ᐅ Installing a Mechanical Ventilation System with Heat Recovery in a Basement - Supply and Exhaust Air, Any Tips?

Hello everyone,

I am currently thinking about the planning of the mechanical ventilation system.

The ventilation unit will be installed in our basement. Now I'm wondering how and where to best intake the outdoor air and where to exhaust the exhaust air.

There were (or still are) guidelines stating that the outdoor air intake should be at least 1 meter (3 feet) above ground level and not located in a light well.

That would mean I either need to have an “air shaft / column” (e.g., ComfoVent) on the house, which I don’t find very attractive visually, or I would have to bring the outdoor air intake back inside the house at the ground floor / upper floors and duct it through the masonry. This solution also sounds somewhat complicated.

Is it at least possible to exhaust the outgoing air through the light well?

Furthermore, I'm wondering if a ground heat exchanger or brine heat exchanger for the mechanical ventilation system makes sense. What are your experiences with this? Is it worthwhile?

If so, I might also be able to place the “air column” in a more discreet position on the property.

How have you solved this with a mechanical ventilation system installed in the basement? Pictures are also very welcome.

One thing I can tell you is that the exhaust air will be very noticeable if you discharge it into a light well. You can already hear it when it is at 2.5m (8 feet) height on the ground floor and you stand in front of it. I would definitely avoid directing it toward a neighboring house wall, and especially avoid discharging it into a shaft.

Best regards
Sabine

In our case, the supply and exhaust air had to be routed out and in on the upper floor (due to the sloped site).
For this, approximately 2 sqm (22 sq ft) in the bathroom was boxed in using drywall construction.

There are many options. You can always place the air column in an inconspicuous location, even without EWT or SWT, and yes, the light shaft would amplify the noises, so I would definitely avoid installing anything there.

haydee schrieb:

For us, the supply and exhaust air on the upper floor had to be discharged and introduced (sloping site).
For this, about 2 m² (21.5 sq ft) was simply boxed in with drywall in the bathroom.

2 m² (21.5 sq ft) just for the mechanical ventilation ducts? That sounds like a lot.

I would direct the exhaust air (regardless of the method) toward a private road. The nearest neighbor would then be "only" on the opposite side of the road, so at least about 13 m (43 feet) away.