A Midlands home owner sought a passive ventilation with heat recovery solution for their Victorian terraced property. Built in 1884, the house has suffered from poor air circulation with associated damp and condensation problems for many years. Under the owner’s careful watch, the house has enjoyed a number of ‘green’ modifications, including the concept of ‘passive stack’, to improve both the performance and comfort of the property.

Ventive were commissioned to supply two of their passive ventilation systems (Ventive S) to the property; one in the living room and the other in the main bedroom through the redundant chimney stacks. The installation was successfully completed in the spring of 2014 since when the owner has noticed a number of welcome health benefits.

The unique and completely Passive Ventilation with Heat Recovery system is designed to breathe fresh air into a house through the existing chimney stack. The products use a combination of air buoyancy and wind (active from even very low wind speeds) to create a flow of air within the interior of the house; ensuring higher standards of air quality are achieved and maintained. The products enable clients in the new build and retrofit markets to design more airtight building solutions, without increasing power consumption or compromising on indoor air quality.

The owner suffers from a dust mite allergy (aggravated by damp problems) and since the system has been installed he has reported fewer symptoms and states that the overall air quality is noticeably fresher and dryer. He is impressed that he can now dry clothes inside the house and, when decorating, the drying time of the paint was greatly reduced due to the air being ‘sucked out’.

Having a completely passive solution has meant that the heat is retained within the property during the winter without the operating burden normally associated to heat recovery ventilation, complementing the upgraded
insulation. The owner is confident that the system will contribute towards further cost savings on his heating bills during the colder months of the year as well as provide a year round healthy indoor environment.

He has also confirmed that since the installation, he hasn’t needed to use the bathroom mechanical extractor fan to clear condensation, reducing his energy bills even more.