MVHR, any noise issues?
Discussion
I’m looking to install a system as part of an extension project we are part way through, looking at the installation manuals it doesn’t look too difficult so am going to have a bash at a self install.
My one concern is that the unit will be located in the loft, are there any issues with noise if it is mounted above a bedroom?
TIA
My one concern is that the unit will be located in the loft, are there any issues with noise if it is mounted above a bedroom?
TIA
I fitted our Stork unit nearly 20 years ago - dormer bungalow. It was an ex display Starkey Systems unit - I think they went bump years ago.
The main unit is in a void off the landing. I moved the control panel from the front of the unit to the landing wall using ribbon cable so you can actually see what’s happening with it.
Pull cord switches next to the showers put it onto boost setting. The condensate from the bottom of the unit goes into the waste system in the bathroom below it via a U bend next to the outlet.
The ducting is smooth galvanised steel stuff with the junctions prefabbed in the same material with rubber seals. It’s like what you see at high level in workshops etc for dust extraction. It goes to flexible spiral wound fabric type hose for the last few inches into each ceiling vent. I can barely hear it running on its normal setting but it’s quite obvious on boost when a shower is being used. Its speed is infinitely adjustable so I’ve set its normal speed to just a tickover where the noise isn’t noticeable unless you’ve got your ear to a vent. Ribbed flexible pipe is supposed to be far noisier and it’s also not mouse proof.
Works well. Minimal condensation on windows except during sub zero early mornings and we’ve had zero mould problems. Maintenance has consisted of washing the filters every few months and rinsing the heat exchanger out maybe once a year. Eventually I reckon I’d need to open some ducting up and clean fluff and dust out, but it’s been fine so far.
The main unit is in a void off the landing. I moved the control panel from the front of the unit to the landing wall using ribbon cable so you can actually see what’s happening with it.
Pull cord switches next to the showers put it onto boost setting. The condensate from the bottom of the unit goes into the waste system in the bathroom below it via a U bend next to the outlet.
The ducting is smooth galvanised steel stuff with the junctions prefabbed in the same material with rubber seals. It’s like what you see at high level in workshops etc for dust extraction. It goes to flexible spiral wound fabric type hose for the last few inches into each ceiling vent. I can barely hear it running on its normal setting but it’s quite obvious on boost when a shower is being used. Its speed is infinitely adjustable so I’ve set its normal speed to just a tickover where the noise isn’t noticeable unless you’ve got your ear to a vent. Ribbed flexible pipe is supposed to be far noisier and it’s also not mouse proof.
Works well. Minimal condensation on windows except during sub zero early mornings and we’ve had zero mould problems. Maintenance has consisted of washing the filters every few months and rinsing the heat exchanger out maybe once a year. Eventually I reckon I’d need to open some ducting up and clean fluff and dust out, but it’s been fine so far.
Ours is also almost silent when its on.
It has "away", 1,2,3, "boost" speeds. Under normal circs it runs on 2 and speeds itself up to 3 if high humidity is detected. Boost requires manual selection so most people wont bother I am sure, but we stick it on boost for 1hr just before jumping into the shower. On Boost there is a little more noise but on the whole its still very quiet.
Rather surprisingly to me the noise is heard through the ducts rather than directly from the unit. I cannot hear the unit itself but I can hear it through the ducts. So the only advice I would give is to consider duct placement in key rooms carefully, especially the bedroom.
I am a particularly light sleeper so Ive set ours to drop to speed 1 between 10:30pm and 6:00am to remove the slightlest of hum as on speed 1 or "away" it is totally inaudible. This is harmless as the auto humidity sensor will turn the speed up again overnight regardless if humidity rises - so far it never has!
You really want the duct over near the window to further ensure zero condensation and not over the bed. In winter the air coming in can be as much as 2C lower than the air going out, but thats still proven to be at least 10C higher than the outside temp and therefore much less impactful than a trickle vent.
Duct position will be considered by your install partner, but just check bedroom vents in particular to make sure they are in a still in sensible position but at the same time as far away from the bed as possible too.
Overall I would say its a fantasitic piece of Kit. (ours is a Zehnder ComfoAir Q600ST). Worth every penny and has totally transformed this house which had a SERIOUS condensation and mould problem before we fitted it. Ive not seen any condensation at all on any window, even last week when the outside temp was -2C in the mornings. Before the MVHR the same windows would have been positively running water off them and pooling on the window sills.
It has "away", 1,2,3, "boost" speeds. Under normal circs it runs on 2 and speeds itself up to 3 if high humidity is detected. Boost requires manual selection so most people wont bother I am sure, but we stick it on boost for 1hr just before jumping into the shower. On Boost there is a little more noise but on the whole its still very quiet.
Rather surprisingly to me the noise is heard through the ducts rather than directly from the unit. I cannot hear the unit itself but I can hear it through the ducts. So the only advice I would give is to consider duct placement in key rooms carefully, especially the bedroom.
I am a particularly light sleeper so Ive set ours to drop to speed 1 between 10:30pm and 6:00am to remove the slightlest of hum as on speed 1 or "away" it is totally inaudible. This is harmless as the auto humidity sensor will turn the speed up again overnight regardless if humidity rises - so far it never has!
You really want the duct over near the window to further ensure zero condensation and not over the bed. In winter the air coming in can be as much as 2C lower than the air going out, but thats still proven to be at least 10C higher than the outside temp and therefore much less impactful than a trickle vent.
Duct position will be considered by your install partner, but just check bedroom vents in particular to make sure they are in a still in sensible position but at the same time as far away from the bed as possible too.
Overall I would say its a fantasitic piece of Kit. (ours is a Zehnder ComfoAir Q600ST). Worth every penny and has totally transformed this house which had a SERIOUS condensation and mould problem before we fitted it. Ive not seen any condensation at all on any window, even last week when the outside temp was -2C in the mornings. Before the MVHR the same windows would have been positively running water off them and pooling on the window sills.
Edited by AdamV12V on Sunday 23 November 14:48
WIth ours (a 12 year old unit), the main noise comes from the vents when it's on anything other than the standard background setting. Since the system is over the whole house, I actually make sure that it doesn't come on after 11pm as it's mildly annoying if you're trying to get to sleep.
The unit itself is in the loft, fairly quiet and you can't really hear it until the fan bearings die, and we've had that happen a couple of times now.
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