WHY MECHANICAL VENTILATION WITH HEAT RECOVERY?
We ventilate our homes for many reasons, firstly, because we want to comply with building regulations, but mainly because we wish to maintain a healthy and comfortable indoor environment. We could adopt a seemingly simpler and cheaper approach, such as holes in the walls and simple bathroom fans to take out the warm moist air, but as we know this is not the best option in the long run.
Humidity Control
Moisture is a familiar part of the air outside. It plays a big role in our maritime climate across Ireland and the UK. Relative humidity is often above 88%. For a comfortable indoor environment, humidity should ideally sit between 40% and 60%.
Heat recovery helps achieve this. The system uses outgoing warm stale air to warm incoming fresh air. In summer, indoor and outdoor temperatures are similar, so no change in relative humidity occurs. This doesn’t create a problem because there are no cold surfaces for condensation. In Ireland, it’s normal to have indoor relative humidity over 70% during the summer months.
Energy Efficiency
Fossil fuel prices are rising. As homeowners, we need to consider all ways to cut energy use. This means making our homes not just highly insulated, but also draught‑free.
Draughts do more than let cold air in and warm air out. They also harm insulation and stop it from performing at its best. Draught‑proofing is so important that Part L of the Building Regulations now requires a measured level of airtightness. (See Air Tightness FAQs.)
See Air Tightness FAQs.
Comfort
Fresh air must enter the home in a controlled way. Exhaust air should lose its heat first and leave at a low temperature. In short, we recover heat from the outgoing air and use it to warm the fresh air coming in.
As a result, no matter how cold it gets outside, fresh air always enters your home at a comfortable 18 degrees or so. This formula – insulation + airtightness + heat recovery ventilation – equals comfort + health + energy efficiency. It forms the basis for ultra‑low‑energy design in passive houses.
THE BENEFITS
Clean Fresh Air Continuously
Filtered fresh air circulates through your home day and night. Most people spend over 80% of their time indoors. Half of all illnesses are either caused or made worse by poor indoor air quality. ProAir’s Heat Recovery Ventilation System removes stale, moist air continuously, making your home a healthier place to live.
Energy Efficient Ventilation
A heat recovery ventilation system saves you money. It re‑uses heat that would otherwise escape through standard extract systems. The system runs continuously at a low rate to keep electrical use to a minimum. The heat recovered is up to twenty times the energy used to run the fans.
Condensation Elimination
The system removes water vapour as it is produced. That means no moisture condensation – the main cause of rot, damp, and mould.
Comfort
A home with a heat recovery ventilation system offers superior comfort. Balanced, draught‑free ventilation works all year round, whatever the weather.
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