Air quality

Leading British ventilation manufacturer Vent-Axia has put its Lo-Carbon PoziDry Pro™ Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) to the test in a real home environment. The PoziDry Pro was installed in a 3-bed home in Reading which suffered from an ongoing condensation and mould problem. Air quality data from before and after the PIV installation showed a sharp decline in both total volatile organic compound (VOC) levels and mould VOC levels after the system was installed, whilst also successfully tackling condensation and mould.

With the ongoing improvements to building regulations and a focus on insulating homes for greater energy efficiency the need for ventilation can be overlooked.

Adequate ventilation within the home is essential and has been shown to have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of householders.  During the last 10-15 years the requirement for whole house ventilation and recovery systems has become more prevalent.  As systems developed and designs progressed the need for through wall ventilation products increased.

Market-leading ventilation expert Vent-Axia is celebrating winning the ‘Domestic Ventilation Product of the Year’ award at the prestigious H&V News Awards. Scooping the award for its pioneering Lo-Carbon PoziDry Compact Pro, which offers an ideal solution for combating condensation and mould in problem properties without a loft, the Sussex-based company received the accolade at a virtual awards ceremony on 25th November 2020. Demonstrating the company’s design leadership in tackling the problems of indoor air pollution in the home, over a third of the shortlisted products in the category were designed by Vent-Axia. In addition, Vent-Axia’s PureAir Sense was also highly commended in the ‘Air Movement Product of the Year’ category at the awards.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently issued draft guidelines relating to Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) which will be of particular interest to UK social housing landlords. In the consultation document NICE encourages landlords to be aware of the air quality in their residents’ homes, a subject that is becoming an increasingly vital issue in the UK. The final NICE document is scheduled for publication in December but the need for improved IAQ in the home is clear.

Vectaire's Microbox 125/DC was chosen to ventilate St Peter's House and Admiral's house in Kents Road, Torquay.

Johnson & Starley offer a complete range of energy-efficient solutions for heating and ventilating - from the smallest house to the biggest blocks of flats - ensuring a warm, healthy home with clean air and a clear conscience!

Johnson & Starley’s LE155 whole house ventilation systems with heat recovery are playing a major role in the refurbishment of social housing within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Over 70 units have been installed within the kitchens of apartments in Hazlewood Tower to provide an energy efficient means of ventilating the properties, preventing condensation and combating the problem of mould growth which affects so many properties of this type built in
the 1960s.

The most recent sign of Britain’s ‘cost-of-living crisis’ is rarely out of the headlines; reports of damp and mould in social housing and privately rented properties are on the increase. A key contributing factor to this growing concern is that tenants have been struggling to afford to heat their homes to a reasonable temperature while maintaining adequate levels of ventilation.

Considered only a marginal issue for landlords up until last winter, social housing providers are now facing an increasing number of legal challenges from tenants as a result of a new condensation ‘damp phenomenon’. The problems surrounding damp and condensation, such as asthma, allergies and overall negative impact on well-being are said to be a direct result of rising energy bills and increasing levels of fuel poverty.