ᐅ Planning a Controlled Residential Ventilation System through a Local Heating and Plumbing Company
Created on: 3 May 2022 21:31
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Hausmax123
Hello, after a long back and forth, I’ve almost convinced my wife that we need a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery. Her main concerns are the dry air in winter and noise levels. Today, we had a conversation with the local heating/plumbing company that works with our general contractor. Unfortunately, the plumber reinforced my wife’s worries, saying that dry air is indeed a bigger issue and, in response to my question about the possibility of an enthalpy heat exchanger, he said it would barely make a difference and would just be an unnecessary expense.
My biggest fear is actually a poorly planned mechanical ventilation system (noise, drafts, etc.), and I feel there is a real chance of that happening with this company. They offered us a Helios EC 370w ventilation system. From what I’ve found about this unit, it seems to be an older model and probably undersized for our house (202m² (2174 sq ft) over 2 full floors). When I asked, the plumber said there is enough capacity and that we definitely wouldn’t hear any noise. The design of the exhaust and supply air ducts will be done by the local company. According to the plumber, they have a lot of experience with mechanical ventilation systems and have never had issues with noise so far. I had understood that the planning is usually done by major companies (Zehnder, Helios, etc.) and only the installation is handled by the heating/plumbing company, which I would prefer much more.
How was it handled in your cases? Who planned the system? Does anyone know the Helios unit, and is it adequately sized for our house if you want to avoid noise?
My biggest fear is actually a poorly planned mechanical ventilation system (noise, drafts, etc.), and I feel there is a real chance of that happening with this company. They offered us a Helios EC 370w ventilation system. From what I’ve found about this unit, it seems to be an older model and probably undersized for our house (202m² (2174 sq ft) over 2 full floors). When I asked, the plumber said there is enough capacity and that we definitely wouldn’t hear any noise. The design of the exhaust and supply air ducts will be done by the local company. According to the plumber, they have a lot of experience with mechanical ventilation systems and have never had issues with noise so far. I had understood that the planning is usually done by major companies (Zehnder, Helios, etc.) and only the installation is handled by the heating/plumbing company, which I would prefer much more.
How was it handled in your cases? Who planned the system? Does anyone know the Helios unit, and is it adequately sized for our house if you want to avoid noise?
I painted the top with lime dispersion and the bottom with silicate dispersion. So, yes and no. But honestly, I can't really imagine it either. Except that my gypsum plaster is behaving a bit "strangely" from my point of view. At one point, I also suspected efflorescence, but with a spray test, no droplets ran down.
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Gecko192719 May 2022 11:55...perhaps try chipping off a small section of plaster near the baseboard and measuring the moisture underneath?
Hausmax123 schrieb:
our house (202 sqm (2,180 sq ft) on 2 full floors) You haven’t shown this in the forum yet – you should (as a basis for advice on this question, not to debate it – unless it is still under discussion).
Benutzer200 schrieb:
Last house with a centralized balanced ventilation system – planned by the HVAC technician (for whatever reason – doesn’t matter). Since you are also a remodeler, that makes sense.
Basically, I would always have a balanced ventilation system planned directly for a new build, meaning by the architect of the new construction project (but also get a second opinion from a specialist in balanced ventilation, since not all planners are skilled in this area, myself explicitly included). What would be the biggest mistake – which is why I suggest, even though this is “only about balanced ventilation” to show the whole house – would be to try to retrofit a system as if the house existed only as a shell or rough frame, even if the new build currently exists only as a plan. What can be planned should be planned early. A balanced ventilation system is an essential element that must be considered in the overall design. It is a fundamental decision that can even influence the choice of architect: someone who denies the immaculate conception definitely cannot become a Catholic priest. At minimum, a centralized balanced ventilation system – which I would prefer if any (especially with heat recovery and/or humidity control) – significantly affects the construction of ceilings and floors. If you decide for it, the saying “better late than never” generally applies – but you should be aware that a later implementation is usually less favorable.
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Gecko192719 May 2022 14:43As my predecessor mentioned, a controlled residential ventilation system is a fundamental decision that must be made before any planning begins, as it can affect ceiling thickness, structural elements, and room heights. However, I do not see any indication here that the original poster intends to install this system retrospectively.
Regarding the question in the original post:
I planned our ventilation using the Helios tool (?). It mainly calculates how much air each room needs and how many ducts/vents are required. The program does not specify where exactly each duct should go, but that is not complicated. The ventilation unit itself can (if necessary) be replaced later, but the ductwork cannot, as it is usually concealed in the ceiling or floor.
Regarding the question in the original post:
I planned our ventilation using the Helios tool (?). It mainly calculates how much air each room needs and how many ducts/vents are required. The program does not specify where exactly each duct should go, but that is not complicated. The ventilation unit itself can (if necessary) be replaced later, but the ductwork cannot, as it is usually concealed in the ceiling or floor.
Gecko1927 schrieb:
As my predecessor said, a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery is a fundamental decision that must be made before any planning, as it can affect ceiling thickness, structural engineering, and room heights.
However, I do not see any indication here that the original poster wants to install this later on. Whether the house is already completed or "only" in the planning phase: I have warned against retrofitting a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery every time. I did so only because of abstract, hypothetical scenarios, which you have now thankfully illustrated with concrete examples. Not every homeowner is in the relaxed position of @Neubau2022 who managed to increase the height by one row of blocks and therefore avoids "having to die of ‘crocodile tears disease’" due to 6cm (2.4 inches) more suspended ceiling thickness ;-)
Hausmax123 schrieb:
After much back and forth, I have almost convinced my wife that we need a mechanical ventilation system with heat recovery. ... at least I did not read this as a sign that convincing the spouse was done before entering the design planning phase — or that it will be done. For example, if — which is why I suggested showing the entire house — a change in floor-to-floor height or floor construction due to its correlation with the staircase would disrupt the layout, or if the ceiling has already been ordered, that would already add a special complexity to the freedom of planning. This is always the problem with people asking about single small details: giving advice without knowledge of the planning stage.
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