Nuaire Drimaster Eco Heat Review

Review of the Drimaster Eco Heat supplied by iSells
The Eco heat was upgraded version of the previous green dri-master unit that I had before, this was my original review of the older unit - www.amazon.co.uk/review/R4M3M...
This is the review for the new product which does exactly the same but is easier to access the controls and the heater unit is better & a little more efficient... www.amazon.co.uk/Drimaster-He...
If you do a search on amazon for drimaster heat and drimaster eco heat you will see lots and lots of reviews for this product, just in case KZbin remove the links above.

[@afnankhokhar5578]

Excellent review, thank you for taking the time to make the video.

[@mcc9887]

Thank you for for review ,,i i just fitted one an hour ago..was pretty easy but wont know how good it is for a couple of days,,,

[@blahtoausername]

And now?

[@marppp28]

Any update please?

[@YTB952]

@@marppp28 I’ve had the system for ten years ...trust me they work a treat

[@darrenmckeown990]

Great review, going to order one now. Do you run the Drimaster all the time or just switch it on a few time a day and do you need to replace the filters at some point

[@richardc1983]

You leave it running 24/7, this is so it is constantly supplying air to the house. You can tinker with the fan speed until you get what you need but until your damp is resolved and under control it's best to use the high fan speed. Also failure to keep it running 24/7 can end up damaging the electronics inside as warmer air will rise up the duct from the house and condense on the cold electronic surface etc. This will invalidate your warranty.

[@rajkash36]

Great Video Richard, I'm planning to install this to avoid condensation and mould from my house during winter. My question is does the house feel cold when the drimaster ECO is running , i understand we can switch the heater on the drimaster but just wanted to know out of curiosity. Also what's the max temperature you can set for the heater. Thanks in advance

[@richardc1983]

Depends on the fan speed, never turn it off as warm air going up the pipe into the fan from the house can condense on the motor and damage it, voiding the warranty. Winter is when you need it the most! Not sure of the exact temperature but even if you set it on max it generally can increase the air temperature 5-10c from what is outside. So if its 0C outside it will increase the air temp maximum 10c depending on the fan speed and how fast the air is moving through the heater. I think the max dial represents 30c? For the savings you make in preventing damp I don't mind having the heating on a little longer. The house feels fresh and dry all the time which makes it easier to heat.

[@thomasbrown865]

Hi Richard, how strong is the air flow out of the diffuser? Is it clearly noticeable? I have just had a different model fitted and the air flow out of it feels so weak that I don't think it working correctly. I can hardly feel any air flow or draft unless I am literally touching the diffuser is this the same for your model?

[@richardc1983]

Depends on the fan speed, on low speeds you won't feel much on higher speeds you will deffo notice it. The air is directed so it goes across the ceiling rather than towards the floor.

[@darrenmckeown990]

Thanks for the reply. Also does it cost much to run, Ive come across people saying it’s as little as £5 extra on the electric bill for the year up to £50 extra per month?

[@richardc1983]

The fan at full speed is about 16watts so uses nothing, the heater is 400watts so depends how cold it gets outside and how you have it set I had mine set to keep the air at 10c coming in so it only came on and off but if it drops to below that the heater will come on and off.

[@Stunl3y]

Great video Richard , like you im thinking about upgrading my old unit to this one. A couple of questions , will the circle vent cover the old square one and I have my old unit sitting on the floor inside the loft , Is it possible with the new unit ?

[@BIGanode]

Hi Richard, i ended up here after your video with Adam from heat geeks. It would he fascinating to see a video of your current setup! I have some poor electric heating and lacking ventilation, an upgrade to go for an air to air system and improve air quality at the same time is hard to research so any comment or feedback is appreciated

[@richardc1983]

Can you try find me on linked in and we can take it from there? Or I can try find you?

[@stephenkeela7189]

Hi. Great video. I have just installed the same model. Just a question. I am wondering if my heater unit is working or faulty. I can’t seem to tell when it’s on. Can you notice a difference if your hands are right at the vents?

[@richardc1983]

The heater power is 400w, it is designed to literally take the chill off the air and will not be as if you are stood in front of a fan heater for example (which would be power of 2000w) So if it is 5c outside it might lift the air coming in to 10c. It's not designed to heat your house. The way I look at it is, ordinarily the cost of having damp and what that would cost due to damage it causes so if I have to turn my heating on for a bit longer to keep the house warmer the benefit is warm, dry clean fresh air coming in. You can adjust what temperature the heater comes on at, e.g down to 5c or at 10c so if the loft is above or below then the heater may not run.

[@ioanadalalau5684]

Hi Richard, we are looking to purchase this unit or similar. we only have a bit of damp and mainly condensation on windows in one of the bedrooms. can we fit this in bedroom ? is it noisy ?? if bed is not recommended can we fit in hall, just outside the bedroom with the problem ? just wondering how effective it will be then, as the bed is fitted with fire door and always shut.

[@richardc1983]

It needs to be as Central as possible as even if you have just a bit of damp this benefits the whole house with fresh air being exchanged. If outside your bedroom in the hall/landing then the bedroom air will also be turned over provided you leave the door ajar etc, can you place a wedge to leave it open a few inches? If you install it in the bedroom and the door is shut how do you propose the air that it is pumping in to escape the bedroom etc. The units are not noisy but I would not recommend installing in the bedroom.

[@darrenmckeown990]

Hi. I’ve just installed my Drimaster Eco heat unit in the loft but can’t feel any heat coming from the fan, just cold air, does this sound normal? Also should the heater unit itself feel warm to the touch as mine is cold.

[@richardc1983]

The unit literally will take the chill off you want to turn the dial around on the display to say halfway which means the heater will maintain that temp. The heater unit on the outside won't feel warm as air is going through it which removes any heat. In the manual it shows you can't remember what halfway is.

[@kevinvit980]

Hi Richard. I have been considering getting one of these for a while now for my hall. Does the unit draw moisture into the loft?

[@richardc1983]

Hi there, no it doesn't. It takes fresh air from the loft that has come in from under your eaves via the outside. This air is then filtered through the big elephant ear looking things and then pushed into the house. The heater version (which I have) gently tempers the air on cooler days as it is gently blown into the house. This puts the house under a gentle positive pressure. (think a balloon with a small hole in it that you are blowing up, the air you are blowing in is leaking out of the hole and so you keep blowing to keep it inflated) This then causes stale damp humid air in the house to be pushed out of natural gaps in the house (e.g floorboards) gaps around windows doors anywhere air can leak (no house is airtight) or via window trickle vents etc. This in turn drys the home out and encourages fresh air circulation in the home as well as the loft. Wonderful piece of kit and wouldn't be without it now. No more condensation on windows in the morning. I think this video explains it well with animation: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipDFqHh6iZ1-nbc

[@kevinvit980]

Thanks so much for the swift reply. I think you may have made up my mind.

[@richardc1983]

@@kevinvit980 It just works, yes it's a bit of money but the warranty is really good and I would go for the one with the heater too. Not sure of the issues in your home but for a few weeks run it on the highest fan speed you are comfortable with to purge out the house.

[@CF-Gaming01]

I think i need this. We get condensation on the windows and sometimes we get water droplets on the internal walls always in random places. If I leave them too long mould starts. This is only small patches. All walls are solid wall so I cant insulate cavities. My concern over this is fore safety. What guarantees does it come with as a fire in a loft and you're screwed.

[@richardc1983]

You could fit a fire alarm in your loft which would be heard through the duct if there was something starting. There is also a Drimaster Eco-3 Storey model that has an intumescent diffuser that provides a 1 hour fire block.

[@laurencelagden]

Just bought the same model with the 4 way control switch. Fitting it tomorrow. I hope it works cos the missus wasn’t convinced when I spent £550!

[@Tyblubearboy]

Was your missus convinced in the end?

[@laurencelagden]

@@Tyblubearboy haven’t fitted it yet,lol!

[@Tyblubearboy]

😂@@laurencelagden

[@iand6078]

​@@laurencelagdenHow bout now?

[@laurencelagden]

@@iand6078 still not fitted yet. Sooo busy with other life priorities

[@dansharman5646]

Hi Richard. Hoping you can shed some light on how much electric this uses. I have see the heater is rated at 400w on the current model. In winter how high does the heat need to be set?

[@richardc1983]

I ended up turning the heater off as it didn't really do much it's only a tiny little heater. Cheaper to turn the central heating up a notch. I used to have it set at around 18c but you'll find the heater will struggle if its very cold and will be on all the time. Couldn't tell you how much it uses as totally depends on how cold it is but if it's say 5c in your loft it might raise the temp by 5c but will not switch off especially if you have it set high.

[@rachelhoulichan3746]

​@richardc1983 how do you turn the heater off please???

[@hannahcole3026]

does the fan make a noise we have a small landing and have to leave the doors open for the children?

[@richardc1983]

Hannah Cole no I would honestly say whisper quiet and we have it on full speed. You can hear the air flow and it's quite a nice sound but certainly not a noise you would hear over anything.

[@sclayton6467]

Thanks for the review. Can you please comment on the condensation improvements made by installing this PIV. Also what was the condensation like in your home prior. I'm interested in getting one installed to improve that issue. Thanks again

[@richardc1983]

Condensation is none existent now in the house, to prove this I turned the unit off the other night on one of the coldest nights of the year, the next morning the bedroom windows had condensation all over them from where we had slept as well as the air being stale. This keeps the air in the house fresh and aired all the time, as the air is dry it is cheaper to heat also. I set the fan a notch higher than needed just as I prefer the air to be even fresher. The Eco heat was upgraded version of the previous green dri-master unit that I had before, this was my original review of the older unit - www.amazon.co.uk/review/R4M3MEU45C98F/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B0074KMAM0&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=79903031&store=diy This is the review for the new product which does exactly the same but is easier to access the controls and the heater unit is better & a little more efficient... www.amazon.co.uk/Drimaster-Heat-FREE-DIGITAL-HYGROMETER/dp/B01MTP28QH/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8 If you do a search on amazon for drimaster heat and drimaster eco heat you will see lots and lots of reviews for this product, just in case youtube remove the links above.

[@sclayton6467]

richardc1983 Thanks a lot for the quick response. Just one more question if you don't mind. How much does it cost to fit? I would rather an electrician do it. Thanks, you have been very helpful

[@richardc1983]

TBH if you have a plug socket in your loft and your confident at wiring a plug then you could do this yourself if your ok at DIY, it involves cutting a hole in the ceiling and then installing the fan from the rafters. You could do all this yourself and then just get the electrician in to do the wiring side. Cost me £50 I think to do the whole lot. That was 5 years ago.

[@sclayton6467]

richardc1983 Thanks again for the information and being very helpful. Hope you don't work for Nuaire! Thanks Stuart

[@richardc1983]

Nope I don't as Nuaire reccomend you get an electrician in to wire the plug lol. I review a lot of stuff on amazon.

[@nat12002]

Do you need to have windows with trickle vents for this system to be affective?

[@richardc1983]

No, however you can use trickle vents to train where you want air to flow. Otherwise air will leave through all the usual gaps in a house as a home generally isn't air tight.

[@slmut1]

hi Richard, great video - I am thinking of getting a unit with no heater... what are you thoughts on this?

[@richardc1983]

Do you have heating on your hall or landing? Without the heater these areas will be a little cooler but the heater only tempers the air and takes the chill off. I just accepted that clean dry air costs a little more to heat so my heating was on for a little longer. Totally up to you. It’s worth having that option there.

[@slmut1]

@@richardc1983 Thank you Rich - honestly speaking, I do not want to have a heater in the loft as this is a risk that i do not intend to take. So today I did a bit of testing - having the loft hath opened i had a temperature gauge very close to the loft hatch area - it was about 18C whereas the rest of the house was about 19C. The loft temp was approx. 4C. The other thing that I wanted to ask you about is that installation documents from Nuaire state that the diffuser would need to be installed with a safe distance of about of about 1.5 m from any obstruction. I have my loft hatch within that safe distance. This loft hatch protrudes about 20mm from the ceiling. In other words the loft hatch is not in flush with my ceiling. Is this an obstruction as such and will this affect the efficient functioning of of the system?

[@richardc1983]

@@slmut1 Re the heater, the heater is installed in the diffuser part that goes in the ceiling the heater is also only 500watts there is no fire risk as the heater also has overheat protection (in case the fan failed). You can see the heater half way through the video when I look up the outlet. Your loft hatch protruding will not cause an issue, you can also blank off a couple of sides to direct airflow out the other side for example if you have the outlet fitted close to a wall. The airflow naturally is thrown across the ceiling, The loft hatch protruding the air will hit this and either drop down or skim underneath it. However it won’t be an issue.

[@jimmurdoch6206]

Hi Richard, that's a really interesting and useful video, I'm looking at installing on of these units in a house we rent out and which suffers from poor ventilation. Can you tell me what is the diameter of the flexible ducting, the spec sheet I have says 200mm, but yours in the video looks somewhat bigger. Thanks!

[@richardc1983]

Hi Jim, I can confirm its 200mm ducting. I think the camera angle makes it look bigger. They are brilliant and really do work, yes its something very simple but this is what ventilation is!

[@jimmurdoch6206]

Wow, I hope Nuaire have got you on a retainer Richard :-) - thanks for the very prompt response Cheers!

[@richardc1983]

Nope, I have nothing to do with them, I just think their products are good and needed in todays society and homes. With fuel costs increasing people wont open the windows in winter. I have now changed my Nuaire fan out and I bought an inline duct fan (ducted to the outside through the wall to make use of cooler air in summer), filter box, water coil (connected to the central heating system to heat the incoming air) and connect it up the same way. I have a speed dial controller fitted in my wardrobe so I can turn it up and down manually. Yes I have lost the automatic boost feature and its cost me more upfront than the Nuaire all in one but that is the way I wanted to go.

[@jimmurdoch6206]

Your response is faster than Nuaire's - their phones are chocka, waited for ages... thanks again.

[@mymushrooms]

richardc1983 hi richard, do you have a video of your current setup with the inline fan? Is it more effective than nuaire drimaster? Thanks

[@StoodersFam]

We really need one of these as we live in an old bungalow - I'm concerned that we'd invest all this money and still have condensation - does Nuaire provide assurances about this?

[@richardc1983]

Daniel Stoodley check out the reviews on amazon they speak for themselves. What your doing is pressurising your house with fresh dry air. This is like having your windows open constantly but it's controlled Central. Very simple. I am pretty sure it will work in your house you just need to get the fan speed right :) maximum speed for first two weeks boosts drying out time. De humidifiers are expensive and over rated.

[@StoodersFam]

Does it make a lot of noise?

[@richardc1983]

Check the links in the description for full amazon review. The unit is almost silent and only on full speed can you hear the air flow which is gentle and doesn't sound like a desk fan at all.

[@joeycduft]

@richardc1983 just wanted to say after all these years people are still finding this video helpful. How is the unit operating today? Do you only use it during the winter months? Or just leave it at 10C the whole year round? Do you notice a significant cost in electricity associated with it? Again cheers for the video and all the responses which I've read. Damp and condensation are such a nightmare and it's incredible to feel there is a solution even if it is a simple case of forced ventilation.

[@richardc1983]

Unit is operating great, damp issues have never returned. In the summer we up the fan speed sometimes to the maximum to reduce us having to open windows so that we have filtered fresh air in high quantities. The house is always fresh year round, no stuffy stale air. It even helps ventilate the crawl space under the floors as it pushes air from the house under the floor which has reduced damp in that area also. It is left on all year round it is even more needed in the winter when windows are closed and washing is being dried indoors and cooking etc. As mentioned on one of the other comments if you turn it off, warm humid air will rise up the duct and condense on the cold internals which could damage the pcb and internals. Negligible the fan is 20watts on maximum speed but in the winter we run it at speed 3 so about 8watts per hour it uses. Granted the heating may stay on a little longer in the winter but that sure beats damp treatment costs and redecoration or furniture replacement costs. A small price to pay to have indoor dry air. It really is a fantastic product that is very simple and just works.

[@richardc1983]

Not always practical or secure to leave windows open. Plus living next to a motorway doesn't allow that as the air is dirty and noisy. Plus I used to leave windows open and there still wasn't enough ventilation.

[@Kiodenman]

Nice Review. How is it on electricity?

[@richardc1983]

It uses 6w of electricity with the fan on full speed, thats next to nothing. The heater unit is 400w and if you use the remote switch you can turn this completly off if you want and its prob better to turn this off unless really cold and turn your radiator up a little more in this area. 400w of gas is cheaper than 400w of electric. However using the heater by turning it on and off over a week for an hour on a morning and then 3 hours on an evening cost 50p in electricity. Thats if the heater has to run though ,if you set the heater so its at 10C then if the loft is above 10C the heater wont activate. If the loft is at 8C then the heater will come on and off very quickly to increase the air temp to 10C so it may draw 100w to do this. Having the heater off your using only 6w of electric if the fan is in full speed boost mode.

[@ijustwanttoaskaquestion106]

Very useful video, thanks. I have a problem with condensation on my windows during the Winter months and a musty smell in the colder rooms.I fitted a couple of trickle vents to my windows yesterday (I just read your first review and see you did not fit any) so the Drimaster will function properly.I am having a Drimaster Eco heat delivered tomorrow. I am also in a Bungalow and will install it in the hallway. I did plan on trying it out on speed setting 2 and see how I get on.You mentioned it is possible to turn the heater unit off by the remote switch, do you mean the blue screw on the diffuser? I thought when fully to the left it was set to 10 degrees and fully to the right at 20 degrees loft temperature.

[@richardc1983]

I would try it on setting 4 initially and then put down to 3. Always go a speed hire than you think just to assist in drying the property out. The adjusts the temp of the heater so your right in your explanation but you can disable the heater fully by buying the remote wireless switch. You can also boost the fan to max from this switch. www.i-sells.co.uk/m/prod_detail.php?cPath=10_983_1428&products_id=45551 it sticks to the wall wherever you want it.

[@ijustwanttoaskaquestion106]

Thanks for the tip, I will start it off on speed 4 and lower it if and when needed.I had seen those stick on switches but did not realise that was the only way to turn the heater off.I did read in the pdf that there are 4 heater settings and it comes set at the default number 1."At loft temperatures below 19°C the unit will operate onNormal Operation Mode”.At loft temperatures above 18¡ÆC but less than 24¡ÆC, the unit will switch automatically to “Intelligent Heat Recovery Mode”.At loft temperatures above 23°C the unit will switch itself automatically to “Standby Mode”.

[@richardc1983]

Mine is set to the one of loft temperatures above 30c then it will turn off, this turns the fan off though and isn't really anything to do with the heater although heater would be governed by the blue dial.

[@ijustwanttoaskaquestion106]

Is it possible to run this model without the heater on?I know if the speed setting is set to number 1 the heater is not enabled.But if I want to run it on number 2 or 3 speed setting can I turn the heater off?

[@richardc1983]

Yes if you buy the wireless control switch you can turn the heater on/off and boost the fan to maximum.

[@richardc1983]

Yes that one :) just sticks to the wall.

[@ijustwanttoaskaquestion106]

Thank-you Richard. I was reading that it could cost £50 a month with the heater on so the switch is worth investing in."Electricity price: 14.9 pence per kWh - Source: Installation recommends setting thermostat for unit at10°CNB: Thermostat measures loft / external incoming air temperature not internal property temperature.Therefore if temperature is below Nuaire recommended10°C then running cost of heater alone would be: £0.07 per hour£1.79 per 24 hour day£12.52 per 168 hour week£50.06 per 672 hour month"

[@richardc1983]

The previous dri master heat allowed you to wire the Heater in on its own plug so you could put on a simple timer plug. This worked better I feel as more control. The new one heats better as no heat lost in the ducting but less controllable. There is no benefit to the heater other than comfort in the landing to take the chill off the air so you could run it on a morning when u get up or on a night when getting ready for bed or showering. It will make sure the air blowing out maintains at the set temp. I have mine set at 15c but run it an hour in a morning and at night.

[@ijustwanttoaskaquestion106]

I have been using it with the set point control turned fully anti-clockwise to minimum so the heater has not come on and I am fine with that. After making enquiries it appears that the installation video on youtube gave incorrect information saying that the mid point is10 degrees C. I assume you think the mid point is 15 degrees C?

[@user-dz4ty5tj7q]

My landlord wants to install this in my home but I'm concerned it will make the house too cold. 400w heater will not add much heat but obviously costs more to run.

[@richardc1983]

You don't need to run the built in heater... But having clean dry air does cost slightly more on the heating bill. Genuinely these are the best things ever and cheaper than a dehumidifier.

[@The_Joker_]

And the day after he turned his phone 90 degrees.......

[@richardc1983]

It was 90 degrees however the crappy iPhone I had before decided to turn it the other way!