ventilation

A new residential range of Lossnay Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems will allow housing providers to provide clean and healthy air for the homes of their tenants.
The latest additions to Mitsubishi Electric’s renowned Lossnay range is designed specifically for the UK housing market and makes energy efficient, super-quiet ventilation accessible to even more homes.
The residential Lossnay VL-CZPVU-R/L-E is designed to extract stale air continuously and efficiently from spaces like bathrooms, kitchens, toilets, and utility rooms where air can become polluted with high humidity, fumes and chemicals.

It’s been a challenging time for social housing landlords during the COVID pandemic, especially with vulnerable residents shielding, making home repairs difficult. At the same time, landlords have seen a rise in disrepair claims made through the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018. Meanwhile, the Housing Ombudsman is investigating damp and mould issues, recognizing the particularly significant impact both can have on vulnerable residents and those with respiratory problems. Landlords have a duty of care to residents, which has become even more important with COVID. But with restrictions now lifted, social housing providers will be pleased to know companies like Airtech Solutions can help them rid their properties of mould permanently. And as we enter condensation and mould season, now is the time to address any existing problems or put in preventative measures.

Airtech Solutions, the condensation, mould and radon specialists, is supporting UK Radon Awareness Week (1-7 November 2021) by encouraging everyone to not delay and to take action. Run by the UK Radon Association, this year’s theme for UK Radon Awareness Week is ‘Don’t Delay’. In support of Radon Awareness Week, Airtech is therefore advising households, private landlords, social housing landlords and employers, ‘Don’t Delay’ learn more about radon and its health effects and carry out a radon test in your home and workplace to help protect families and employees.

Many people are still unaware that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer after smoking, posing a significant risk to lung health with 1,100 deaths each year estimated to be caused by exposure to the gas. Lung cancer diagnosis and treatment have been the most delayed of all cancers during the pandemic due to factors including overlapping symptoms with COVID-19 and shared needs from respiratory medicine services. The UK Radon Association, as part of its campaign, is therefore also advising that you should contact your GP if you’ve had a cough for more than three weeks, as well as raising radon awareness and encouraging testing.

Leading British ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia has supplied its Lo-Carbon PoziDry Compact Pro to successfully tackle persistent condensation and mould in a social housing property. The housing association selected the PoziDry Compact Pro for a flat which had mould in the bedroom and living room. The unit was chosen since it is the ideal solution for combating condensation and mould in problem properties without a loft.

Prior to the installation of the Lo-Carbon PoziDry Compact Pro in the property there was no ventilation. The unit was installed in the flat’s cloakroom and has successfully eliminated the on-going condensation and mould problem. This is not only protecting the building’s structure but will also positively impact the inhabitant’s health by improving their indoor air quality.

Designing ventilated façades for building exteriors is a popular method in modern construction which introduces a series of performance benefits for occupants – but also raises specific fire safety considerations. Will Wigfield, Product Manager – Building Envelope at ROCKWOOL UK, discusses the benefits of ventilated façades and the merits of a total solutions approach to fire safety.  

In a ventilated façade system, the outside face of a building is formed by cladding panels fixed back to a load-bearing wall, creating a cavity through which air is free to circulate. This air space does more than just prevent condensation – in summer, warm weather causes a convectional air current which helps to cool the building, whereas in winter, air in the cavity remains still and provides an insulating effect.

In addition to tenant comfort, ventilated façade constructions give designers a high degree of creative freedom to produce striking exteriors that perform as well as they look.

Newton House is a brand new Housing 21 Extra Care Living development in Penrith. It promotes independent living for people over the age of 55, with access to on-site care. The development offers 54 one and two bedroom apartments.
Newton House provides fully accessible facilities for residents and visitors. These include a restaurant, hair salon, residents’ lounge, activity room and communal gardens.
For the natural smoke ventilation system at Newton House, Dyer provided roof vents, dampers and louvres, and supplied and installed the controls in order to ventilate the communal areas.

In new build homes with precast concrete or timber suspended ground floors, controlling atmospheric moisture in the sub-floor space is normally provided by means of natural ventilators. These include airbricks or grilles of appropriate size and number and are located on opposing external walls to ensure cross ventilation. Attention to detail with sleeper walls and other obstructions in the sub-floor void is also required to ensure that the air can move freely with minimum resistance between external ventilators.

While the provision of such natural ventilation is relatively easy to achieve in new build homes, existing homes often suffer the consequences of inadequate natural ventilation of sub-floor spaces. Ventilators can become blocked over time with dirt and debris or covered when external ground levels are raised through new landscaping or patio coverings. Extensions to homes can also result in natural ventilation of a sub-floor space being negatively impacted. You only have to look at the number of mid terrace homes throughout the UK with rear extensions added with original sub-floor ventilators still visible on the front façade but with none on the rear extension to understand how this can be a problem in many dwellings. There is no way to easily naturally ventilate such a sub-floor.