4 ms·

The challenge with opening the window isn't even the cost - which is substantial - from about £250/month to £400/month if I have my windows open even a little b

The challenge with opening the window isn't even the cost - which is substantial - from about £250/month to £400/month if I have my windows open even a little bit. The bigger challenge is with my windows open, my heating just can't even keep up! It'll be maxed out and only 18c. I do the German-style luften twice a day, but if our interiors are just absorbing the compounds and releasing it when the windows are shut, then that's not even going to help much.

b112 1y ago
Get a heat recovery exchanger. https://natural-resources.canada.ca/stories/spotlight-energy-efficiency/what-s-heatenergy-recovery-ventilator-need-one https://natural-resources.canada.ca/stories/spotlight-energy...
- cameronh90 1y ago
  Indeed, but a traditional MVHR would require ductwork which isn't common in the UK and often there isn't really any space to route it. I have been investigating easier to retrofit decentralised MVHR systems such as the Prana Recuperator, Ventaxia Tempra and the Blauberg Vento. They can be noisy (not a problem for me, I don't mind noise) and quite expensive as you have to fit a number of units in different rooms, but still easier than retrofitting ducting.
- mrktf 1y ago
  It is called recuperator. If it is possible to retrofit i suggest to use mounted in attic (it will be silent). Otherwise, if you want higher quality not and these `breathing` types the box will have similar size like air conditioner (search: mitsubishi vl-100eu5-e)
- esperent 1y ago
  Good advice if you can do it, but this isn't possible for most people, for example if you're renting or you're in an apartment.
- whatevaa 1y ago
  It's not something you just add. It's a capital renovation. Requires ducting. Tons of homes don't even have ducting.
  - deleted 1y ago
    [deleted]
Traubenfuchs 1y ago
> German-style luften twice a day Das ist nicht genug und klingt ehrlich gesagt grauslich. Not German approved.
capitol_ 1y ago
Why do you need it to be cooler than 18c?
- SketchySeaBeast 1y ago
  > The bigger challenge is with my windows open, my heating just can't even keep up! It'll be maxed out and only 18c. They're trying to heat it.
- egman_ekki 1y ago
  I think they want more than 18c. 18c is pretty cold to sit in for a prolonged time.
  - lupusreal 1y ago
    At 18C I wouldn't even put on a sweater. People need to stop being so wimpy. 10C is a good target temperature during the winter.
    - entropie 1y ago
      Good that everybody is the same and when 18°C is enough for you everybody should be fine with it, even children, old people and sick ones.
      - lupusreal 1y ago
        Spindly old grandmothers can crank the thermostat. Everybody else who cranks it then proceeds to whine about the cost and air quality is being an idiot. Put on a sweater.
    - akarlsten 1y ago
      10C is a great indoor temperature if you want condensation everywhere and eventually mold, but that's a price worth paying to not be considered "wimpy" I suppose? https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/minimum-house-temperature https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/minimum-house-temperat...
hedora 1y ago
For those prices, buy an Ambient Weather base station along with this CO2 sensor: https://ambientweather.com/indoor-wireless-air-quality-monitor-aqin https://ambientweather.com/indoor-wireless-air-quality-monit... We have low-voc foam in the attic, which outgasses voc’s slowly and constantly. (They measure voc release at application time, not over the product lifetime). I started actively venting the attic a two months ago. The whole house reeked of foam for a week or so whenever the windows were closed. It’s fallen off a lot, even though the attic foam is 5 years old. I think the sponge analogy is correct. If the house is sealed, the VOCs accumulate in the atmosphere, and are reabsorbed into the foam at the rate they are released into the air. If you leave the house completely open, the outgassing will not be offset by reabsorption. I think the CO2 in our place accumulates faster than the VOCs I can smell, so opening the windows when the meter tells us to keeps the net rate of outgassing high, and the indoor pollution low. It seems like the outgassing is slowing down now. I really should get some VOC meters.

b112 1y ago

Get a heat recovery exchanger. https://natural-resources.canada.ca/stories/spotlight-energy-efficiency/what-s-heatenergy-recovery-ventilator-need-one https://natural-resources.canada.ca/stories/spotlight-energy...

cameronh90 1y ago
Indeed, but a traditional MVHR would require ductwork which isn't common in the UK and often there isn't really any space to route it. I have been investigating easier to retrofit decentralised MVHR systems such as the Prana Recuperator, Ventaxia Tempra and the Blauberg Vento. They can be noisy (not a problem for me, I don't mind noise) and quite expensive as you have to fit a number of units in different rooms, but still easier than retrofitting ducting.
mrktf 1y ago
It is called recuperator. If it is possible to retrofit i suggest to use mounted in attic (it will be silent). Otherwise, if you want higher quality not and these `breathing` types the box will have similar size like air conditioner (search: mitsubishi vl-100eu5-e)
esperent 1y ago
Good advice if you can do it, but this isn't possible for most people, for example if you're renting or you're in an apartment.
whatevaa 1y ago
It's not something you just add. It's a capital renovation. Requires ducting. Tons of homes don't even have ducting.
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]

Traubenfuchs 1y ago

> German-style luften twice a day Das ist nicht genug und klingt ehrlich gesagt grauslich. Not German approved.

capitol_ 1y ago

Why do you need it to be cooler than 18c?

SketchySeaBeast 1y ago
> The bigger challenge is with my windows open, my heating just can't even keep up! It'll be maxed out and only 18c. They're trying to heat it.
egman_ekki 1y ago
I think they want more than 18c. 18c is pretty cold to sit in for a prolonged time.
- lupusreal 1y ago
  At 18C I wouldn't even put on a sweater. People need to stop being so wimpy. 10C is a good target temperature during the winter.
  - entropie 1y ago
    Good that everybody is the same and when 18°C is enough for you everybody should be fine with it, even children, old people and sick ones.
    - lupusreal 1y ago
      Spindly old grandmothers can crank the thermostat. Everybody else who cranks it then proceeds to whine about the cost and air quality is being an idiot. Put on a sweater.
  - akarlsten 1y ago
    10C is a great indoor temperature if you want condensation everywhere and eventually mold, but that's a price worth paying to not be considered "wimpy" I suppose? https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/minimum-house-temperature https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/advice/minimum-house-temperat...

hedora 1y ago

For those prices, buy an Ambient Weather base station along with this CO2 sensor: https://ambientweather.com/indoor-wireless-air-quality-monitor-aqin https://ambientweather.com/indoor-wireless-air-quality-monit... We have low-voc foam in the attic, which outgasses voc’s slowly and constantly. (They measure voc release at application time, not over the product lifetime). I started actively venting the attic a two months ago. The whole house reeked of foam for a week or so whenever the windows were closed. It’s fallen off a lot, even though the attic foam is 5 years old. I think the sponge analogy is correct. If the house is sealed, the VOCs accumulate in the atmosphere, and are reabsorbed into the foam at the rate they are released into the air. If you leave the house completely open, the outgassing will not be offset by reabsorption. I think the CO2 in our place accumulates faster than the VOCs I can smell, so opening the windows when the meter tells us to keeps the net rate of outgassing high, and the indoor pollution low. It seems like the outgassing is slowing down now. I really should get some VOC meters.