Hello,
it’s me again with a question.
We spoke with the energy consultant, and they strongly recommended installing a central ventilation system for our house (which will only be built in early spring next year) to prevent mold. Our potential architect, however, thinks that this isn’t necessarily needed, and that ventilation in the bathroom and kitchen would be enough. A central ventilation system is not only expensive but also somewhat complicated to install and difficult to clean. Over the years, it might get very dirty and start to smell. Now I’m looking for good advice—who is right? The house will have about 180 square meters (1,940 square feet) of living space, no basement, and two full floors.
Best regards,
Katha28
it’s me again with a question.
We spoke with the energy consultant, and they strongly recommended installing a central ventilation system for our house (which will only be built in early spring next year) to prevent mold. Our potential architect, however, thinks that this isn’t necessarily needed, and that ventilation in the bathroom and kitchen would be enough. A central ventilation system is not only expensive but also somewhat complicated to install and difficult to clean. Over the years, it might get very dirty and start to smell. Now I’m looking for good advice—who is right? The house will have about 180 square meters (1,940 square feet) of living space, no basement, and two full floors.
Best regards,
Katha28
After having a decentralized system in our apartment and now a centralized one in our own house, I can confirm Bookstar’s arguments. Our decentralized system was too noisy to sleep with, even on the lowest setting, especially due to the frequent switching of airflow direction every few minutes, which felt almost like an open window for sound.
M
Mottenhausen27 Jul 2018 09:07We will also include a central controlled residential ventilation system and I am generally positive about it. The fresh air side of the system doesn’t worry me, but the exhaust side does, especially the heat exchanger. With an open floor plan featuring a gallery – an open space between the ground floor and upper floor – it is almost impossible to prevent moist, grease- and odor-laden kitchen air from being extracted from many areas of the house. The moisture then partly condenses in the heat exchanger, causing grease and other particles to inevitably settle and accumulate there. As long as the system is running, the odors are vented outside, so that’s not an issue. However, when the control pauses the system for a certain period or runs it at its lowest setting (for example, due to temperature conditions), opening the front door during windy conditions can create negative pressure inside the house, which may be balanced by a brief backflow from the exhaust side of the controlled residential ventilation system. This allows odor-contaminated air to enter the living spaces. Therefore, regular professional cleaning of the system seems essential, though it can be quite costly due to the time involved. Odors are tricky since people who live in their house for a long time may no longer notice increasing odor levels over time, which also explains experience reports like "no smell even after 10 years." Overall, these considerations are weighing on my mind as the house plans become more concrete. However, given the well-known reasons, foregoing such a system is not really an option. ...Catch-22...
We have not experienced the kind of odor transfer into the living spaces that you described, not even at low settings.
Kitchen air should generally be quite free of grease and similar particles thanks to the range hood. Additionally, there are filters in the exhaust vents.
Whether a house smells or not is usually noticeable since you regularly come in fresh from outside. It either smells or it doesn’t.
I think your concern is more theoretical and does not play a significant practical role.
Kitchen air should generally be quite free of grease and similar particles thanks to the range hood. Additionally, there are filters in the exhaust vents.
Whether a house smells or not is usually noticeable since you regularly come in fresh from outside. It either smells or it doesn’t.
I think your concern is more theoretical and does not play a significant practical role.
Regarding odors and grease, although we don’t have a gallery, our design is quite open.
The kitchen exhaust is located between the oven and the cooktop.
Together with the range hood, there is no cooking smell on the upper floor and in the open living area, except when something is being fried, for example.
I have not noticed any odor transfer between rooms due to negative pressure. A frying smell is noticeable.
Directly in front of the exhaust outlets, we have a filter that is regularly cleaned or replaced. Currently, cleaning is needed once a week – less in winter. I have not observed any grease buildup on the exhaust filter or duct in the kitchen.
There is also another exhaust filter installed just before the heat exchanger.
When the heat exchanger was removed in May, I did not find any contamination. I’m curious to see how the summer cassette will look in autumn, as it is easier to inspect.
We have a Stiebel LWZ 604 Air or Tecalor TCO 2.5 (identical models).
The kitchen exhaust is located between the oven and the cooktop.
Together with the range hood, there is no cooking smell on the upper floor and in the open living area, except when something is being fried, for example.
I have not noticed any odor transfer between rooms due to negative pressure. A frying smell is noticeable.
Directly in front of the exhaust outlets, we have a filter that is regularly cleaned or replaced. Currently, cleaning is needed once a week – less in winter. I have not observed any grease buildup on the exhaust filter or duct in the kitchen.
There is also another exhaust filter installed just before the heat exchanger.
When the heat exchanger was removed in May, I did not find any contamination. I’m curious to see how the summer cassette will look in autumn, as it is easier to inspect.
We have a Stiebel LWZ 604 Air or Tecalor TCO 2.5 (identical models).
M
Mottenhausen27 Jul 2018 11:22Sounds reassuring! Thank you all. Yes, my concerns are theoretical in nature. As I said, not installing a system is not an option anyway.
Can anyone say what the temperature of the exhaust air usually is at the outlet? My idea was to position the side exhaust duct in the technical room so that it opens into the adjacent double garage, to be able to use the residual heat there and, for example, keep it frost-free in winter. Of course, the garage must not be completely airtight; whatever flows in must also be able to flow out again. In my opinion, that would be a perfect way to utilize residual heat, although the resistance when blowing out into the garage must not be too high so that the mechanical ventilation system can still “breathe” freely.
P.S. I can already imagine the reactions when I present this idea: we have never built it like that, it won’t work because... and because... and anyway, then we couldn’t provide a warranty. Yeah, sure, then the residual heat just dissipates unused into the open air.
Can anyone say what the temperature of the exhaust air usually is at the outlet? My idea was to position the side exhaust duct in the technical room so that it opens into the adjacent double garage, to be able to use the residual heat there and, for example, keep it frost-free in winter. Of course, the garage must not be completely airtight; whatever flows in must also be able to flow out again. In my opinion, that would be a perfect way to utilize residual heat, although the resistance when blowing out into the garage must not be too high so that the mechanical ventilation system can still “breathe” freely.
P.S. I can already imagine the reactions when I present this idea: we have never built it like that, it won’t work because... and because... and anyway, then we couldn’t provide a warranty. Yeah, sure, then the residual heat just dissipates unused into the open air.
haydee schrieb:
We have a filter installed directly in front of the exhaust outlets, which is cleaned or replaced regularly. Currently, cleaning is required once a week. Wait, what? Clean the filters at the exhaust openings once a week? All of them? Seriously?
That would keep me running around all the time. Why is that?
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