Green Building Forum - Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

chrisduncan — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 14:20:26 +0100

Hi. We are finally on site in Monmouthshire. 300m2 new build with green oak frame. We are having whole house MVHR and I did get a couple of quotes 2 years ago from Rega and Envirovent.

Can you lovely people say whether these are good companies, and suggest another couple to send enquiries to?

Many thanks.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

Doubting_Thomas — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 16:02:58 +0100

Welcome to the forum.

Our house is about half the size of yours but we had a very good service from the Green Building Store. They are based in Huddersfield so it wasn't cost-effective to get them to install (we are near Bath), but they did all the design calculations, coordinated a 3D model over several iterations and supplied the components including Lindab steel ducting. Ours is a Paul Novus 300 which looks like it would still just about cope with your footprint. We've so far had no issues since July 2018.

The install was done by Earthwise Construction, based in Bristol, who were also great. We ended up getting a third company to do the calibration and commissioning of the terminals due to build timing, so make sure you factor that in too.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

Dominic Cooney — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 16:58:28 +0100

I was very pleased with BPC Ventilation for supply only, they also suggested where to put vents and which vents would need 2 pipes running to them, so very helpful. They didn't design the pipe runs because my plans were basic hand drawn and I was self-installing anyway because it is a barn conversion and very tight on space. They offer installation but I don't know who does it so cannot vouch for that. If you have flashy plans to send them then I imagine they can do a detailed specification. I was also hoping to hire the commissioning equipment off them when it is ready for that. Might be worth getting in touch with them.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

tony — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 17:14:24 +0100

I like total home

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

revor — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 19:00:47 +0100

I used a Titon unit. They did a duct run onto our drawing no detailed calculations and gave a list of parts needed sizes of duct and where to place the inlet and exhaust terminals. We used Domus duct and Lindab air valves there are lots of cheapish plastic ones on the market avoid them but the lindab ones are v good quality metal construction. We installed it all ourselves and used easijoists so the duct had to go in at the time of construction as we had to thread through the joist web in places.
Bought our own anemometer/ psychrometer kit to balance cheaper that getting someone to do it and then you have it for checking performance w.r.t filters blocking, measuring RH, wind speed etc.
Don't know if they offer an install service as we did ours a few years ago.
A friend recently got Vent-Axia units he had drawings of pipe runs and part lists etc and I was impressed with what they did for him. He installed it himself but it is not yet commissioned.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

an02ew — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 20:12:42 +0100

Bpc ventilation are great value for money with a plenty of choices of fan units, Iâ€™ve favoured the Ventaxia fan units to date as they are versatile and not overly fussy but there after sales are not the best and we have been waiting 8 weeks for repairs, Iâ€™m told due to COVID!

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

djh — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 21:05:40 +0100

I'd second, or third, BPC Ventilation for supply. PH Store did our design. I recommend semi-rigid ducting rather than the metal branched stuff. Plastic vents are fine inside, IMHO, but stainless outside. We have a Brink unit.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

an02ew — Wed, 14 Apr 2021 22:23:21 +0100

Posted By: djhbut stainless outside. We have a Brink unit.

Be careful with SS vent outside, i've seen them freeze solid on the intake vent in freezing fog

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

Simon Still — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 11:21:26 +0100

Another good experience with BPC. Their design was better than the one a bigger company did and they were also very helpful and easy to deal with (I think they may have sent out some incorrect parts but very quickly rectified, also very quick when I wanted some extras)

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

djh — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 20:01:56 +0100

Posted By: an02ewi've seen them freeze solid on the intake vent in freezing fog

I thought you had said before that you had seen a fine mesh screen freeze? I think that's likely to be a more important factor than the material. Anyway, we've had no such trouble and I stand by my recommendation.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

djh — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 20:11:58 +0100

Posted By: djhI'd second, or third, BPC Ventilation for supply.

Oops. Faulty memory. It was CVC Direct that we had dealings with.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

an02ew — Thu, 15 Apr 2021 21:24:16 +0100

Posted By: djhI thought you had said before that you had seen a fine mesh screen freeze?

Yes thatâ€™s correct, but all metal intake/ exhaust vents have a metal insect screen and that freezes. Some plastic ones have a plastic screen that doesnâ€™t.
I accept these are not common weather conditions but when I say frozen solid I mean completely blocked.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

djh — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 11:25:09 +0100

Posted By: an02ewall metal intake/ exhaust vents have a metal insect screen and that freezes

Simply not true. Ours doesn't have an insect screen. There's no way I would want to have to climb up and clean an insect screen where it is.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

chrisduncan — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 16:45:44 +0100

Thanks everyone! On your recommendations I've contacted BPC.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

an02ew — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 21:18:37 +0100

Posted By: djhSimply not true

Ok. Maybe not all but a lot do.
You know djh Iâ€™m trying to help. You just seem to want to pick fault in everything I say? It doesnâ€™t bother me but it isnâ€™t really what the forum is all about . In the words of the great Michael Palin â€œ is this the right room for an argumentâ€

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

djh — Fri, 16 Apr 2021 22:24:00 +0100

Posted By: an02ewYou know djh Iâ€™m trying to help. You just seem to want to pick fault in everything I say?

It would help if you posted more correct information and stopped repeatedly trying to attack things like stainless exterior duct terminals when I point out there are alternative opinions. Here's the first link on google when I search for 'stainless duct terminal'. By coincidence it looks exactly like ours, so not so scarce I think.

https://www.ventilationland.co.uk/product/19194/stainless-steel-bull-nose-grille-exterior-wall-duct-high-throughput-o-200mm.html

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

cjard — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 21:38:41 +0100

Posted By: djhI'd second, or third, BPC Ventilation for supply.

Who do you recommend for extract? :D

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

cjard — Sun, 18 Apr 2021 21:45:20 +0100

suggest another couple to send enquiries to?

BPC again from me. Get a central vac system off them while you're at it. As for install, any competent tradesman can read the instructions that come with the MVHR/Vac and install them, and a tradesman such as a plumber who's ever balanced the flows in an underfloor system should be comfortable enough with the process of doing an MVHR (if you even bother with that step) - you can also hire an airflow meter off BPC and do it yourself - there is no rocket science to it

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

borpin — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 22:32:50 +0100

What MHRV units do folk have.

I have a Helios unit but one fan went last year (bearing failure) and the other is going after 6 years of use. At nearly Â£1K a pop for each fan, I'm wondering whether to cut my losses and change the whole unit. Checking the fan I replaced, I can feel it is stiffer on the bearings than it was when I fitted it.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

Peter_in_Hungary — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 05:54:06 +0100

Posted By: borpinWhat MHRV units do folk have.

I have a Helios unit but one fan went last year (bearing failure) and the other is going after 6 years of use. At nearly Â£1K a pop for each fan, I'm wondering whether to cut my losses and change the whole unit. Checking the fan I replaced, I can feel it is stiffer on the bearings than it was when I fitted it.

Can't you disassemble the fan and replace the bearing?

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

borpin — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 20:39:03 +0100

Posted By: Peter_in_HungaryCan't you disassemble the fan and replace the bearing?

No, it's a sealed unit.

Can anyone recommend MVHR companies?

converse — Wed, 05 May 2021 23:06:17 +0100

I've now had 9 systems from BPC and they've all worked well. I've always used Ventaxia units, and have had absolutely no problems. Oldest systems must be 8 years old now. There really isn't much inside to wear out tbh, so I can't see why they wouldn't be reliable. I've also found the Ventaxia units to be pretty easy to commission. Pay for a wired controller, and be generous with your ducting.