ᐅ Experiences with Decentralized Ventilation Systems

Hello,

perhaps some of you have experience with this and can share it with me. I am considering the installation of ventilation units with heat recovery, for example the Ambientika Advanced model from Südwind or from another manufacturer.

Is there anything important to consider? Where should such a unit be installed?

Another question related to this is about installing bathroom exhaust fans in the guest toilet and bathroom. What should be taken into account? There are units available for under 50€ (about $55) and, of course, much more expensive ones. Do the inexpensive ones also work well?

Thanks for your feedback!

Ventilation always requires a plan. Simply installing a few fans here and there is wasted money.

Before doing nothing at all, having such units in the bathroom and kitchen is better than nothing. A properly designed central mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery is still more sensible. When planned correctly, decentralized systems are not cheaper either.

Well… we ventilate somewhat without a clear concept using decentralized units in bedrooms, partly in living rooms and bathrooms. And we are very satisfied. Units in bathrooms cost about 100 euros each. Other units cost about 1000 euros each. There are many suppliers; I cannot specifically comment on the mentioned devices.

For units in living rooms, but especially in bedrooms, and also for bathroom ventilators when the bathroom is next to a bedroom, it is essential to pay attention to noise levels—that is, choose the quietest device you can find. During installation, there may be options to further reduce noise. It is important to distinguish between noise produced by the unit itself and noise that enters the room through the wall opening from outside. Usually, only the first component matters. The second becomes important if there is a lot of noise outside the apartment or house.

We have units that can easily be switched off completely—which is great! However, they should not be turned off for too long, since the airflow during operation is important to prevent contamination (molds, bacteria, etc. are very averse to airflow).

PS: Ventilators that only exhaust air outside, like many bathroom fans, can of course remain off indefinitely. However, for fans that also supply fresh air into the room, it is important that this incoming air is clean. Additionally, the air should be preheated through a heat exchanger (where the efficiency can be considered). These units have replaceable filters that collect dust and other particles, reducing the risk of mold and bacteria through regular air circulation.