ᐅ Proper Ventilation Practices Without a Mechanical Ventilation System

You have windows that are not airtight due to "window rebate ventilation." This is similar to older buildings with double-glazed wooden windows where each pane could be opened separately. Wind passes through, causing a constant exchange of air. These "gaps" ventilate for you, so you don’t need to ventilate as much yourself. It’s basically like a mechanical ventilation system without heat recovery. So, from an energy perspective, it’s not very efficient.

Specki schrieb:

You have windows that are not airtight due to "window rebate ventilation."
This is similar to older double-glazed wooden windows where each pane could be opened separately. Wind passes through, causing constant air exchange. These "gaps" act as ventilation for you, so you don’t need to ventilate as often yourself.
It’s basically like a mechanical ventilation system without heat recovery. From an energy perspective, not very efficient...

Maybe not energy efficient, but economically sensible.

seat88 schrieb:

You often hear that proper ventilation means opening all windows at least three times a day, ventilating for ten minutes to let moisture out, etc. However, in our house (timber frame construction, everything dry, windows with frame ventilation), we have a hygrometer in every room showing humidity between 40 and 50 percent.
I think I can skip the multiple forced ventilations, right? Wouldn’t it be enough to ventilate once in the morning after sleeping and after showering, or whenever there is a smell from cooking or something?

I can confirm something similar. After the first year in our solid construction house, once the humidity levels stabilized, we were also able to reduce the ventilation frequency. Now, strong ventilation takes place in the morning upstairs and in the evening in the children's room and bedroom to lower the temperature a bit. In the upstairs bathroom, it depends on shower use.
In the basement, ventilation sometimes happens in the morning too. The rest is managed through open doors or the terrace door.

Everything else is controlled by the window frame ventilation system.
For all advocates of mechanical ventilation systems: unlike drafty old windows, nothing drafts in our house, even when sitting directly in front of the window. The only disadvantage I've noticed with the frame ventilations is ice buildup at the air outlets during very cold weather (below -10°C (14°F)) when the outside air immediately condenses and the moisture freezes.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with window frame ventilation; it works perfectly fine. It's just not a controlled system and therefore lacks the benefits of a mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) system. Whether those benefits are important to someone is another matter... (constant high air quality without the need for extra airing, adjusting airflow according to demand for controlled humidity management, energy efficiency, soundproofing since there are no "holes" in the windows, incoming air is preheated in winter and pre-cooled in summer, etc.).

It’s simply a matter of comfort, certainly not a necessity. If someone doesn’t see the advantages as benefits, then they simply don’t buy one, plain and simple. Personally, I consider my mechanical ventilation with heat recovery system to be one of the best investments I have ever made.

I agree, I have an unsettled digestion and need to pass a lot of gas, so the bedroom in the morning is not like a tiger cage but pleasantly fresh. My partner is happy too.

Bookstar schrieb:

I agree, I have an unsettled digestion, need to pass gas a lot, and in the morning the bedroom doesn’t smell like a tiger cage but has pleasantly fresh air. Wife is happy too.

A proper enema would have been more effective.