The benefits of this are enormous;
- Firstly, it means that a significant proportion of external pollutants are prevented from entering the home.
- Secondly, the use of the otherwise unused heat in the roof results in the ventilation unit providing a significant net energy gain to the home.
- Thirdly, there is no better way to ventilate a home than from the inside out via a single, centrally located, supply air diffuser.
A good quality unit, fitted in your loft, will operate at an almost imperceptible noise level. You will hardly know its there. A properly designed and installed unit will ensure that old, contaminated, vapour laden air in your home is continuously diluted, displaced and replaced with good quality air. The result is improved indoor air quality and an environment in which condensation dampness cannot exist.
The old air exits through the thousands of air leakage points found in all homes. Indeed, positive input ventilation will even help to suppress unwanted infiltration (draughts).
The installation of a low energy positive input ventilation unit will ensure the air in your home is completely replaced with better quality air around 20 times a day. This is the recommended rate to maintain good air quality.
Energy benefits
Your roof is an energy source.
South east to south west facing tiles or slates absorb energy from the sun. Even the loft space itself is a substantial source of energy. During the heating season it will almost always be warmer than outside because of solar gain and conduction and convection losses from the home. Positive input ventilation units use the tiles/slates and/or the loft space itself to pre-warm the incoming air before delivering it into the home.
The input air enters your home at ceiling level, usually on your landing. This method re-circulates the warm air that rises and collects there as well as reducing the heat loss to your loft.
The slight pressurisation effect created helps reduce infiltration of unheated air through the leakage points found in all homes, having a consequential energy benefit.
In simple terms, a good quality low energy positive input ventilation unit will provide a significantly greater amount of energy into the home than the energy it consumes in the form of electricity, providing a considerable net energy gain.
BENEFITS
·
Mould and mildew will not re-occur when the unit is
switched on
·
Only on very damp or cold days will you have to mop
the windows!
·
Automatic – works even when you are on holiday
·
Very cheap to run –
about one quarter of a 100w light bulb
·
Will be effective
in all rooms leading off the main stairwell
·
Solar gain ensures
March to Oct the air from the roof is often heating the home
·
No need to empty
any tank as the water vapour leaves with the stale air
·
5 year filters - fine filters contribute to a reduction in pollen within the home
·
Auto cut off when
roof is hot in summer
·
Reduction of
heating costs as dry air feels warmer at a lower temperature
·
The home remains
secure as no windows need be left open
·
Whisper quiet –
slight motor noise like a quality fridge
·
Helps to suppress
unwanted cold draughts
·
Easy installation
by competent DIY or electrician - just connect to lighting circuit
·
Reduces cooking
smells as they cannot escape into the stairwell
·
5 year filters and
5 year manufacturer guarantee
·
6 speed control to
allow for differing conditions and house size
·
A dry home is a
healthy home
·
You can get £15 if
we sell another unit to a friend of yours
DRAWBACKS
·
Most effective in
the rooms off the hall – remote rooms have less air so the effect is reduced
·
Introduces cool air
in winter which is quickly heated up at ceiling height. We do not recommend
heated units as they are electric and gas central heating is a lot cheaper way
of heating the air. Only 20% of the energy you buy actually heats the air! On
average there is an energy gain using PIV.
·
We believe the only
reason for buying a machine with a heating element is to temper the air in
winter in a bungalow where the hall is small.
·
You may need sofit
vents if the roof is too ‘tight’. This will allow airflow from outside. All
roofs should already be well vented to preserve the timbers. Ask a builder.
·
Doors should be
kept ajar, especially in the day, to improve circulation of the dry air –
usually this is not a problem
·
No excuse to buy
new shoes to replace mould ones….
HISTORY OF POSITIVE PRESSURE
·
The positive pressure
system was discovered a by-product of a gas problem in
Glasgow in the 1980’s.
·
A group of scientists tried to force the fumes
from gas fires up the flu in some flats.
·
The tenants were
getting poisoned because the fumes stayed in the rooms.
·
Positive air
pressure was used to force out the fumes.
·
It worked.
·
But the flats
became drier – the relative humidity dropped - moulds and dripping windows
stopped as if by magic.
·
The heating bills
were hardly affected and the tenants were happier.
·
The introduced air
gradually left the building but took the water vapour (and the gas) with it.
·
Positive pressure
condensation control was “discovered”.
·
After a lot of
refinement this research resulted in the systems we supply today.
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