Problems with ventilation in new build!

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dee94

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Hi all!
Having some difficulties with my new house and need help/advice!
We are at the stage of interior plastering on our new build at present (Timber Frame).
At the beginning our contractor asked if we wanted vents in the walls or if we would prefer to go for windows with a built in vents. I decided to go down the route of windows with ventilation. However we then decided to go for wooden windows which I presumed would have the same built in vent as PVC (I know now I should not have presumed this!). As we sourced the windows ourselves and not the contractor, he also presumed we were purchasing windows with vents.
I am now in a spot of bother as the windows are in and I don't know if the architect will sign off on the house.
I'd rather not go down the route of boring holes into walls, so am wondering what are my options and what do building regulations say?

Any help or advice is very much appreciated!

Dee
 
Building regs and safety rules state that a house is not habitable without adequate ventilation. You are quite right in saying that you will not get sign off on the house & I would go so far as to say it would be dangerous to live in a house with literally no ventilation method. You should have raised this with your architect/engineer at construction stage because placing vents in the walls of your now constructed house could prove costly and time consuming.
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news!!!!
 
Thanks,
I was afraid i'd hear something along those lines alright!
Just wondering about heat recovery ventilation systems, if anybody is knowledgeable on the subject, I don't know much about them, it was an option suggested to me by a friend. It may be too late to install such a sytem but if not is that an adequate means of ventilation?
 
I don't know very much about heat recovery ventilation systems I'm afraid.
I do know that I live in a timber frame home with uPVC windows with inbuilt vents. The 2 interior rooms that we do have are fitted with mechanical fans and they are extremely noisy, if effective. I would be interested to hear how you get on!
 
Hi all,
have had a look at the building regulations, they say that adequate ventilation must be provided etc., however they don't clearly state that there has to be vents in the walls or windows. Just wondering if leaving the windows on the vent setting would be classed as adequate?
Apologies if i appear clueless on this subject!
All help greatly appreciated!
 
What I have done is drill a pilot hole from the outside to in, then use a hole saw and cut a 4'' hole all the way from the outside in half way and then from the inside to meet the already half cut hole from the outside (this stops any plaster damage as you are making clean cuts on both sides).
Then push in a piece of 4'' wavin into the hole. On the inside you place the vent over the hole and the same on the outside. On the outside I made cuts in the wall with an anglegrinder so the vent sits flush with the wall.
 
Hi Dee94. We are planning to have a heat exchanger installed in our house as our builder spoke so highly of the technology. The house is being build at the moment. Im not sure which one we are purchasing, but I imagine they all do the same job. E.g: [broken link removed]
Best of luck.
 
Thanks for all the help,
Just curious about the heat exchanger, tried to contact the company on the above link to no avail. Has anybody had it installed on an existing building? I am wondering about this as I would like to know if i'm going to have a scenario where i'm boxing in pipes/ducts? This is something that was brought to my attention today. Is it discreet or very visible and awkward lookin?
Thanks again for all the help!
 
Technical Guidance Document Part F of the Building Regulations 2002 deal with ventilation.
In no part of this document is it proscribed that hole-in-the-wall ventilation constructions are obligatory in a dwelling.
The Guidelines suggest that background ventilation (hole-in-wall) of a certain size and "ventilation openings suitable for rapid ventilation" (windows!) of a certain size should be adequate for rooms of a certain size and type. That is all. No 'must'.
In my experience, European apartments and homes are not constructed with this continuous energy-squandering mechanism. They rely on the insulating capabilities of the buildings and good sense of the occupants to ventilate frequently and correctly using the "openings suitable for rapid ventilation".
 
Hi Again,
Thanks for all the replies and help. A month on and I am still a tad confused. I understand the legislation allows me a little leeway, due to the fact that it does not state that vents are compulsory. Personally I would be happy to move into the house as it is, I believe in opening windows left, right and centre! However I have had mixed responses to this, mainly about carbon monoxide poisoning etc. If I have a radon barrier does this not prevent dangerous levels of carbon monoxide entering the house??
Once again all help greatly appreciated!
Deirdre
 
Dee94, a radon barrier protects against radon entering the house from the sub soil. Carbon monoxide is given off from the burning of fossil fuels.
Leo
 
You have to have a fixed vent in a room with a stove / fireplace, other than that you should be OK. You can rent a drill with a coring bit for 25-35 euro for half a day, easily enough time to knock through a couple of vents. You have to line the hole i.e. with wavin as mentioned - total cost 50 euro for two vents.
 
Hi Dee94, I too had NO success (so far) contacting [broken link removed] re their Air Exchange system. However I found a similiar system at Scandinavian Homes Ltd () and they seem to provide a nice unit which uses very little power. I'm only in the early stages of researching this so can't really comment on the pros/cons yet.

I'm wondering if there is anyone out there who could give us their thoughts on such a unit or on the overall effectivness of the principle behind these systems. (I feel the air is very stagnant in our (old) house, even with windows open as the site is very sheltered, hence I'm considering this as well as other insulation mods at the mo.)

Rgds
Fran
 
Hi Fran,
I also tried conserve-energy.com/airexe.html with no luck. I contact a local sales rep for LowEnergy and sent him the plans of my house.....no joy. I contact a company in Sweden about another product Temovex and they use this system in a lot in schools/houses and companies..... They won't give me a price for the Temovex 700 (my house will be 3,100 sq ft.) but they gave me the name of the sales rep for Ireland. Lars 091 555808. He is part of http://www.scanhome.ie/ventilation.php team. Lars told me that this product is approved by the building regulations for the air tight houses. The cost of the product is €4,600 plus 21% Vat and not including your installation / piping or shiping………. €5566.00
 
Hi Patjo, welcome to AAM. In accordance with the [broken link removed], can you confirm whether you have any association with the above companies?
Thanks,
Leo
 
Hi Leo, NO...... I have no association. I'm just very interested in getting a air tight house built. I'm at the foundation stage of my house and I need to know if there are other ventilation systems instead of the conventional hole in the wall method. I'm looking at the Temovex system, but I need my architect to approve it. I'm going to the expense of getting treble glazed window and the last thing I want is holes in my walls.
If you have any experience in ventilation systems I would be very interested in hearing about it.
 
Hi Dee94,
I was wondering if you have any update on your ventilation issue and if you spoke to any heat recovery ventilation people. I just had a visit from a guy who sells the ERV-300 system from www.mtd-solutions.com. The visit went well and I really like the product especially the fact that it uses such little power. I'd like to hear from others who have this system installed and get their opinion before I commit though. I have asked him to supply a few reference clients.

Regards
Fran
ps I've no connection with this company.
 
I'm have done the same as you (no holes in my walls). There's a company in Ireland that does air ventilation systems in houses. It takes air in from outside and blows the bad air (kitchen, bathrooms) out. Before blowing the fresh air around the house (bedrooms living room etc.) it heats the cold air.
I have a concret first floor so I have to get hanging ceilings because of the ducting … if you have wood your OK…..
My house is 3000sq in size and it's costing me €5,900 to get it installed……
The company I'm using is http://www.mtd-solutions.com/ventilation.htm they have all the Blurb on building regulations. I hope this is some help to you…..
 
Has anybody got experience of venting their house via window vents as opposed to holes in the wall.
We are building near the coast where winds are strong in Winter - the wall vents in our current house are incredibly drafty even when closed. We are at first floor level at the moment and I am seriously considering blocking up the holes that are currently there (how would I do this?) if I can get away with window venting in all rooms
 
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