DIY install of Lindab MVHR system: Why, what and how

[@smellypunks]

Very interesting, would be good to see how you insulate the pipes. Also you might want to get a light for filming in dark rooms.

[@JurassicJungle]

Thanks, i will film adding insulation. I have realised my camera had a manual iso setting which I have now set to auto.

[@samosa111]

Love you videos. Wishing you all the best with your project. Would love to see more videos about your loxone system

[@JurassicJungle]

Hi, thanks for the feedback. I will be including more on Loxone as it is commissioned and what does and does not work as we hope. It’s going to be about 2 months as the cabinets are on a long lead time.

[@peterwalton1502]

Very useful. Thank you 👏👏👏

[@JurassicJungle]

You are welcome 😊

[@willdashwood82]

Really helpful video, thanks for posting. I'm hoping to install a MVHR system in my early 1800s solid stone walled property that I'm completely renovating and hope to do at least some of the work myself to save money. Was it only the issue of not having trickle vents in windows that mandated having to get it signed off for building regs? Also thanks for the heads up on the nsbrc. I might make the long drive down for the next show. Cheers

[@JurassicJungle]

Hi, yes for a renovation I think if I asked for no trickle vents it needed sign off. Even if you didn’t need to do that I think getting it commissioned probably is essential. We have now almost finished the install so will add a short update video. It is not too difficult to install but think hard about where you will site the heat exchanger. We would have to cut a hole in the ceiling to replace ours I think but installing in the garage would have made ducts longer and more complex and added fire risk addition parts. I would recommend going to Swindon on a show weekend, there is one in a couple of weeks. I have read they mvhr may not be such a good idea in a very leaky property. I assume the positive pressure could force more warm our out through gaps.

[@radfoo]

Interesting. How do you control the system? Will it just monitor humidity or also look at co2 levels? Thanks.

[@JurassicJungle]

The current switches only monitor humidity but it would be very easy to add co2 as well. It’s just a bit of logic in Loxone after that. Loxone do offer a C02 sensor.

[@DatumCAD]

Just the overview I needed but with plenty of facts and figures which others omit, so thank you. 🙏 We are looking at a very similar system for 1990’s 200m2 bungalow and had a quote for 3.2k for VentAxia Kinetic Plus B unit (with 200m of 75mm pipe work, manifolds etc just like yours.) so this would seem pretty decent. Company is BPC Ventilation as they supply to both the UK and is here in ROI. Looking to wall mount the main unit in the utility room as had worried it would be hard to access and maintain in the loft despite plenty of room for it up there as we have a larger pitch than yours. To gauge cost & for size comparison could you let me know what model your unit is please?

[@JurassicJungle]

Hi, it is a the same unit that you are looking at, the kinetic plus B. I had a quote from. BPC and they were a little cheaper, probably almost identical to yours. I didn’t go as far as having the design done with BPC. I went with Lindab and Heat Recovery South based on the support and ability for them to come and commission for my building regs. I think the BPC pipe work is broadly similar to Lindab.

[@DatumCAD]

Thanks for this, helped confirm things for us and did decide to go with BPC in the end as will be full self install and don’t require building regs sign off etc. like yourself. Everything arrived within 2 days of ordering and they supplied a layout drawing and full commission info / flow rates. So far so good, looking forward to see if it solves our mould issues and generally improves the air quality and heat losses. Thanks again for your video and help on this 🙏

[@JurassicJungle]

Thanks, Good to hear that, I am sure you will have fun installing it. We have now completed most of the secondary pipework which is much easier than the rigid steel sections. We have also started installing all of the insulation. We are hoping it makes a significant difference as the original building (very little of it remains) had terrible problems with damp and mould, we think pretty much all related to very limited ventialtion.@@DatumCAD

[@johngregory5280]

@@DatumCAD Hi, I just watched this video and read the comments as we are also looking at a similar system for our bungalow. Just curious to know what your thoughts are on BPC now that you've probably got everything up and running. Many thanks!

[@DatumCAD]

@@johngregory5280 based on our experience I can easily recommend them for anyone looking to carry out their own installation (or at least source their own components for the same). The drawings and upfront service we received really decent, and the prices were the lowest of all our enquires. We had one cowl with missing clips that they sent out FOC soon after reporting but several weeks after delivery, so customer service was good in that regard also. The only minor issue we had, was a little confusion/conflicting information (from their end) when we wanted to dig deeper into the calculations that they provided, and once we were ready to self commission. After a lot of to-and-fro I ended up doing a deep dive into the regs & calculation methods, before making my own spreadsheet to determine our best operating flow rates. So I would say, if you are willing to do some upfront specification etc. of your own system requirements and then allow them to do their calculations in isolation, it will give you some confidence you are getting the right solution for your home.

[@bntambridge]

Another interesting video! Sorry, don't know your name. It made me think about the differences between MVHR and HVAC. You have a heat pump and underfloor heating but of course you need ventilation, which this provides without the heat loss (as you explained). HVAC systems provide cooling, heating and dehumidifying but less efficiently than MVHR. 2 questions. 1). If heat rises why are the inlets in the ceiling, would it be optimally better in the floor/wall if you could get the tubing there? I guess it wouldn't be balanced in the room (compared to the advantage of being in the center of the ceiling). 2) With global warming and hotter summers (even in England) how efficient is the cool air transfer compared with an HVAC system? You hope that the insulation will keep the heat outside?

[@JurassicJungle]

Hi Bryan, Its Ian ;-). I think it is certainly possible to put the vents at floor level, indeed Robin Clevett @ukconstruction did this in his pool house. If you have not looked at his channel I would recommend it as it is excellent. Installing underfloor or in the walls would be much harder and certanly not possible as a retro fit. Our bunglaow actually had a hot air heating system originally with ducting under a suspended floor, we removed all of that. The vents don't actually go in the centre of the room, they are placed away from the door and ideally not over a place your would sit or lay in bed due to the risk of cool air you may not want. The idea is to ensure air is moved around the house. As we make houses more airtight this is important. MVHR is NOT an AC system, the airflow is quite low so it certainly wouldn't reduce temperatures anyling like an AC system but I understand it can help a little. Our home is mostly North facing so we should not get too much solar gain, we should be super insulated so hoping the place is cool in summer. It is possible to add a preheater which is a small radiator into the MVHR inlet to reduce the risk of cold air in the winter. The MVHR unit shuts down below certain temperatures to reduce this risk, I think it still expells air but doesn't bring it back in. As you has seen we are living in a half built house so wont know until this summer and next winter how all of this is going to work. In particular the heat pump. We have been using £30 a day of electricity some days but that inculdes charging a car and heating the caravan. The last few days with the caravan heating off it has been more like £6.

[@xxxx-wv6hp]

Could you tell me why this vent axi is bringing smelly nasty air inside my apartment?

[@JurassicJungle]

Sorry not sure, is it an mvhr system? If so it’s important that the incoming vent is not close to a soil vent pipe of other source of bad air as it can bring that back into the house. It can filter the air to remove dust but not odours.

[@xxxx-wv6hp]

Yea it’s an VENT-AXIA MODEL SENTINEL KINETIC 443219 by 220-240 50HZ 150W INTWRNAL FUSE 2.0A. I live in a high floor apartment so is there a possibility of I am being contaminated by poisonous air or having nasty air plugged to enter through the vent inside my apartment?

[@xxxx-wv6hp]

Hi could I stop air from coming in, just turn off the machine and glue the grills for my safety? I don’t think they will do a thing and I don’t wanna end up poisoned by whatever is entering those vents so better just seal it, so maybe silicone would prevent any air from the grills or would you recommend something else?