John Moss – Head of Social Housing Sales at EnviroVent, looks at how indoor air quality is now one of the most important areas of focus during a refurbishment.
“Over the past decade or so, refurbishments have taken place mainly to improve the energy efficiency of homes and commercial properties. Windows and doors have been upgraded and cavity wall and loft insulation added, which has effectively sealed these properties up, making them much more airtight. This may have made the properties less draughty and therefore more comfortable, but many are suffering from condensation and mould growth as a result of a lack of ventilation.
Condensation becomes very evident on windows, outward facing walls and around floor level where there is a lack of air circulation and relatively cool air. This excess moisture leads to mould growth and a proliferation of dust mites, which has a detrimental impact on people with breathing-related issues. Without a continuous flow of fresh air into and out of a dwelling to control the relative humidity, the internal atmosphere may reach a relatively high humidity of around 70-80%, which then leads to condensation.
The water droplets that form on colder surfaces can lead to mould growth and, in some cases, damage to the building fabric itself. Condensation is often more noticeable in kitchens and bathrooms, because it is where most of the moisture is generated, for instance from baths, showers and cooking. The situation is even worse when dwellings have internal bathrooms, with no windows, as often occurs in flats, which can be prone to serious condensation, especially if extract fans are inadequate or not working.
Of immediate concern for private or social landlords is that mould and damp take up a huge amount of time and resources of the responsive repairs team – with rotting window frames, peeling paint and black walls being the most common issues.
A housing provider which has recently taken a proactive approach to dealing with condensation and mould is Tees Valley-based Thirteen. Thirteen has recently contracted with EnviroVent on a five year agreement to provide both Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) systems and Filterless Infinity Fans for its homes. Before it agreed the contract, Thirteen carried out an in-depth ventilation review of all the leading ventilation systems available on the market.
In future any of Thirteen properties that are subject to energy efficient upgrades, such as External Wall Insulation (EWI) schemes will have PIV or Filterless Infinity Fans fitted, to avoid the issue of poor indoor air quality.
Positive Input Ventilation
Providing whole home ventilation, PIV systems are a popular choice for retrofitting into homes. They work by drawing fresh, filtered, clean air from the outside and gently ventilating the home from a central position usually in the loft, above a landing in a house, or a central hallway in a flat or bungalow. A PIV system will dilute the moisture laden air trapped inside the home and replace it to control humidity levels between 45 and 60 per cent. PIV systems are effective in reducing condensation, thus preventing issues with mould growth.
These units take advantage of the benefits of solar gain from within the loft space, which results in a relative saving of around 150 Watts per day in an average modern family home. This equates to approximately 10% of annual heating costs.
Homeowners and landlords are becoming increasingly concerned about the issue of poor indoor air quality and its impact on health. Whole house ventilation systems offer a valuable solution as it means for a relatively small investment, a constant supply of fresh air can be circulated within a property. An effective ventilation system also helps to reduce the burden on maintenance teams, who often devote much of their time to attempting to eliminate mould from homes during the colder months, only for it to return later on. With an effective whole house ventilation system, this is no longer a problem as condensation and mould are eradicated and occupants can enjoy the benefits of improved indoor air quality.”
For more information on effective ventilation solutions, contact EnviroVent via the website www.envirovent.com or by calling 0345 27 27 810.
