ᐅ Quiet decentralized ventilation system for new single-family home construction
Created on: 1 Mar 2015 12:48
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Legurit
Hello everyone,
During our first consultation with a building professional for a quote, we were asked to choose a ventilation system ourselves, as we are still somewhat skeptical about the "SEVi 160" model proposed by them. Our planner recommended a Halmburger ventilation system – we definitely want to see and listen to it in person. He also mentioned BluMartin, which personally seems a bit bulky to me – and once additional rooms are connected, it starts to feel more like a “central” system again. I also find the cassette filters quite expensive at 50 € (about $55) per unit per year.
We found the videos on the Bayernlüfter website quite appealing, but we are somewhat skeptical about the maximum airflow of 20 m³ (about 710 cubic feet) per hour. We also couldn’t find any information about noise levels at different ventilation rates (which is also missing for the SEVi – but the building professional mentioned that it can be heard).
We are looking for a ventilation system that can achieve an air exchange rate of 40 m³ (about 1,400 cubic feet) per hour (approximately 1 air change per hour for our bedroom) without being audible. Does such a system exist, or does anyone have experience with the mentioned brands? Is an air exchange rate of 1 per hour even necessary for a bedroom with two occupants?
Thank you and best regards.
P.S.: I have the impression that the decentralized ventilation industry is very fragmented with many small players.
During our first consultation with a building professional for a quote, we were asked to choose a ventilation system ourselves, as we are still somewhat skeptical about the "SEVi 160" model proposed by them. Our planner recommended a Halmburger ventilation system – we definitely want to see and listen to it in person. He also mentioned BluMartin, which personally seems a bit bulky to me – and once additional rooms are connected, it starts to feel more like a “central” system again. I also find the cassette filters quite expensive at 50 € (about $55) per unit per year.
We found the videos on the Bayernlüfter website quite appealing, but we are somewhat skeptical about the maximum airflow of 20 m³ (about 710 cubic feet) per hour. We also couldn’t find any information about noise levels at different ventilation rates (which is also missing for the SEVi – but the building professional mentioned that it can be heard).
We are looking for a ventilation system that can achieve an air exchange rate of 40 m³ (about 1,400 cubic feet) per hour (approximately 1 air change per hour for our bedroom) without being audible. Does such a system exist, or does anyone have experience with the mentioned brands? Is an air exchange rate of 1 per hour even necessary for a bedroom with two occupants?
Thank you and best regards.
P.S.: I have the impression that the decentralized ventilation industry is very fragmented with many small players.
B
Bauexperte7 Apr 2015 12:51DerBjoern schrieb:
When it comes to protection against external noise, decentralized systems cannot compete with centralized ones. That was the dealbreaker for us regarding a decentralized system, so we chose a centralized system instead.It’s not that extreme...For comparison, a centralized system; e.g., Tecalor TVZ 170 plus:
Sound power level (EN 12102) - 45 dB(A)
and decentralized BluMartin, e.g., free Air 100:
Sound pressure level (EN 20140-10) - 46 dB(A)
I currently have these in an offer, so I can quickly check.
Regards, Bauexperte
D
DerBjoern7 Apr 2015 13:26@Bauexperte
My concern with the sound was not the noise generated by the equipment itself, but rather the external noise coming through the openings in the walls, which every room has.
My concern with the sound was not the noise generated by the equipment itself, but rather the external noise coming through the openings in the walls, which every room has.
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Bauexperte7 Apr 2015 13:40@DerBjoern
Best regards, Bauexperte
DerBjoern schrieb:Regarding decentralized systems, such as the Lunos, I agree with you, although in my opinion the noise is negligible—unless you live on a busy main road. We have sold many of these units and have received no reports of significant noise disturbance (not even from Cologne-Rath). On the other hand, the BluMartin system only requires one fan per floor for an average house size up to 150 sqm (1,615 sq ft). In this case, external noise is unlikely to be a significant factor.
but rather the ambient noise coming through the openings in the wall, which are present in every room.
Best regards, Bauexperte
D
DerBjoern7 Apr 2015 13:55As I mentioned, it put me off. It’s definitely worth seeing one in a reference building.
With BluMartin, that may be the case, although having one unit per floor no longer really counts as a "decentralized" system. In a typical house, you end up with two central units, which makes me wonder why not just go fully central from the start?
With BluMartin, that may be the case, although having one unit per floor no longer really counts as a "decentralized" system. In a typical house, you end up with two central units, which makes me wonder why not just go fully central from the start?
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Bauexperte7 Apr 2015 14:27DerBjoern schrieb:
As I said, it put me off. It’s definitely worth checking out at a reference building.
With BluMartin that might be the case, although with one unit per floor you can hardly still call it a "decentralized" system. I completely agree, which is why I refer to it as a hybrid system when asked for my personal opinion. The manufacturer, however, calls their system a decentralized ventilation system.
DerBjoern schrieb:
Typically, a house has two central units, so I then wonder why not just go for a fully central system? Perhaps because not every homeowner wants a complex ductwork system installed in their house? Or maybe because not every homeowner is willing to spend extra money to avoid dry winter air, while that is already standard in comparable systems? It could also simply be the fact that an air-to-water heat pump with a cooling function—as can be integrated here for the first time with this ventilation system—makes sense, allowing it to be used as a small air conditioner in summer?
There will always be supporters of one system or another; however, the days when decentralized systems were automatically dismissed as the "cheap option" are definitely over.
Regards, Bauexperte
D
DerBjoern7 Apr 2015 14:31Bauexperte schrieb:
Maybe because not every homeowner wants a complex duct system installed in their house? If this system works without a duct network, how are the rooms ventilated when only one unit is installed?