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Thread ID: 143041 2016-11-05 07:50:00 Home Ventilation - HRV vs DVS bk T (215) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
1428372 2016-11-05 07:50:00 Are they good? Approx costs to install and maintenance costs?

Appreciate existing users views.


Cheers
bk T (215)
1428373 2016-11-05 08:45:00 We have an SAYR ventilation system. Cost was $3k. We have not had any need for maintenance so that is not applicable. We have had it one year.

We have noticed a big difference, particularly in the back bedroom which was damp and cold. It was that damp that there was green growth on the outside wall. The room is now much drier and warmer and the green growth has disappeared.

We are very impressed and would recommend a ventilation system.
Roscoe (6288)
1428374 2016-11-05 09:48:00 What about running costs, Roscoe? bk T (215)
1428375 2016-11-05 10:42:00 Yes, and no. I've had one in my last two houses (First was HRV, second was some other random brand) and they're good at drying the air out and keeping moisture outta your home.
DONT get it with the expectation that it'll heat your home during the winter. It won't. When it's sunny outside, it's also likely warm inside. When it's cold inside, it's likely coz there's no sun outside to heat the temperature in your roof, and in your home...

However, it makes it easier running a Heat Pump for sure! :)

Maintenance is a 12-18 month change of the filter for it, around $200-ish? Running costs... Well in a house of 4 adults with a heat pump on 24/7, an HRV, a spa pool, several computers that don't ever get shut down... We average ~$50-55 a week with Flick during the winter months, so the running costs are pretty minimal :)
Chilling_Silence (9)
1428376 2016-11-05 18:12:00 There is an HRV here, bloody thing couldn't be turned off I found.
So it ran all the time (on and off) until I got annoyed and disconnected it up in the roof.

Couldn't see any benefit at all.

We don't get mould or anything, but then I do have 3 windows open (a bit) all the time. 2 in bathroom and one in kitchen.
pctek (84)
1428377 2016-11-05 19:31:00 What about running costs, Roscoe?

As Chill says, running costs are minimal. We have noticed a very small increase.
Roscoe (6288)
1428378 2016-11-05 20:47:00 If you seal your house up and have no ventilation, a conventional house design with a roof space, and have moisture problems, then they are great. Or you could open a couple of windows at each end of the house for 10 mins a day and achieve the same thing for no cost at all. Up to you. I didn't have the option as my house doesn't have a roof space.

I had some really bad moisture problems for a couple of winters - to the point where the end two bedrooms would have condensation on the entire outside wall not just the windows and mould growing on the ceiling. It's now completely fixed by a few changes I made. Some of them cheap, some not.

1. Double glazing - doesn't actually reduce air moisture content but it does reduce condensation - cost me < $4k from metrofit so not the cheapest
2. Added an outside vented rangehood to the kitchen and use it whenever I'm cooking - $150ish - noticeable improvement
3. Gave away the portable gas heater - this is a big one don't use those.
4. Extractor fan in the bathroom - 12V one directly through an outside wall in the shower cubicle in my case - $2-300 installed - really worth doing
5. Got a heatpump - $3500 so another big one
6. I try to remember to open windows regularly and in the warmer months leave a lot of them on the second latch

The mould has not returned and I get maybe an inch or 2 of condensation on the bottom of the window on the worst days - usually because I haven't opened a window for a few days.
dugimodo (138)
1428379 2016-11-05 22:08:00 ^^ sound advice dugimodo. The double glazing helps a lot keeping the house the temperature set by a heat pump and is worth it in the long run though.

Best improvements to keeping a place dry are a range hood / extractor fan, and they're by far the cheapest too! :)
Chilling_Silence (9)
1428380 2016-11-05 22:16:00 We had a DVS in our old house down by the river before the earthquakes for years. Mum and Dad spent ages trying to get a good result using the DVS, of less or no moisture on the windows in the morning after a cold night, so they would not have to wipe down the interior of the windows.

With a tiled roof it is like a colander may be better with a sealed corrugated iron roof.

Serious rip-off do not buy one of these.

"When it's sunny outside, it's also likely warm inside. When it's cold inside, it's likely coz there's no sun outside to heat the temperature in your roof, and in your home..."

Yep absolutely.

My advice is get a good dehumidifier, mine works really well in conjunction with the heat pump.
zqwerty (97)
1428381 2016-11-05 23:42:00 One other thing, they seem to be dust spreaders. Husband and son both have dust allergies and asthma, the vents in ceiling were filthy round them and it fired dust around, not that you could see, but their allergies told me that.

Closed them up too now and end of that problem.
pctek (84)
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