During the spring and summer months, hay fever can wreak havoc on our sinuses - causing all manner of symptoms, including sore throats, blocked noses and streaming eyes. While you may feel that you can avoid these symptoms by staying indoors more often, this isn’t necessarily the case.
Hay fever (or allergic rhinitis as it’s medically known as) is an allergic reaction to environmental allergens in the air, including dust mites, moulds, pollen and animal dander. It’s caused by your eyes and/or nose coming into contact with these allergens - with pollen transmitted via grass, weeds, plants and trees.
While hay fever can technically occur at any time of year, it’s most common in the spring and summer months when airborne pollen is at its highest levels.
There are typically two main peaks to the hay fever season, with the first coming from grass pollens from May (although sometimes earlier!) until late June. The second is then in the form of other plants, releasing their pollen slightly later on in the year all the way through to September.
Hay fever is usually worse on windy days, as it’s even easier for pollen to spread and come into contact with your nose and eyes, and it eases when it rains. It’ll also depend on the daily pollen count - from very low levels to very high.
You’d like to think you can avoid pollen by staying inside, but unfortunately this doesn’t work. Pollen grains are tiny, and therefore can very easily enter your home - whether that’s through open windows or doors, through air vents, on your clothing or shoes, or on the fur or feet of your pets.
During peak hay fever season, sufferers are likely to keep windows and doors shut as much as they can to prevent particles from entering their homes. While this is a great idea in terms of helping to keep symptoms at bay, your home can quickly become hot, stuffy, humid and polluted, with stale air not being able to escape.
This will also mean that any pollen that has managed to enter your home through other means, such as on your clothing, is trapped within your home - enabling grains to easily come into contact with your sinuses.
The most effective way to reduce your pollen count indoors is through good, filtered, air flow. The thing to look for is a system fitted with a HEPA (high efficiency particulate air) filter. These ultra fine filters capture dust and pollen but allow air to pass through. They are often found inside high quality air purifiers and air conditioners, but these can be expensive to run and ineffective when it comes to improving the air throughout a home.
A better option is to fit your home with a mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) system. This will efficiently draw out stale, polluted air from the home and replace it with fresh, HEPA filtered air from the outside - dramatically reducing your indoor pollen levels, while using the same energy as an ordinary extractor fan.
With an effective ventilation system in place, pollen levels in your home will be unable to build up to the point of triggering an allergic reaction - meaning that hay fever sufferers will be able to breathe much easier within their homes. Not only that, MVHR units use the extracted air to warm the air that the system draws into the house, increasing the energy efficiency of your central heating when it turns colder.
Are you looking to combat your indoor air pollution with the help of a state-of-the-art MVHR system? Get in touch with our team of experts today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Having a constant stream of fresh air is important in every household to help prevent illness, condensation, damp and mould.
While there are many options available to improve ventilation, the advantages of whole house ventilation using a mechanical heat recovery system is often the most effective choice…read on to find out why!
Ventilation is the process of removing polluted, stale air from a room and supplying fresh, clean air from outside. This can be done by natural or mechanical ventilation, or a combination of the two.
In 2023, 3.8% of homes in England have some form of damp problem - equating to approximately 912,000 households. What’s more, the NHS estimates that it could save up to £38 million a year on treating patients with damp and mould-related illnesses, if issues were rectified.
Mould and damp is caused by condensation - when humid air comes into contact with cold surfaces to form water droplets. It typically occurs when temperatures drop overnight, resulting in us often waking up with water droplets on our windows (and sometimes walls and ceilings), mainly in winter months.
Good ventilation will help to reduce condensation by removing the moist air from your home before it has a chance to settle on a cool surface. As well as causing damage to your property which may be costly to repair, damp and mould can also have serious effects on your health - especially to individuals with underlying respiratory conditions, such as asthma.
Depending on your home and budget, there are different solutions for increased ventilation that you can adopt, but they vary in their effectiveness.
Natural ventilation
Rather than using any sort of mechanical element to push air around, natural ventilation relies solely on gaps in the building fabric, combined with any trickle vents or air bricks that may have been installed.
Natural ventilation can also be supplemented by opening windows and doors, however this is often only done in the warmer weather.
This type of ventilation is the cheapest and simplest option, and because of this, there are quite a few drawbacks.
Trickle vents don’t let much air flow unless it’s windy and they can produce a through-draught, whereas opening doors and windows to the outside can quickly make a home cold in winter. In the summer months, this method will likely let in lots of pollen and insects, and can also let in other pollutants from outside such as vehicle fumes.
Extractor fans
Extractor fans are one step up from natural ventilation, and have a simple mechanical element involved. In most houses, they’re typically located in rooms that generate more water vapour, such as kitchens and bathrooms.
They are effective in controlling moisture within the rooms that they are positioned in, however they also suck out the warm air that rises to the ceiling and they are relatively limited in the area they can cover. If you leave a door open after a bath or shower and water vapour escapes, it will travel around the house and can increase moisture levels in areas the extractor fan can’t reach.
While it’s essential to have extractor fans in your home, often these aren’t enough to completely reduce levels of moisture.
Mechanical ventilation heat recovery (whole house ventilation)
Mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) systems are modern, efficient units that provide ventilation to an entire house.
MVHR systems will ensure that condensation (and therefore damp and mould that can follow) doesn’t become an issue in your home, by removing all moisture-laden air and replacing it with filtered, heated air from outside.
As well as removing moisture, MVHR will also remove any harmful irritants in the air such as germs and pollen, causing illness and hay fever. They are also energy efficient, using no more than extractor fans because the built-in heat exchanger recovers warmth from outgoing air to heat the fresh air coming into the building. This means that it’s highly efficient, and helps to reduce your heating bills.
Are you interested in reducing condensation and helping your family to stay fit and healthy? Get in touch with our team of experts today to find out more.
As a landlord, it’s your responsibility to provide high-quality, damp-free housing for your tenants, and to ensure that your property is kept in good repair.
However, this can prove tricky because condensation can be a major contributor to mould and damp problems. If left unresolved, it can lead to severe (and very costly!) damage to housing.
What’s more, there are some upcoming changes to legislation with the introduction of Awaab’s Law, which means that landlords may soon have increased responsibilities to resolve damp and mould issues in a timely manner.
Condensation is when water vapour in the air forms droplets on a cold surface, such as walls and ceilings. It’s typically caused by common household activities such as cooking, bathing and washing, but even people breathing can contribute.
Unfortunately for landlords, it is the most common cause of mould in domestic properties. While condensation itself isn’t a big issue, if it’s not dealt with properly, it can result in damp patches developing which then encourages mould growth.
Damp patches can also cause damage to the fabric of a building, and create an environment where dust mites and mould can thrive - which can negatively affect the health of anyone living in the property.
Even though, in most cases, it is the people living in the property who are causing the condensation, it is your responsibility as the landlord to deal with damp and mould problems as soon as possible.
This is why it’s important to work with your tenants to prevent the amount of condensation that they produce. In turn, it should help to prevent these issues from developing, saving you time and money!
Here are a few recommendations you can make to your tenants:
By asking your tenants to regularly keep a look out for mould and damp patches, not only will this help to keep them safe and healthy, but it should also minimise repair costs if it’s caught early enough.
Even though these are simple steps, tenants may still not oblige so you may need to take matters into your own hands by improving ventilation throughout the property. This is especially advisable for high-value rental property, where a good ventilation system may be an expected commodity.
If damp is not dealt with in a timely manner, a room may need to be replastered, as the water vapour can cause significant damage that cannot be patch-repaired.
According to Rated People, plastering a single room could set you back anywhere between £500 to £1,500, depending on its size.
Toxic mould, however, needs to be removed professionally as it is hazardous to human health, and therefore can be similarly costly too. Checkatrade states that the average cost of removing mould from a whole house in 2023 was £1,200.
It may be a common saying, but in this case it really is true - prevention is better than a cure when it comes to condensation. The most effective way to prevent condensation (and subsequently mould and damp) is to improve airflow.
Make sure that you have good quality, effective extractor fans installed in all areas of the home that generate considerable water vapour, such as kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms. Fans will remove a good amount of moisture in the air before it is able to spread into the rest of the home.
However, the most effective way to remove water vapour (and any other harmful pollutants) is whole house ventilation. A mechanical heat recovery ventilation (MVHR) system will circulate filtered air from outside into the property while removing moisture-laden air, preventing condensation from building up.
The additional benefit of a MVHR system is that it provides fresh heated air, meaning that it will also help to keep the home warm in winter months. We often find that installing a whole house ventilation unit is considerably cheaper than repairing damage caused by mould and damp, and it also helps the property to feel fresher, healthier and all-round more pleasant to be in!
If you’re a landlord and interested in protecting your property with a ventilation system, get in touch with our team of experts today!
Over the last few years, the Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted just how quickly viruses can spread in an indoor environment if there’s not enough ventilation.
The UK has become much more aware of how important good air quality is in preventing the spread of infections, however, most households and commercial buildings are yet to invest in effective ventilation units.
People naturally spend more time indoors in the winter months due to the chilly temperatures outside, meaning that diseases such as colds, flu and Covid can easily be transmitted, with people often in close proximity to one another.
Without good, effective ventilation and air flow, respiratory illnesses are allowed to spread very easily in enclosed spaces. As people breathe, they release virus particles into the air, which then move around the space and are easily breathed in by other people.
The likelihood of another individual becoming infected is very high without ventilation - which can prove dangerous, especially if there are vulnerable people such as children or the elderly within your household.
Airborne diseases are essentially bacteria or viruses that are most commonly transmitted through small respiratory droplets in the air. These droplets will enter the air via an infected person when they cough, sneeze or laugh. These infected droplets can linger in the air for some time, meaning that without ventilation, they’re likely to be inhaled by someone else.
Unfortunately, airborne diseases are very easily transmitted. They can travel over six feet and remain infectious in the air for up to several hours, which is why ventilation is absolutely key to preventing illness. For example, if you went into a bathroom where someone had previously coughed a few minutes before, or if you work close to someone who has a cold, you could be in danger of becoming infected.
The most effective way to reduce your risk of contracting illnesses within your home or office environment is through whole-house/whole-office ventilation.
An MVHR system will work to extract dirty, infected air particles from your home or office and replace it with fresh, heated air from the outside via a duct network, working for the full 24 hours in a day.
The central unit of the system will automatically control and monitor air quality, and make any adjustments necessary to ensure a continuous stream of fresh, ventilated air throughout at all times.
Our ventilation experts are on hand to answer any questions you may have, and to provide support and guidance with all of our ventilation systems.
Get in touch today for a free, no obligation consultation with one of our team.
Sick building syndrome is a real health issue that affects office workers throughout the world.
Shared work environments with poor ventilation allow germs, dust, smoke and fumes to circulate, affecting the health of everyone present and spreading illnesses throughout a workforce.
If your organisation seems to have a high number of people falling ill or if people seem to be battling against constant bouts of coughs, colds or other contagious ailments, it could be time to upgrade your building’s ventilation.
The best way to improve natural ventilation is to have windows and doors open throughout the day, however this can be tricky (and unpleasant!) in the colder, winter months when temperatures are low.
It might be tempting to block out every draught in winter, but you should try to keep trickle vents open so that a small amount of fresh air can replace the more polluted air in the building. Trickle vents are small so they don’t have a huge impact but if the wind is blowing outside and there are vents open on windows on either side of your office, they can help to create a gentle current of fresh air to slowly whisk away airborne germs.
In the summer or when the air is still outside, you’ll need to increase the airflow by opening windows but even this might not be enough on a really still day. You can help the air to flow more easily by cleverly positioning fans to direct the air from windows on one side of the office to the other, but this can make life miserable for anyone with hayfever because pollen may also be wafting through your office along with the fresh air.
As well as the problems of letting in pollen and letting out warmth, natural ventilation is also problematic in urban areas because the outside air may be polluted.
Extractor fans are a must in kitchens and toilets, where smells can linger and moisture can build, but just like open windows, they also let out the heat from a room.
The most effective way to improve ventilation in the workplace is by investing in a mechanical heat recovery ventilation (MVHR) system for your office.
MVHR works by removing the old, polluted air from the building and replacing it with fresh air that gets filtered as it comes in. The best thing about MVHR is that it uses the warmth of the air that the system extracts to heat up the inbound air. Using no more power than an extractor fan, these systems help your workplace to have fresh, clean air while also staying warm and energy efficient.
All year round, it’s the perfect solution for any workplace.
By installing a mechanical ventilation system within your office environment, this will remove all nasty pollutants in the air and replace it with fresh, clean air for your employees to safely breathe in. This will help to prevent illnesses being passed on to team members, hopefully resulting in less sick days being taken - meaning that your business should be more productive, with everyone feeling happier and healthier.
Are you looking to invest in ventilation for your businesses’ office space? Get in touch with our team of experts today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Modern houses are designed to be more energy efficient to save owners money on their bills, meaning that they typically have high-quality insulation within the walls and roof to prevent heat loss, as well as effective double glazed windows to prevent heat from escaping.
While these improvements in efficiency are great at saving us money, they also make newer homes more airtight - meaning that without effective ventilation, humidity and air pollution levels can rise quickly. This increases the risk of condensation and damp, which can quickly lead to mould.
Condensation forms when the air temperature in the home falls below the ‘dew point’, meaning that the air can no longer hold as much water vapour and it needs somewhere else to go. When this happens, usually when the air meets a cold surface such as a wall or window, the water vapour is deposited, creating condensation.
As a well-insulated, efficient home is able to retain its heat better, there typically will be smaller differences in temperature during the day and night. This means that there is less opportunity for air to come into contact with colder surfaces - which is good news!
However, there is one downside - the flow of air is significantly reduced in a well-insulated, airtight property. This can result in humidity levels rising even quicker, meaning that the dew point of the water can actually become higher - so condensation can form at a higher temperature.
The most effective way to prevent condensation and mould is by using controlled ventilation. Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) units work by drawing in fresh air from outside to displace the humid air from indoors, working with extractor fans to combat indoor air pollution.
Our Business Development Executive, Joe Murray, said:
“The downside of making your home more airtight is that you’ll retain more indoor air pollution and could generate more condensation. As a result, we’re seeing more and more people come to us for ventilation solutions after improving their insulation.
“By investing in an efficient ventilation system, you’ll be provided with a constant stream of fresh, clean air in your home while pollutants are filtered out.”If you’re suffering from increased condensation, or have recently invested in efficient insulation and are worried about the lack of ventilation, then get in touch with our team of experts today for a no-obligation consultation.
We sat down with our Business Development Executive, Joe Murray, to find out a bit more about what he does in his day-to-day role, and how he’s excited for future growth at Ventilation Megastore.
My role includes the day-to-day running of the business, including following up enquiries and putting together quotes for customers. I’m also very actively involved in the growth and development of the business alongside the senior management team.
I regularly work alongside our fantastic marketing team to help distribute informative content to help to grow the firm - our aim is to be the market leader in the UK for MVHR (mechanical ventilation heat recovery) systems.
Every project is completely different! Talking through different options with our customers and coming up with the best solution for their individual needs is always interesting and exciting.
It’s also a great feeling to know that you’re genuinely saving people a significant amount of money, as well as reducing their carbon footprint - I’ve got genuine faith in all of our products.
It’s been great to watch Ventilation Megastore grow - when I first started the role, it was very much a blank canvas. We’ve put several processes in place to make the customer journey and experience as smooth and simple as possible.
The role itself has evolved too - I’ve gone from doing a lot of planning and working behind the scenes, to engaging with hundreds of customers every week, which I really enjoy. The response has been great, and we’ve received brilliant feedback which is always fantastic to hear.
My career has definitely been mainly focused around customer service - from high end restaurants in London, to selling wills. I’ve also got a background in acting and music, which I think really helps when it comes to talking and engaging with people - it’s the best part of the job.
Outside of work, I enjoy playing rugby and the guitar (not simultaneously). Explaining a black eye and a limp into the office on a Monday morning is always entertaining!
We’re at the stage now where Ventilation Megastore is growing almost on a daily basis! From my perspective, there’s been a couple of reasons for this. I really wanted to focus on making the process as simple as possible, as at first glance, MVHR can seem a little daunting if it’s not something you’re familiar with.
In reality, it’s a lot simpler than people may think, and it’s about explaining things as simply as we can to our customers. We explain things in a way that you don’t need an engineering degree to understand, which I think has helped customers feel at ease and know exactly what they’re investing in with our products.
People are a lot more economically and environmentally conscious these days, and are actively seeking solutions to lower their carbon footprint and reduce their high energy bills. It’s great to be able to help them with both of these things, via such a simple, affordable solution!
Ventilation Megastore really is growing at a great place. In a year’s time, the plan is to have a larger, dedicated team to provide a great service to even more people across the country. We want VMS to be the very first port of call when people think about MVHR, and we’re definitely heading in the right direction to achieve this. It’s really exciting to be a part of at the beginning of it all.
Do you want to find out more about MVHR and how it can benefit you? Get in touch with Joe and the team today for information.
Everyone is aware of outdoor air pollution and the harmful effects that it can have on humans, but the dangers from indoor air pollution can be equally as damaging - especially for households with children or older people.
High-quality indoor air is absolutely crucial to our health. As we spend a significant amount of time indoors in the UK (especially in winter!), it’s imperative that we don’t expose ourselves to harmful substances while doing so.
Indoor air pollution includes dust, dirt or gases that are within the air inside buildings, such as homes, offices or schools. In its simplest terms, it refers to any contamination of the air indoors.
You’ll probably have noticed when your home feels stuffy, humid or dusty but you might not realise that there can be serious consequences if you allow pollutants to build unchecked.
Most indoor air pollutants are small enough in size to enter your lungs, and can make symptoms of a lung condition (such as asthma) significantly worse.
There are many different types of indoor air pollution, including:
Indoor air pollution is fast becoming a more significant issue, as homes are getting even more energy efficient.
To keep your home warmer in winter, you’ve probably reduced the number of draughts around windows and doors or have upgraded your insulation. While that makes your home more energy efficient, it will also make your home more airtight, meaning that the air inside can quickly become stagnant and pollution levels will undoubtedly rise as a result.
According to Asthma + Lung UK, poor indoor air quality has been linked to many different lung diseases such as asthma, lung cancer and COPD. It’s also been linked to an increased risk of strokes and heart disease.
Although those with a lung condition are more likely to be affected, anyone can be susceptible to side effects as a result of indoor air pollution. Children are also more at risk, as their lungs are still developing - their airways are smaller, so inflammation can cause them to narrow more easily than adults.
Symptoms of poor indoor air quality include irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, coughing and sneezing, and sinus congestion. The best way to tell if your home is causing your symptoms is to keep an eye on how you’re feeling after a few hours out of the house. If you’re feeling better, it’s likely to be your house doing the damage.
The best way to quickly and safely reduce levels of indoor air pollution is to invest in reliable, efficient ventilation.
Opening windows throughout the night and day is one solution, but it will also make your home cold, and small openings won’t do much on a still day. Extractor fans are also effective in removing warm, humid air, but let out heat. They also only remove the air from a home and don’t replace it.
Mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) units are the perfect solution - they ensure that your home has a constant stream of fresh, warm air, while removing polluted air from the property at the same time. Not only that, but they also use the extracted air to warm the air that the system draws into the house, protecting the energy efficiency of your central heating.
The system works by extracting moist, stale air from the home and replacing it with fresh air from outside via a duct network. These ducts bring in clean air from outdoors, passing via a heat exchanger to warm it up on its way in.
The clever central unit will automatically control and monitor the air quality within the home, making any adjustments necessary to ensure that there is a continuous stream of ventilated air at all times in your property. Not only will it remove the pollutants, it’ll also remove any infectious particles along with it - helping to reduce illnesses and air-related symptoms in one go.
Thinking of investing in MVHR? Get in touch with our team of experts today for no-obligation consultation - we’d love to hear from you!
Condensation forms when warm, moist air cools quickly. The warmer the air in your home, the more water vapour it can hold. When the temperature then drops - usually at night - it cannot hold as much moisture, so droplets will form on cooler surfaces such as windows and walls.
Without good ventilation to keep the air circulating and remove humid air, all houses can be prone to condensation. However, these problems tend to be more present in older homes.
A warmer house will typically have less condensation because the air doesn’t reach the dew point as frequently, causing less water vapour to turn into liquid.
Newer, more modern houses are required to be more airtight and energy efficient to comply with strict building regulations. This means that these properties are likely to have more insulation, and will be better at retaining heat.
Newer homes, if built to specification, generally feature double glazing, thick insulation in the loft, and dual-skinned walls with cavity insulation. This setup helps prevent heat loss through walls, ceilings, and the roof, keeping stable internal temperatures compared to older houses.
Older homes were built when building regulations weren’t as strict, and therefore tend to have considerably lower levels of insulation throughout. This is especially the case if your home was built before the 1920s, when solid walls were commonplace, meaning there’s no insulation or airflow within the wall to retain heat and prevent damp.
Unfortunately for owners, this means that ceilings, windows and walls will be cooler, and the overall air temperature will fall faster once the heating is switched off - meaning it’s more likely that condensation will be able to form.
Without good insulation and ventilation, condensation is more likely to become a major issue in older homes - especially around windows. While modern houses have UPVC window frames, older properties typically have windows made from wood which can be permeated by water. Even if your window looks ok on the outside, there could still be rot and mould lurking beneath the surface.
Older homes can also suffer from damp build-up in walls, as moisture can soak through the paint and reach the plaster, which then can result in damp patches arising. These patches are likely to cause the plaster to crumble and encourage mould to grow. If left unnoticed, it can turn into a very expensive repair job and a serious health risk.
In both new and old homes, the best way to reduce condensation is to improve ventilation - particularly in those rooms where it is more likely to occur, such as kitchens and bathrooms.
The first step is to ensure that you have modern, effective extractor fans to remove moisture at its source and prevent it from spreading throughout the property. The most efficient types tend to be those that are motion sensored, which will start and stop on their own, depending on humidity levels.
Extractor fans are absolutely essential, but it’s also a great idea to invest in a mechanical heat recovery ventilation system (MVHR) to further improve your ventilation, while helping to keep your home warm at the same time.
MVHR units will remove the humid, moist air from your home and replace it with fresh, filtered air from outside. It’ll also recover heat energy from the property and transfer it into the new incoming air via a heat exchanger, helping to reduce those heating bills at the same time.
Are you worried about the effect of condensation on your older property? We can help! Get in touch today for a free, no obligation consultation.
If damp is allowed to develop within your home, it can result in the growth of mould and potential damage to the structure of your property. If you find damp in your home, then you must act as quickly as possible to remove the cause and prevent the issue from getting worse.
Essentially, damp is able to form when moisture soaks into porous surfaces in the home, making them saturated. The most common form of damp is condensation, which forms when moist, warm air touches a cold surface, such as a wall or window but it can also build up in other ways.
There are three main sources of moisture within a home that can result in damp:
Penetrating damp
Penetrating damp is caused by water soaking through a wall or a ceiling. It may be caused by gaps around windows and doors, holes in the roof, leaking pipes, or damage to any external walls within the property.
It is usually identified by dark stains on the walls which are caused by pigments from underlying plaster, or rust, coming through the layers of paint.
Rising damp
Rising damp is caused by water soaking up into the walls of your home through the ground, due to a lack of a damp-proof barrier at the bottom of walls. It will only affect the ground floor of a property due to the nature of how it is caused. It can best be identified by stains on the plasterwork, located approximately up to one metre above the ground.
Both rising damp and penetrating damp need to be fixed professionally as soon as possible - typically by a builder or plumber. Once resolved, you may find that you need to redecorate due to the staining it has caused.
Condensation damp
The third main cause of damp is condensation, which forms when moisture inside your home soaks into the internal walls. In a house that is poorly ventilated, humidity levels can build up quickly - causing condensation to form on walls and ceilings.
If allowed to continue over time, this condensation can soak through the paint layers and saturate the plaster underneath, leading to significant problems if not resolved quickly.
The answer to this question is yes, it can help - however, it most definitely is more of a short-term solution rather than a long-term, permanent fix. Although heating can temporarily reduce dampness in your home, you’ll always need to address the underlying cause of the damp to prevent it from getting worse.
Nonetheless, using heating to keep a property warm is still essential and highly recommended, as it can help to slow down any spreading of damp. Whilst heating your home isn’t cheap at the moment, it can actually help to save you money in the long run by ensuring that your home remains structurally sound.
Condensation damp is caused by water from the air inside your home soaking into cold walls, so by warming these walls up and maintaining heat in the property, you will reduce the amount of condensation that is able to form.
Heating can also contribute to drying out damp surfaces once the moisture source has been removed, however, it is only a good solution if you identify the cause and stop the damp from occurring in the first place.
However, there is a downside to using heating to reduce damp. Unless you can dry out an area completely, heat can also speed up the growth of mould, so it could become a double edged-sword.
You’ll also need to make sure that, once you’ve managed to dry up any damp patches or puddles, you can let the water vapour escape through good ventilation. If not, you’ll find all that vapour will settle again on your walls and windows the next time the temperature drops.
Rising and penetrating damp are both caused by physical issues with your house itself, and therefore are best being resolved by professionals - such as a plumber or builder. They will fix the source of the moisture, meaning that the damp will reduce over time and gradually return to its original state.
However, damp caused by condensation can be prevented by you, by making improvements to your home ventilation. Firstly, make sure that you’ve covered the basics - including having extractor fans installed in all bathrooms and the kitchen to allow moisture to escape.
Bathrooms and kitchens contribute to some of the moisture in your home but drying clothes indoors, leaving towels on radiators, and even breathing can also add to the airborne moisture.
By installing a whole-house ventilation system, such as a Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation unit (MVHR), this will greatly reduce moisture levels whilst keeping your home warm at the same time. They work by displacing the moist air from within your home and replacing it with fresh, heated air from outside. As a result, this will greatly reduce condensation, damp and mould.
Worried about damp caused by condensation? Get in touch with our team of professional industry experts today to find out how we can help!
During winter, most people will start to see condensation build up on their windows when they wake up in the morning. Understanding condensation is really important in order to prevent damp and mould from taking over your home, so we've put together a handy list of our most-asked questions:
Many of us often wake up to condensation on our windows in the morning, especially in the colder winter months. Overnight, the condensation will build up and can create small pools of water on your window sill and window panes.
The reason for this is because cold air can’t hold as much moisture as warmer air. Moisture settles on the coldest parts of the room, which is typically the windows. As the temperature drops overnight, the internal surface will become colder, which means the moisture will be drawn there - forming condensation.
Most of us (understandably) will turn the heating down or off overnight to save money on energy bills. This, combined with the fact that temperatures typically drop overnight, is the reason that you’ll likely notice condensation first thing in the morning.
Condensation can also be significantly worse in the bedroom as opposed to other areas of the house - but each person will expel an average of 40g of water vapour during the night too, which greatly adds to moisture levels in the air.
Condensation itself is not harmful to you, as it is just water. However, it can lead to problems that may affect you in the future if you’re not careful.
On non-porous surfaces such as tiles or windows, condensation will just remain visible and can be wiped away with a cloth. However, if it sits on porous surfaces such as wood and plaster, the moisture will be absorbed into the material, which can create a damp problem over time.
These damp patches create ideal environments for mould to grow and thrive, which can then lead to health problems. If toxic black mould is allowed to develop, it can affect the airways - causing breathing difficulties and worsening other health problems such as asthma.
If black mould appears in your home, it’s important to get rid of it as soon as possible to prevent it from spreading even further. We’d recommend hiring a professional to do this, as inhaling the spores can be dangerous.
The simple answer to this question is yes - if you notice condensation on your windows, tiles or window sills, then it’s advisable to wipe it off as soon as you notice it to prevent damp and mould patches.
If you have wooden window sills and frames, it’s definitely recommended, as the condensation could lead to permanent damage if left alone. To do this, we’d advise using an absorbent, reusable microfibre cloth to soak up the water and reduce smears in the process (as no one wants extra cleaning to do!).
If it’s a warmer, sunny day, and your house doesn’t have wooden window frames or sills, then it’s not always necessary to wipe off the condensation. The heat from the sun will likely encourage the wet patches to evaporate by themselves.
It's always best to open a window if it’s not too chilly to prevent the moisture being trapped inside your home. Many more modern houses now have small vents installed within the windows, which can help to expel moisture from the house without letting in too much of the cold air in the process. However, this will make your home colder and the small trickle vents only have a minor impact.
Whilst wiping the condensation will help in the short term, preventative measures are always the best way to combat excess moisture for good.
By keeping your home warm during winter, you can reduce condensation and damp. The best way to do this is by programming your thermostat - according to British Gas, the ideal home temperature is between 18 and 21°C. Typically, bedrooms should be on the cooler end at 18°C, with living areas slightly warmer at 20-21°C, depending on your personal preferences.
By ensuring an adequate amount of heating within your home, you can prevent internal surface temperatures dropping too significantly, which will reduce the chances of condensation forming. Bear in mind that if you have poor insulation or single-glazed windows, it’s worth considering upgrading these - as it will be a major contributor to the property’s heat loss.
Opening windows can significantly contribute to reducing moisture levels within the home and increasing ventilation, as it will allow fresh air to enter the property and humid, moisture laden air to escape.
Breathing is one of the main causes of condensation, so if you’re using a room frequently, it’s worth cracking open a window. However, in colder winter months, this can be tricky - as homeowners are understandably reluctant to open windows when they’re spending so much money on heating bills.
Always make sure to use extractor fans when in the kitchen or bathroom to allow moisture to escape this way, and consider opening windows when you’re having a bath or shower - with the warmer air being produced by the hot water, it shouldn’t make the room unbearably cold.
If you’re reluctant to open windows and let the heat out, then read on to learn more about an effective, alternative fix!
As we’ve said, the best way to combat condensation, damp and mould is by increasing the ventilation within your home to allow the moist, humid air to escape, and let fresh air from outside enter the property. But how can you have good ventilation without making your house cold?
A Mechanical Heat Ventilation Recovery (MVHR) unit is the perfect solution.
MVHR is a relatively simple system, allowing fresh air to circulate in and stale air to circulate out. This process not only maintains air quality but also promotes energy efficiency and sustainability too. It operates by recovering the heat from extracted air and using it to heat the fresh air that is circulated into your home.
The MVHR system extracts stale, moist air from the interior spaces of a building, such as kitchens, bathrooms, and utility rooms, and replaces it with clean, fresh air from the outside through a duct network that runs through the entire building.
Find out more how these fantastic, innovative systems work in our blog.
Interested in investing in MVHR to improve your home and reduce energy bills? Get in touch with our expert team today for a free, no obligation consultation.
The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the need for good, solid ventilation in buildings to help reduce the transmission of disease. As a result, many businesses and households have now invested in it to increase airflow and remove germs from the air.
As experts in ventilation, we’ll explain exactly what it is, how it reduces the spread of viruses, and why now is the perfect time to invest in MVHR.
Put simply, ventilation is the process of introducing fresh air into indoor spaces, while removing stale air. By letting in fresh air, this helps to remove air that may contain virus particles, such as Covid-19, colds and flu. Good ventilation has been scientifically linked to fewer sick days off from work or school, according to GOV.uk.
As the pandemic reminded us all, when someone with an illness speaks, coughs, sneezes or even breathes, they release small particles into the air that contain their virus. These particles can then be breathed in by others, or come into contact with their eyes, nose or mouth. Particles can also land on surfaces, and can be passed on by touch.
In poorly ventilated rooms, the amount of the virus within the air can very quickly build up, significantly increasing the risk of transmission - hence why we weren’t allowed to meet up indoors for so long during the pandemic.
By bringing fresh air in and removing the older air, this greatly reduces the chance of spreading infections. Ultimately, the more fresh air brought inside, the quicker any airborne viruses will be removed from the room.
In winter, home ventilation is often significantly reduced compared to the summer. Keeping windows and doors closed may lock in the warmth on cold days, but it also prevents good air circulation.
Winter also happens to be the season where we are most likely to catch airborne illnesses such as colds, flu or Covid-19, due to temperature fluctuation and spending more time indoors. This combination is why so many more people fall ill during the colder months.
By installing a mechanical ventilation heat recovery system (MVHR) within your home, this will help to reduce the spread of illness whilst keeping your home toasty and warm at the same time. Sounds good? We’ll explain more about how it works…
Our clever MVHR system will extract moist, stale air from your home and replace it with fresh air from the outside through a duct network. These ducts will bring in clean air from the outside, passing it via a heat exchanger, which uses the extracted stale air to heat the fresh air - meaning it’ll be nice and warm when it enters your home.
This diagram will give you a visual idea of how the system works:
The central unit of the system will automatically control and monitor air quality, and make any adjustments necessary to ensure a continuous stream of fresh, ventilated air throughout at all times. By extracting the stale air from indoors, your MVHR unit will also be removing all of the infected particles along with it - helping to prevent the spread of airborne illnesses.
Interested in finding out more about MVHR to stay well this winter? Get in touch with our team of experts today to find out more!
Insulation is a fantastic way to reduce heating bills and keep your home toasty warm - however, the more you insulate, the more you will need to ventilate!
Highly insulated properties are typically more airtight, and will therefore prevent water vapour and moisture from leaving a property.
The more you insulate a moisture-rich house, the more condensation (and therefore damp and mould) will gather inside. This is because highly insulated properties are usually more airtight, preventing water vapour and moisture from leaving the property.
By pumping out the damp, humid air, ventilation will essentially de-humidify your home, whilst the insulation keeps you and your family warm and cosy. Rather than working against each other (which is definitely a myth), they go perfectly hand in hand. With both installed, your home will stay dry and energy efficient by ensuring a constant, comfortable temperature for your household or office environment.
Mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) systems are becoming increasingly popular in the UK, particularly purchased to be paired with efficient insulation solutions - such as SuperFOIL Insulation.
Every home will come fitted with extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms as standard, which is your basic defence when it comes to ventilation (but unfortunately, just not enough with modern insulation). Whilst an extractor fan will use the fan to propel air from a room to the outside, MVHR systems will replace the extracted air instead - with fresh, filtered air from outside.
This fresh air is also heated as a result of the systems’ heat recovery function - which means that MVHR will also help to contribute to retaining the warmth of your abode, working in partnership with your insulation.
Not only will an MVHR unit dramatically reduce dampness and condensation, it will also remove other allergens within the air - such as dust, pollen and germs, which also helps to reduce airborne illnesses and hay fever too. Your home is kept cleaner, fresher and more comfortable all year-round - not just in winter months.
In simple terms, yes! MVHR units are suitable for all types of property - both residential and commercial premises. Depending on the size and type, the way that the system is set up may vary, but it can be done.
The unit itself is compact and easy to conceal, typically installed in the loft, on an exterior wall, or in the ceiling cavity - meaning that it is mainly out of sight. Our team of experts will advise you on the best location to suit your home or office, in order to best optimise the flow of fresh air throughout the building.
It’s usually best if the inlet and outlet are fitted in separate rooms - for example, the air will be extracted from the kitchen or bathroom, while the inlet may be located in the bedroom or living area.
In terms of noise - there is virtually none! Our units produce as little as 29 decibels of sound, which is quieter than a whisper, and just slightly louder than a ticking watch. Even the largest of domestic units will only produce 41 decibels, which is the same as a typical refrigerator. As the units are typically installed in the roof space or outside, you won’t hear anything in your living area itself.
With some help and guidance from our knowledgeable team, most people with basic DIY skills can install an MVHR system without having to pay a professional. If you are however concerned and would rather someone else do it for you, then most plumbers, electricians or heating engineers are more than capable.
All of our devices come with a detailed instruction manual, with our MVHR experts just an email or phone call away if you need to ask any questions.
Interested in finding a ventilation unit to go alongside your effective insulation? Get in touch today!
The cold, wintery weather often tempts homeowners to try and preserve as much heat as possible inside their homes, which means that moisture-laden air produced by everyday activities has nowhere to escape to, with windows and doors (understandably) remaining closed.
Unfortunately, due to the large difference in temperature between the cold exterior and warm interior of your home, houses are much more prone to condensation and damp in the colder months. However, there is a solution to keep you warm whilst preventing condensation from forming…but before we explain, it’s important to understand what causes condensation and why it’s a problem.
There are several different causes of damp and condensation in winter - with each of your efforts to keep your household warm likely contributing.
In order to preserve as much heat as possible, homeowners are a lot more likely to keep their windows and doors closed during the winter months. Unfortunately, this ensures that any moisture created throughout the day - such as from showering, washing, bathing or cooking - will remain trapped inside. As a result, the moisture in the air will then be able to condense and settle on surfaces.
People also tend to invest in draught excluders for the winter months to keep any chilly air from the outside that may slip through gaps and into the home. This also means that any interior humidity and moisture won’t be able to escape through these ‘plugged’ gaps, and will be confined to the building.
In winter, you’re much more likely to have your traditional heating systems on full blast, such as fires and radiators. Whilst it keeps your household warm, it also results in increased water vapour in the air, which can then condense onto cooler surfaces such as windows.
Although you may think that condensation is more of an annoying inconvenience to deal with, it can actually cause major problems to your home if you’re not careful.
If causes of damp and condensation are not addressed, it can cause substantial damage to properties and may even result in a hefty bill to replace any affected plasterwork, window frames and door frames. If allowed to damage wooden frames, the fibres within the wood can spread apart, allowing more moisture to soak in - which may then freeze, causing the wood to split.
Treating wood rot is not an easy task, and will often require a professional to carry out expensive remedial works. Condensation can also result in peeling paint and plaster, which again, is not easy to fix and can cause homeowners some serious problems - especially if you ever want to sell up and move home.
Damp and condensation also lead to mould and fungus, which can be a serious health risk.
Luckily for all homeowners, there IS a simple solution to staying warm, whilst also keeping moisture and humidity in your home to a minimum.
At Ventilation Megastore, we are experts in providing Mechanical Heat Recovery Ventilation (MVHR) for your home - allowing you to have access to fresh, filtered (and heated!) air.
An MVHR system will remove the moist, humid air from your home and replace it with fresh, filtered air from outside. Heat energy from the property is also recovered, and then transferred to the fresh incoming air via a heat exchanger - meaning that the fresh air is also heating your home too, which is vital in the colder months (and will save you money on those heating bills!).
By removing the moisture laden air from your house before it has a chance to settle, this will dramatically reduce any dampness and condensation from occurring, whilst allowing you to keep those windows and doors firmly shut.
Are you interested in investing in an energy-efficient MVHR unit? Get in touch with our team of experts today for a free consultation.
If you do not take the correct steps to prevent condensation and dampness in your home, you may find that mould has started to grow on your walls, windowsills and ceilings. Mould patches look unsightly, but they can also be a potential hazard to your health too.
Mould spreads in the form of microscopic spores, which are small and light enough to be carried through the air. These spores are present in low concentrations almost everywhere, but will cause the most damage if they are able to land on a damp surface, and are not then moved on by ventilation.
If your bathroom, en-suite or kitchen is poorly ventilated, you may start to see mould develop in small patches on the walls, ceilings, and around windows. These are the typical locations that condensation is lightly to occur, creating a damp patch for the mould to thrive in.
Once the mould is then established, it will continue to grow at a quick rate. When the mould patches ‘mature’, they will release spores, which can then encourage the mould to spread quickly around your home and be breathed in by anyone who lives there. If left untreated, larger amounts of spores will be released, which can start to cause harm.
Any mould in the home is not ideal and should always be removed as quickly and safely as possible, to prevent it from spreading. However, there are certain types of mould that can potentially do more damage than others - including toxic black mould.
Black mould is also known as Stachybotrys chartarum, and will grow and spread on materials as a result of warm temperatures and moisture-laden air. It can be particularly harmful to those who have allergies, as allergy symptoms can be triggered by the black mould spores in the air.
Allergy symptoms will occur when your immune system becomes hypersensitive to these spores, causing inflammation and irritation to the eyes, nose and lungs. If you have a weakened immune system, black mould exposure can also cause a fungal infection in your airways or other parts of the body - so it’s really important to prevent it from appearing if you can. Whilst it rarely causes very serious illnesses or death, it can be harmful to those who are more vulnerable, such as asthma sufferers and the elderly.
If you do spot any mould (black or otherwise) in your home, it’s important to get rid of it as soon as possible. To learn how to do this safely, visit our recent blog (insert link to blog on how to fight mould).
The only way to truly prevent mould permanently is to completely remove the conditions that allow it to get a foothold in your home, i.e. reducing dampness, humidity and condensation.
Moisture being released into the air from poorly ventilated kitchens and bathrooms will generate the condensation, which then kickstarts damp and mould. Ensuring that you have sufficient airflow within your home will help to remove moist air before water vapour can settle and soak into surfaces. To generate this airflow, you need ventilation.
The most simple ventilation (that should be fitted as standard in your home) is an extractor fan, which should always be switched on whilst bathing, showering or cooking. Whilst it is effective in removing moisture-laden air, you shouldn’t rely on it alone.
Whole-house ventilation systems are the most effective, efficient way to get rid of mould in your home permanently. By bringing in fresh, filtered, heated air from outside and pushing out stale, moist air from inside, this dramatically reduces condensation, damp and therefore mould. And because they can be left on to quietly and efficiently operate 24/7, you won’t be waking up to find condensation on the windows.
Interested in a ventilation system?
Get in touch with our team of experts today!
There are many different reasons why your bathroom may be stuffy and humid, with one of the most common culprits being damp and mould, which thrives in moist environments.
Damp in bathrooms can cause potential damage to your home’s structure, as well as creating a breeding ground for nasty smells. Most damp and mould patches that form on bathroom walls and ceilings are caused by high humidity levels, resulting in condensation forming.
Not to worry though! We have some simple solutions to help to restore your bathroom into a fresh, safe environment for you and your family.
If you’ve found a damp or mould patch in your bathroom, you need to firstly figure out where it’s coming from and why. Most of the time, damp and mould is caused by condensation, but it can be caused by leaking pipes too.
The best way to tell the difference between the two is how it looks. Look for any stains on the walls or ceiling, as this could be a sign of leaking water. If the damp patch is brown or beige in colour, it is likely to be a result of a leaking pipe or hole which should be repaired by a plumber as soon as possible.
However, if your damp patch is without a stain and has mould growing, it’s much more likely that it’s caused by condensation. If this is the case, improving ventilation is the most effective way to stop condensation in its tracks.
Condensation in your bathroom is caused by steam, which is produced when you have a shower or bath. If your bathroom is poorly ventilated, the water droplets in the steam will quickly condense onto colder surfaces such as walls, ceilings and mirrors.
You should always make sure that your bathroom extractor fan is on throughout your bath or shower, as this will help to reduce humidity by removing moisture-rich air and transporting it outside of the home.
Whilst extractor fans are effective, you will often still find that you’re battling condensation even with the fan in use - which is where ventilation systems come in….but more about that later!
Ventilation is the most effective way to reduce condensation and damp, however, there are some additional steps you can take to help too:
Wipe down your surfaces
Ventilation is fantastic at removing moisture within the air, however, it cannot expel any condensation that has already formed on walls, ceilings and mirrors.
You can help with this by wiping down all surfaces with condensation after your bath or shower using an absorbent cloth, a towel or a squeegee.
Keep your door closed while in the bath or shower
By keeping your bathroom door shut whenever you’re in the bath or shower, this will prevent the moisture-laden air from escaping into other parts of your home, as this could cause mould in other areas too - which is the last thing we want!
Open those windows
If you can cope with it (not easy in colder months we know), then try to have a window open whilst you’re bathing and for a while afterwards. This will work hand-in-hand with your extractor fan to prevent the chance of mould spores from landing and growing.
Wash your towels and bath mats regularly
Shower curtains, bath mats and towels can quickly become a breeding ground for mildew and mould. Make sure to wash them regularly - at least once a week - to help prevent this from happening.
Don’t leave your towels on the floor after your bath or shower, as mould can start to multiply in as little as 24 hours.
Ultimately, the best way to battle nasty smells in your bathroom is to invest in an efficient, effective ventilation system.
A mechanical heat recovery ventilation (MVHR) system will extract stale, moist air from the interior spaces of a building, such as bathrooms, and replace it with clean, fresh air from the outside.
The system will pull in fresh air from outside and pass it through a heat exchanger, whilst using the extracted stale air to heat the fresh air. This process warms the incoming air, meaning that you’ll save money on heating bills in the long run too.
Get in touch with our friendly experts today for more information.
Unfortunately, mould and damp can be common in private rental properties, usually due to a lack of ventilation.
If you notice mould occurring, it is important to firstly report this to your landlord - as it is something that they should be aware of and should actively try to resolve to prevent it becoming a health hazard.
By informing them at the earliest opportunity, you’ll give the landlord the best chance of tackling the problem and identifying the cause before it takes hold.
Make sure to keep a record of where the damp/mould is, whether it is worse when you take a bath/shower for example and the temperature of your home. Don’t forget to take photos too, as this can help to determine the best solution.
Once you have reported the mould in your property (and taken pictures!), it’s important to get rid of it quickly to reduce the chances of it causing health problems for you and your family.
You’ll firstly need to ensure that it’s not toxic black mould, as this should only be removed professionally for your safety.
Once you’re happy that it’s safe to clean, purchase a fungicidal cleaner or make your own by diluting bleach with a ratio of 1:6 with water. Always remember to wear safety protection whilst cleaning too, such as gloves, a mask and glasses.
Spray your cleaner on the area and leave it for a minute or two to work, before wiping away with a clean cloth. Rinse the cloth regularly, and keep changing the water. Once you’ve finished, make sure that the cloths are washed on a hot cycle to remove all of the germs!
Condensation causes damp and mould to form, and is most commonly found in kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms due to the higher levels of moisture.
If your property is free from mould, then here’s our advice to make sure it stays that way and keep condensation at bay:
Maintain a constant temperature
Ideally, you want to try to keep your rooms between 18 degrees celsius and 21 degrees celsius when the temperature outside is freezing or just below.
Although your landlord is responsible for providing adequate heating that is as efficient as possible, you’ll need to ensure that you’re playing your part too, in order to maintain the heat levels in colder winter months.
Ensure that it’s well ventilated
Ventilation is absolutely essential to reducing condensation, and therefore damp and mould as a result. It’s a good idea to open windows on opposite sides of the property whenever you can to make sure there’s a good flow of air throughout.
Try to open windows after a bath or shower to ensure that fresh air is getting into the property, and not just trapping in the moisture. Similarly, if you’re drying laundry inside, keep a window or door open in that room. When cooking, try to cover your saucepans to reduce the amount of steam escaping.
Landlords are legally responsible for treating some damp problems - mainly those that relate to either repair problems, structural issues, or those that are impacting the tenants health.
It can be difficult to pinpoint who is responsible when it comes to condensation and damp, as occasionally, it can be down to tenants - hence why we’ve provided you with our advice to help prevent it!
Wherever possible, landlords should try to invest in preventative methods - such as whole-home ventilation - to stop the issues from developing. Here’s a list of things that you can recommend:
Improve the property’s ventilation
By installing a heat recovery ventilation system to ventilate the whole property, this will combat condensation and the associated health risks with mould, plus improve efficiency and energy bills in the long run.
Investing in an efficient ventilation unit will likely save a landlord money too over time, as it will reduce any chances of severe structural issues caused by dampness. You will also be happier, as they will be living in a mould-free, more environmentally-friendly home.
Damp defence options
There are many products on the market that will help to fight and prevent damp from occurring - such as anti-mould washes and anti-mould paints. Anti-mould paints can be used to prevent mould returning, and are a great idea for rental properties.
Invest in good insulation
Since 2018, it became a requirement for all rental properties to have a minimum energy performance rating of E. By improving insulation, landlords can not only help to comply with this law, but also keep the property warmer.
This in turn will encourage tenants to open windows and allow fresh air in, as the warmth will enable them to do so. For sustainable insulation, visit our partner company, SuperFOIL Insulation.
Are you a landlord looking to invest in ventilation? If so, get in touch with our team of experts for free, no-obligation advice.
Many people may not be aware just how much of an impact that poor air quality has on increasing illness. According to Asthma + Lung UK, poor indoor air quality has been linked to lung diseases like COPD, lung cancer and asthma, as well as an increased risk of heart disease and strokes.
Respiratory illnesses are often triggered by allergens that are present within the home, including dust, mould spurs and the products of house dust mites. This can also result in headaches, dizziness and fatigue - plus the irritation of the nose, eyes and throat.
Typically, the average person will spend approximately 70% of their time inside their home (that includes sleep), which means that it’s crucial to have a good quality of indoor air. This is particularly important if you have pre-existing health conditions and allergies because houses with poor air quality could be quite dangerous.
There are also pollutants that are caused by airborne contaminants, otherwise known as Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These are typically found in aerosols and cleaning products, but can also be released from the fabric of a building because VOCs are also present in solvents and adhesives used in construction.
There are ways to reduce the concentration of VOCs within your house, such as choosing the right products that contain fewer dangerous chemicals. However, the most effective option is to invest in whole-house ventilation, which will completely remove the polluted air and bring in fresh, clean air from outside.
Whole-house ventilation is the most effective, environmentally friendly option to improve your air quality, and subsequently, your health.
A mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) system will remove potentially dangerous, polluted air out of your home, and replace it with filtered air from outside - also ensuring that it is free from outdoor dangers, such as pollen, traffic fumes and industrial chemicals.
The added bonus of an MVHR unit is that this fresh air will also be heated, meaning that there’s no worry about your ventilation making your house feel cool (as it would if you opened a window in the middle of winter).
Whilst you can open your windows in warmer months to let in fresh air, an MVHR unit is much more effective and reliable in removing pollutants. Draughts may move the air, but only usually as far as the next room - so you’re essentially just pushing it around your house.
Of course, a key benefit of MVHR is that it doesn’t rely on the weather to be effective. The air is also filtered so that particulates such as pollution and pollen from the outside can’t get in. With good ventilation, you can rest assured that you and your family will remain safe from indoor air pollutants, all year round.
Find out more about our MVHR systems - get in touch with our team today!
A hot, stuffy house is never ideal, especially when you’re trying to sleep. If your home is well insulated, then unfortunately, it’ll also be good at keeping the summer warmth in, even when you’d rather it didn’t!
Following our most recent heatwave (and many before that too in 2023), we thought we’d share our advice on how to avoid an overheated home.
A heatwave in Britain can be very tricky to deal with, as our homes just aren’t built for such hot temperatures - they're designed to keep heat in, not out!
When the weather is hot outside, the temperature of your home will also rise, which can be very uncomfortable for you and your family. Fear not though, as we’ve put together our top tips on how to keep your home cool.
Draw your curtains and blinds
It may be tempting to throw open the windows on a hot day but by closing your curtains and blinds during the day, this will help to block out the heat from the sun. If you can, try to choose a lighter colour, as darker colours may actually add to the heat rather than reflecting it.
Choose when to open and close windows
During the day, it’s best to keep windows closed in rooms that are facing the sun, as this will let in the external heat. When the temperature drops into the evening, this is the perfect time to open them all up to allow for cool air to enter your home - hopefully aiding a better night’s sleep.
Put your extractor fans to good use
Extractor fans aren’t just good for ventilation, they can also remove some of the warm air caused by the weather too. Open up your internal doors and leave your kitchen and bathroom extractor fans running for a while to remove some excess heat - make sure to shut the doors again when you switch the fans off though.
Air conditioning
Air conditioning is great but units can use a lot of power, which can make them costly and bad for the environment. You can boost the efficiency of your system by closing windows, curtains and blinds to keep the hot air out and also prevent the cold air escaping, but you don’t need a big, expensive air-con unit to stay cool.
As well as following the above tips, you can also improvise with a wet sheet and some ice: By hanging a wet sheet in front of an open window, this will cool the warm air as it enters the home.
If you have a fan, then place a deep dish of ice in front of it - the fan will then pick up the water mist and make the breeze cool. If you don’t mind spending a little, then there are many portable, small DIY air-con units available on the market - you’ll just need ice and a power source to use them.
Select your rooms wisely
Some rooms in your house will likely be cooler than others, usually due to whether they’re in the shade or not. Downstairs will typically be cooler than upstairs, as heat will rise - so if it’s unbearably hot at night, you may consider sleeping downstairs for some relief.
The best and most efficient way to ensure that your home maintains a safe, comfortable temperature at all times is whole-house ventilation. Once installed, our high-quality units will do all of the hard work for you - purifying fresh air and circulating it through the house while extracting the hot air that rises to the ceiling.
By investing in a mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR) system, you won’t need to worry about sleeping downstairs or running your extractor fans excessively, because this will ensure that the temperature remains pleasant.
When the outdoor temperature is cooler than indoors, our MVHR systems will work in reverse. The unit extracts warm air from your home and sends it outside, bringing in cooler air from outside. By extracting humid air from inside the house and replacing it with fresh, dry air, the system will improve indoor air quality too.
The flow of cooler air means that you can keep your windows closed during the day and night, whilst still enjoying a cooler home.
Get in touch with our expert team today to find out more about whole-house ventilation.
Condensation occurs when warm, moist air comes into contact with a colder surface - forming due to temperature differences and high humidity levels. This process leads to the formation of water droplets on surfaces such as windows, mirrors, or walls.
When warm air meets a colder surface, it cools down rapidly, causing moisture in the air to condense into water droplets. Additionally, high humidity levels increase the likelihood of condensation as moisture-saturated air releases excess water vapour when it encounters a colder surface.
Understanding why condensation occurs can help you manage and prevent it from forming in your living or working environment.
Condensation can have several effects on your living or working space. Excessive condensation can lead to water damage - such as peeling paint, rotting wood, or mould growth. These issues can compromise the structural integrity of your space and affect indoor air quality.
Additionally, mould and mildew thrive in damp environments caused by condensation, which can pose health risks such as allergies and respiratory problems.
To prevent condensation and its associated problems, consider the following solutions:
1. Proper Ventilation
Ventilation is the single most impactful way to prevent condensation and its associated problems. Adequate ventilation in areas prone to moisture, such as bathrooms, kitchens, and laundry rooms is absolutely essential, but other rooms of the house should also have ventilation so that humid air and vapour can escape.
Using extractor fans and open windows is a good first step, but whole-house ventilation systems are a simple and cost-effective way to solve your condensation problems in an instant.
2. Insulation
Insulation can be a double-edged sword in dealing with condensation. Properly insulating your space will minimise temperature differences between the interior and exterior surfaces. This helps reduce the likelihood of condensation forming on cold surfaces. However, insulation can also prevent air and water vapour from escaping. The best solution is to improve insulation and ventilation, hand-in-hand.
Looking for effective, efficient insulation? Check out our partner, SuperFOIL.
To prevent heat from being lost through the ventilation and to improve the energy efficiency of your home, heat recovery ventilation systems (MVHR) will help to push the vapour out and keep the warmth in.
3. Control humidity
Dehumidifiers can help to maintain optimal humidity levels in specific areas but dehumidifiers are not as effective or as efficient as most types of ventilation. A dehumidifier can be used to complement the work of ventilation systems but they shouldn’t be thought of as a long-term solution.
As well as the steps above, you can also reduce condensation by monitoring indoor plants, drying clothes outdoors when possible, and ensuring you have good ventilation when doing activities that generate excess moisture, such as exercising or cooking.
By understanding the causes and effects of condensation and implementing preventive measures such as proper ventilation and humidity control, you can create a comfortable, condensation-free environment.
Is your space suffering from condensation? Ventilation Megastore is here to assist you. Feel free to get in touch with our team for further guidance.
Mould on your walls and windowsills is not only nasty to look at, but can be a potential danger to your health if not removed quickly. By removing mould as soon as possible, you’re reducing the risks of it spreading even further throughout your home.
It’s also important to consider the longer term solutions too, taking the correct preventative steps to stop the mould from growing in the first place.
As experts in ventilation, we’re sharing our top tips on how to eliminate mould from your home.
Essentially, mould is a fungus that grows on damp materials, and feeds off moisture for its growth. There are many different types and colours of mould - including black, green, brown, grey and white.
Mould reproduces from tiny spores, which float through the air and deposit on the surfaces in the home - most typically, in bathrooms and kitchens. With the right moisture, nutrients and temperature conditions, these spores can form new colonies of mould and spread rapidly.
Black mould is the most damaging of all, as it is the most hazardous to your health. Its spores can trigger an allergic reaction in your immune system, such as coughing, sneezing, irritated eyes and congestion. Those with weaker immune systems, such as the elderly and young children, are at a higher risk.
It’s worth mentioning before you begin, that you should only attempt to clean the mould yourself if you are confident that you have not had an allergic response to it, as this could make your symptoms significantly worse.
Additionally, if you think that your mould is toxic black mould, then this should be removed by professionals. Removing it yourself may result in you coming into contact with toxins during the process - which again, can be seriously damaging.
Once you’ve established that it’s not black mould, you’ll need to pick up a fungicidal cleaner to spray onto the mould directly to kill it off. Most supermarkets or home stores will sell these, making them relatively easy to get hold of.
Examples of suitable products include:
If you’re struggling to find where to buy, start your search at online shopping sites such as Amazon, supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsburys, or home stores like Screwfix.
Household bleach can kill mould on non-porous surfaces like tiles and sinks but, unlike the products above, it doesn’t work as well on porous surfaces such as wood or drywall.
Before you start cleaning, you’ll need three items - your mould spray, two cloths and a bucket of warm water.
When cleaning mould, it is very important to follow the instructions on the pack and this may mean wearing the appropriate protection - such as gloves, eye protection and a face mask if you can, to prevent toxins transferring onto or into your body. We also recommend wearing gloves and older clothes in case you get any of the product on you by accident.
Generally, you’ll need to lightly spray your chosen cleaner directly onto the patch of mould, and wait at least a minute or two for it to work before wiping it away with your cloth. Make sure to rinse your cloth after every wipe, and change the water at regular intervals to avoid spreading more of the mould onto other areas.
After wiping away all of the mould, you’ll need to use your other (clean!) cloth to wipe down all of the walls to remove any residue from your cleaner.
To prevent any further contamination, cloths should be washed immediately after use and dried for a longer time than usual. Ensure that you firstly rinse and soak them thoroughly in bleach or sodium hypochlorite before washing.
Even by using the most effective cleaners and staying on top of any mould that appears on your walls or window sills, this won’t prevent it from returning again in the future. The only way to completely remove the mould from your home is by tackling the root cause of what allows it to grow.
The root cause of mould is the conditions in which allows it to grow and thrive - which includes condensation, dampness and moisture. With this in mind, it’s important to make sure that you have an energy efficient, modern extractor fan fitted in all of your bathrooms and kitchen - as these are the rooms that create the most moisture.
The most effective prevention method is whole-house ventilation. By installing a mechanical heat recovery ventilation unit, this will constantly bring in fresh air into your home, removing the moisture-laden air that contributes to the growth of mould.
It will also create a better airflow throughout the building - reducing the mould’s ability to settle and start to grow, as the air will be constantly moving. The added bonus is that, by using a MVHR unit, you’ll have warm air coming into the property too - reducing your heating bills.
Get in touch with our team of experts today! We can talk you through all of the options available, and help you to make the right choice for you and your family.
Ventilation in the home is absolutely key in keeping your family happy and healthy. It’s important to ensure that you’ve got suitable ventilation options throughout - in particular, in those rooms that generate the most moisture.
As well as preventing condensation, ventilation will also dramatically improve your air quality and reduce the chances of any damage to your home.
Bathrooms generate a lot of water vapour and steam. Without installing proper ventilation, this can very quickly turn into condensation and damp - not only in the bathroom, but into neighbouring rooms in the house too.
Condensation occurs when moist air, such as vapour from your baths and showers, comes into contact with cooler air. Cooler air cannot hold as much water vapour as warm air, so it will condense into liquid water - which is why you often see water droplets on your windows and walls in bathrooms.
The big problem is that condensation causes damp and mould so this is something that we want to prevent at all costs.
Damp can be difficult to get rid of once it’s set in, and can also be damaging to your health and the integrity of your home. It can cause plaster to crumble, wallpaper to peel off, and even cause wooden structures to rot. Black mould may also grow as a result of the damp, which is particularly hazardous to your health.
Ventilation will significantly help with both damp and condensation, by removing the air with increased moisture from your bathroom before it condenses back into a liquid. It will draw out the air and expel it outside of your property - allowing fresh, dry air to circulate instead.
Having ventilation in your bathroom is an absolute MUST, as these are the rooms that will naturally contain the most moisture and therefore are at the highest risk of generating damp, and latterly, dangerous black mould.
And, to put it politely, bathrooms can smell, so extracting the air from the bathroom will remove odours and prevent stinky air from spreading into other rooms of the house.
The kitchen is another key area to have ventilation installed, as moisture will be released with everything that you do - from boiling a pan of water on the hob and using the kettle, to putting on the dishwasher or washing machine - they ALL generate added moisture.
There are many ‘quick fixes’ that you can do to help, such as putting a lid on a saucepan when boiling vegetables or shutting the kitchen door, but it’s absolutely key to also have ventilation to help you out - as these fixes alone just aren’t enough.
Most households will have an extractor fan already installed that sits above the hob - which is an important aspect of any kitchen. The fan will draw steam directly away from cooking and direct it out of the house, removing the moisture. It’s also important however to have additional ventilation alongside this.
By adding in additional ventilation, you can remove moisture from other sources, such as the washing machine and dishwasher. This will remove both moisture and smells from the entire room, rather than just the cooking area. It will also help to keep your kitchen air fresh and filtered at all times because it prevents cooking smells from lingering and spreading throughout a house.
While the kitchen and bathrooms are rooms where aid should be extracted, the living areas of a home are where you’d especially notice a constant supply of fresh, clean and filtered air.
You could install ventilation into every room of the house, but you can also achieve great results by fitting intake vents in key rooms such as the bedrooms and living room and having extractors in bathrooms and the kitchen.
This would mean your house has a gentle flow of fresh air throughout the property.
Better yet, our heat recovery ventilation systems will not only ensure that the air is fresh in every room, but will also use heat exchange to recover the warmth from outgoing air to heat the fresh air coming in. This will provide warm, clean air and contribute to lowering your energy costs too.
Could your home benefit from more ventilation? Our specialists are here to help! Contact us today to find out more.
With properties becoming more air tight thanks to better insulation, more homes are seeing an increasing requirement for good, reliable ventilation. Without it, you’re at risk of pollutants building up to harmful levels.
With energy prices high, it’s important to consider the running cost of different heat recovery ventilation systems so you know what sort of costs you’re committing to.
We think that you’ll be pleasantly surprised…
Whole-house ventilation systems are designed to draw in fresh air from the outdoors and displace humid, stale air in your home - preventing condensation from forming.
There are so many benefits to investing in a ventilation unit, such as:
Heat Recovery. An MVHR system can recover up to 90% of heat in a room - meaning that stale air is removed, but heat isn’t lost! By avoiding heat loss, MHVR units play their part in enabling us to be more eco-friendly.
Efficiency. A sophisticated MVHR system recovers wasted heat and uses less energy than a traditional heating system - saving you money on your energy bills.
Air Quality. These units will extract stale air and supply clean, filtered air into the home - which is warmed using the recovered heat from extracted air. This reduces the risk of virus transmission and other respiratory diseases.
You can find out more about the benefits in more detail in our blog.
You’ll be pleased to know that these exceptionally clever systems actually have very low running costs, meaning that you can rest assured that your home is healthy - along with your bank balance!
Our typical high-speed, mid-sized ventilation systems cost as little as £208.05 to run per year - with this figure based on it being in use constantly for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the full year. If you use your system less regularly (in the colder months for example), this figure is likely to be less.
If you’re looking at a smaller ventilation system at a lower speed, then your cost would be even less - at approximately £105.12 to run the unit 24/7, all year round - The same as having a 40W light bulb on.
For a power consumption of a 40 watts/hour unit, this would work out at 0.96 kilo-watt hours per day. Multiply this by 365 days, and then by £0.30/kilowatt-hour (the current average energy price), and will give you our figure of £105.12.
This would be based on your MVHR having a power consumption of 40 watts/hour and electricity costs of £0.30 per kilowatt-hour - with the unit running on a permanent basis.
Using our calculation, you can then work out what it’s likely to cost you - based on the specific unit you’re looking at, and your own energy costs.
If you’re unsure and need a hand in working out your costs, then give our experts a call - we’re more than happy to help.
While the cost of running an MVHR system is already low, it could actually save you money when you factor in heat retention.
Traditional extractor fans or even open windows are a sure way of making your home cooler, which means your household heating will be less energy efficient. The extra cost of this is hard to calculate because it depends how windy it is outside, how far the windows are open or how many are open or how long the extractor fan is on as well as it’s output, but it’s enough to make your thermostat click on sooner and stay on for longer.
You may think ‘well, I’ve seen some ventilation running costs in past articles that are cheaper than this’ - and you’d be right! This is because we're using the current cost of energy in the Uk, which has risen A LOT over the last year. This means that ventilation unit running costs have also gone up since but it also means the money it will save you on heating bills has also increased.
Take a look at our fantastic range of economical, efficient ventilation units here.
Please note, our calculations are correct at the time of writing - July 2023.
