ᐅ Choosing a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery System Manufacturer – How to Approach?
Created on: 5 Oct 2020 22:38
T
ts-mc
Hello, I’m Matthias,
I am currently in the final stages of planning (hopefully soon submitting the building permit).
I want to build to the KfW55 standard, which requires a controlled residential ventilation system. But primarily for comfort reasons!
At first, I quickly considered Helios, then Zehnder... shortly after that Komfovent. And so it went on from brand to brand. Since this is a major cost factor, I want to do everything right and take some more time to consider your experiences as well.
What is the best way to proceed? How do I decide on a manufacturer? Where should I start?
Which criteria should I consider besides the following?:
- Operating noise (I am very sensitive)
- KNX integration
- Intelligent, room- and demand-based control (VOC & humidity)
- Cooling/air dehumidification in summer (via earth tubes around the house/basement + heat exchanger in the supply air)
- Good accessibility for cleaning
//Key data\\
160m² (1722 ft²)
2.5 floors
3 bedrooms + 1 bathroom + 1 toilet
Open plan living-dining-kitchen area
Basement
Underfloor heating (gas)
That’s a lot of questions... I didn’t want to scatter this piece by piece. Any constructive advice is welcome.
I am currently in the final stages of planning (hopefully soon submitting the building permit).
I want to build to the KfW55 standard, which requires a controlled residential ventilation system. But primarily for comfort reasons!
At first, I quickly considered Helios, then Zehnder... shortly after that Komfovent. And so it went on from brand to brand. Since this is a major cost factor, I want to do everything right and take some more time to consider your experiences as well.
What is the best way to proceed? How do I decide on a manufacturer? Where should I start?
Which criteria should I consider besides the following?:
- Operating noise (I am very sensitive)
- KNX integration
- Intelligent, room- and demand-based control (VOC & humidity)
- Cooling/air dehumidification in summer (via earth tubes around the house/basement + heat exchanger in the supply air)
- Good accessibility for cleaning
//Key data\\
160m² (1722 ft²)
2.5 floors
3 bedrooms + 1 bathroom + 1 toilet
Open plan living-dining-kitchen area
Basement
Underfloor heating (gas)
That’s a lot of questions... I didn’t want to scatter this piece by piece. Any constructive advice is welcome.
Mycraft schrieb:
Unjustified. Viessmann sources its ventilation systems from Renovent/Brink, and this company usually provides reliable ventilation solutions. Other manufacturers mostly just put their own label on them (to put it simply) and then market them as their own products, for example, Wolf.
Both valve options suggested are still suboptimal. It’s best to consult a professional who does this every day, and usually the planning service is free, as already mentioned. This is not only the case with Zehnder.Is Viessmann also recommended for air-to-water heat pumps? It seems that every heating installer in my area works exclusively with Viessmann :/
Ötzi Ötztaler7 Oct 2020 09:37
Golfi90 schrieb:
Zehnder also designs the system for you. I even think it’s free of charge As far as I know, Selfio does as well
I have nothing negative to report about Viessmann, including their air-to-water heat pump. I was involved in a project last year where that exact air-to-water heat pump was installed because the planner recommended it. The homeowners are still completely satisfied.
@ts-mc
One more thing worth mentioning: definitely choose a controlled ventilation system with an enthalpy heat exchanger and, preferably, filters that you can cut yourself from a roll. Components like ductwork are often overrated—you can basically use whatever materials are readily available or at hand.
And the most important aspect regarding all the technology in the house—whether heating, ventilation, or air conditioning—is that the contractor must be familiar with the technology and the manufacturer and be able to install it without issues. There are often small details that can significantly affect the outcome, and if the installer doesn’t know these tricks because they have never worked with the system before, the results might not be good.
@ts-mc
One more thing worth mentioning: definitely choose a controlled ventilation system with an enthalpy heat exchanger and, preferably, filters that you can cut yourself from a roll. Components like ductwork are often overrated—you can basically use whatever materials are readily available or at hand.
And the most important aspect regarding all the technology in the house—whether heating, ventilation, or air conditioning—is that the contractor must be familiar with the technology and the manufacturer and be able to install it without issues. There are often small details that can significantly affect the outcome, and if the installer doesn’t know these tricks because they have never worked with the system before, the results might not be good.
Mycraft schrieb:
I have nothing negative to report about Viessmann, including their air-to-water heat pumps. I was involved in a project last year that used exactly that type of air-to-water heat pump because the planner recommended it. The homeowners are still completely satisfied.
@ts-mc
One more thing worth mentioning: definitely choose a controlled ventilation system with an enthalpy heat exchanger, and ideally with filters on a roll that you can cut to size yourself. Things like the ductwork and piping are often overrated—you can basically use whatever materials are available or on hand.
And the most important aspect of all the technology in the house, whether heating, ventilation, or air conditioning, is that the installing company must be familiar with the technology and the manufacturer and be able to install it without issues. There are often small details that can significantly impact the outcome, and if the installer doesn’t know these tricks because they have never installed that system before, it might not end well. We really struggle here to trust the heating company as well. I just don’t feel confident planning the system myself—I ultimately have to trust my general contractor (GC) or the trade specialist.
In our last conversation, the GC said: “Yes, our company xx is great and installs Viessmann air-to-water heat pumps with ventilation systems daily in numerous multi-family houses. They do everything perfectly! What concerns me, however, is that the owner of company xx does not personally conduct the building acceptance inspection but that I (the owner of our GC) have to do the acceptance of the heating system.” That made me a bit uneasy… I’m worried that I won’t be able to build trust and that my heating installer might deliver poor workmanship.
You don’t have to do the planning yourself. There are professionals with the necessary expertise for that, and you are basically purchasing their service.
Of course, you need to be present during the final inspection and sign off since you are the one paying. When you buy a car, it’s usually not handed over and explained to you by the owner but by the employees (as a rule). Let’s leave the special cases aside for now.
To build trust, you could simply do some research by talking to customers of the company in question. In my experience, people tend to be talkative and are happy to share where things have gone wrong.
Of course, you need to be present during the final inspection and sign off since you are the one paying. When you buy a car, it’s usually not handed over and explained to you by the owner but by the employees (as a rule). Let’s leave the special cases aside for now.
To build trust, you could simply do some research by talking to customers of the company in question. In my experience, people tend to be talkative and are happy to share where things have gone wrong.
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