Guide to Home Ventilation Systems in NZ
Kiwis have continual interest in making both existing homes and new builds insulated for the very reason that it keeps homes warm and lowers power bills. However, the vital component to ensuring homes are warm and protect against respiratory illnesses is home ventilation systems.
Home ventilation systems substantially help to reduce and prevent excess moisture from building up in your home. Excess moisture and dampness can occur from showers, cooking, and even breathing! With the New Zealand winter climate being cold and damp, it makes it not only unpleasant to keep your doors open for ventilation but not practical. This is where a NZ home ventilation system can be the solution.
What do home ventilation systems actually do and why should I get one for my NZ home?
The amount of moisture that homes produce (yes, even new homes!) would both shock and concern you. Over the course of just one year, a family can produce as much as 3500 LITERS of damp air inside their home from everyday living such as cooking, cleaning and showering. That is almost 10 liters of harmful damp air produced everyday.
This damp air can damage your home and your family’s health as this amount of moisture can lead to condensation, mould, airborne germs, and more.
Home ventilation systems include a series of fans moving air into the house, providing continuous ventilation regardless of the weather or season. This directly maintains a healthy air quality in your home as well as removes all that excess moisture from everyday living activities.
“Home Ventilation Systems are essential for a dry and naturally warmer home”
Get a free quote
Benefits of Home Ventilation Systems in NZ
1. A Drier Home
Moisture in the air causes mould and condensation, and these can lead to higher chances of you and your family developing respiratory illnesses such as asthma. In fact, people living in homes with excess moisture, and therefore living with condensation and mould are 30% more likely to develop respiratory illnesses or asthma.
A drier home is also much easier and cheaper to heat and cool. As the cool weather sets in with winter, a higher power bill seems to be inevitable due to people turning up their heaters and putting their electric blankets to good use in an effort to keep warm. However, a preventative step in avoiding costly heating bills through warming your home more effectively is installing a home ventilation system.
You may be asking - how does a home ventilation system reduce power bills? Well, home ventilation systems can save you money as heating humid or damp air requires more energy than heating dry air because you are having to heat more water.
For example, it takes more time for wet clothes to dry if you just put it on the line, but if you put it through the dryer beforehand and then hang it out, it will dry a lot faster. Essentially, the more moisture in your home, the longer your home will take to heat up and the more power it takes to do so.
2. A Healthier Home
Your home's air quality matters as it directly impacts your health. Home ventilation systems have advanced air filters which reduce the risk of airborne viruses, mould issues and asthma, as well as other respiratory problems. This means no more mould damage on your clothes, health and home, and reduced chances of nasty winter colds and viruses for the whole family.
Research conducted by Massey University has found that home ventilation systems can significantly reduce fungal spores, moisture and carbon dioxide which makes homes drier and healthier for its occupants. People have even experienced reductions in health concerns such as headaches, allergies and eye irritations.
3. A Cheaper Home
When there is less moisture in the air, less energy is needed to heat your home. As a result, your monthly heating bills in the winter are significantly reduced, enabling a more sustainable home! Home ventilation systems also help maintain your home’s health by reducing the chances of damage from dampness or mould settling into the house. This makes home ventilation systems a smart investment for home owners, avoiding the ongoing upkeep caused by damp homes (especially in damp cities like Dunedin!)
Get a free quote today!
What is the best home ventilation system for you?
So we have gone over all the reasons a ventilation system is essential for a healthy home, but which is the best home ventilation system for your home?
There are two main types of home ventilation systems in NZ:
1. Positive Pressure Home Ventilation
Also known as roof cavity ventilation, positive pressure home ventilation is the most common type of ventilation in NZ. Using ceiling vents, a fan forces filtered air from your roof space into the house through ducting to ceiling vents.
Positive pressure home ventilation systems are more common in existing homes. They are cheaper and easier to install, but they may not save you as much money on power bills over the long run as balanced pressure ventilation systems would. This is because positive pressure systems ventilate, and don’t transfer or recover heat like that of balanced pressure systems.
2. Balanced Pressure Home Ventilation
Balanced pressure ventilation, otherwise known as heat-recovery home ventilation systems, are suitable for new builds in NZ. With two fans for two air streams, one fan retracts fresh outdoor air into the home through ceiling vents, and the exhaust fan forces an equal amount of inside air outside.
Learn more about the best home ventilation system for you - enquire today for a free Auckland or Dunedin consultation.