details - Vent Axia

Ventilation in Old houses and Menstruum Properties

Many older houses were designed to be cocky-ventilating with internal rooms being provided with fresh air via chimneys, technology bricks and gaps around windows and doors. Present with fuel prices then high, the cost of heating a Victorian home can exist astronomical – running into the thousands of pounds a twelvemonth. The temptation is therefore to do whatever you can to reduce these costs, in particular by utilising modern insulation and double-glazing. Notwithstanding, in employing these methods you hinder your home's power to ventilate. In stopping draughts and trapping the heat in, you may find you suffer from condensation and damp as well as potentially trapping in harmful gases. So when it comes to older properties, you have to ensure you have a suitable ventilation organisation.

Installing ventilation in an erstwhile house

There is always a key consideration of aesthetics to consider when making whatsoever changes to an older or period property. A white plastic box is always going to look out of place in a Victorian property. We would recommend looking at PIV systems that have termination points in the roof – these can include termination points between slate and tiled roofs, minimising the visual impact of the organisation. You tin besides look at retrofitting ventilation, making use of existing chimneys or existing holes for an extractor. Manufacturers will hopefully go along to look at improving the appearance of ventilation units and blending them into period features.

Ventilation in Basements and Cellars

Cellars and basements rarely benefit from natural ventilation and are prone to condensation and damp issues. It is therefore important to provide ventilation, especially if you intend to inhabit or catechumen your basement. In order to reduce humidity and the adventure of mould in basements, you ideally need to install a duct as part of an MEV system or fit a unmarried room heat recovery unit.

Condensation Control Products and Ventilation Systems

Perma-Vent condensation control vent

The Perma-Vent is an environmentally-friendly unit of measurement that works on the scientific principle of vapour air difference to ventilate rooms. It has no moving parts so requires no maintenance.

Nuaire Drimaster PIV Unit

The Drimaster Eco provides whole home ventilation using the Positive Input Ventilation principle.

Permagard – Over xxx Years of Condensation Control

At Permagard, nosotros stock a range of ventilation systems and condensation control products. If you demand aid with a specification or information then our condensation control technical advisers are here to help.

Browse our Ventilation and Condensation Control section including an overview of positive pressure level ventilation.

Related Content and Resources

Read our article on6 Easy Means to Stop Condensation Build-Upwards. We've likewise put together a guide to clammy and condensation for landlords and another ane for tenants experiencing damp issues.

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Source: https://www.permagard.co.uk/advice/how-to-ventilate-your-house

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