Hello,
I am planning to build a KFW-55 two-family house. The living area on the ground floor is about 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) and on the upper floor about 90 m² (969 sq ft). The house will have a full basement. I will live on the ground floor and rent out the upper floor.
I have visited several construction companies to get quotes for turnkey building. During these meetings, I encountered many different opinions regarding ventilation systems—far more than I expected. Ventilation was the main topic in all discussions, even though I want a fairly complex KNX installation.
Basically, it comes down to the following points:
Central ventilation system
Since it will be a two-family house, this is supposedly complicated due to soundproofing requirements. There was also the idea of installing two smaller systems, one for each apartment. Furthermore, I was advised against a central ventilation system because it needs thorough cleaning at least every two years, costing around 3,000 euros (about 3,300 US dollars). Otherwise, mold could develop in the ducts, which could lead to health issues.
Decentralized ventilation system
I was repeatedly recommended a decentralized ventilation system. Since there are no long ducts, maintenance would be much simpler. However, I am not a fan of this because then the noise of the fans would shift from the basement to the living areas. Also, I would prefer to avoid having ventilation outlets on the facade.
No ventilation system at all
The energy consultant suggested skipping the ventilation system altogether, noting that KFW-55 standards can also be achieved without one. Of course, manual ventilation is possible, but if I leave for work in the morning after showering, no one will close the window afterwards. So I don’t really see this as an option.
Now I have to choose between three unfavorable options. Ideally, I would prefer a central system since any noise would then occur, if at all, in the basement.
I would be very grateful for any tips, opinions, and experiences.
I am planning to build a KFW-55 two-family house. The living area on the ground floor is about 100 m² (1,076 sq ft) and on the upper floor about 90 m² (969 sq ft). The house will have a full basement. I will live on the ground floor and rent out the upper floor.
I have visited several construction companies to get quotes for turnkey building. During these meetings, I encountered many different opinions regarding ventilation systems—far more than I expected. Ventilation was the main topic in all discussions, even though I want a fairly complex KNX installation.
Basically, it comes down to the following points:
Central ventilation system
Since it will be a two-family house, this is supposedly complicated due to soundproofing requirements. There was also the idea of installing two smaller systems, one for each apartment. Furthermore, I was advised against a central ventilation system because it needs thorough cleaning at least every two years, costing around 3,000 euros (about 3,300 US dollars). Otherwise, mold could develop in the ducts, which could lead to health issues.
Decentralized ventilation system
I was repeatedly recommended a decentralized ventilation system. Since there are no long ducts, maintenance would be much simpler. However, I am not a fan of this because then the noise of the fans would shift from the basement to the living areas. Also, I would prefer to avoid having ventilation outlets on the facade.
No ventilation system at all
The energy consultant suggested skipping the ventilation system altogether, noting that KFW-55 standards can also be achieved without one. Of course, manual ventilation is possible, but if I leave for work in the morning after showering, no one will close the window afterwards. So I don’t really see this as an option.
Now I have to choose between three unfavorable options. Ideally, I would prefer a central system since any noise would then occur, if at all, in the basement.
I would be very grateful for any tips, opinions, and experiences.
D
Deliverer6 Nov 2017 12:47Exactly – but there is no noise-generating device in the bedroom. These (the fans) are, with proper planning, installed only in non-living areas. They exhaust the air. Fresh air enters all other rooms through openings in the window frames.
markus27036 Nov 2017 13:14Deliverer schrieb:
Exactly – but there is no noisy device in the bedroom.
These (the fans) are, with proper planning, placed only in "non-living spaces." They exhaust the air. Fresh air enters all other rooms through vents in the window frames.In that case, you have a system without heat recovery—which is hard to imagine in a KfW 55 building.
With heat recovery, you do have some noise, but at night level 1/3 is not a problem, and during the day even level 2 is hardly noticeable.
Deliverer schrieb:
Exactly – but there is no noisy device in the bedroom.As already mentioned, this is not a decentralized ventilation system but an exhaust air system.
Welcome to the last century!
This technology is long outdated and offers hardly any advantages compared to manual ventilation. (However, it is still better than no mechanical ventilation at all) but I digress...
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