Blog Post

Which Ventilation System is Right for Me?

February 2, 2022

If crying windows & stale air are a problem in your home, it’s worth considering a ventilation system to make the air in your home fresher, drier & healthier.

The lack of natural ventilation due to air tight spaces can lead to the build-up of moisture laden stale air within the home. This is the perfect breeding ground for mould that is associated with triggering allergy or respiratory problems. But with many different options on the market, how do you choose the right solution for your home?

Types Of Ventilation

Ventilation can come in three forms; through natural displacement of air through gaps in the building, the opening of windows &doors, or through mechanical ventilation systems.

Natural Ventilation & The Building Code

To meet ventilation requirements in new build homes, natural ventilation can be satisfied by having 5% of the building area to include opening windows as required by Clause G4 of the Building Code. This requirement assumes homeowners ventilate their homes with open windows & doors regularly. However, research suggests this may not be happening as much as is necessary by occupants in order to maintain a healthy indoor air quality, in favour of retaining warmth & security. This is where a mechanical ventilation system can make a real difference.

Mechanical Ventilations Systems

The two main types of mechanical ventilation systems available in New Zealand are Positive Pressure & Balanced Pressure – but as you will see below, not all air is created equal.

Positive Pressure Roof Ventilation vs Balanced Pressure Fresh Air Ventilation

The two main types of mechanical ventilation systems available in New Zealand, these are Positive Pressure and Balanced Pressure – but as you will see below, not all air is created equal.

Positive Pressure

Typically force air in from the attic space – attic air can be stale & the build-up of dust, dirt & other contaminants such as mould, insect & rodent droppings makes this air much harder to clean through filtration before it is distributed through your home
Requires gaps in the building structure (common in older homes) to facilitate air displacement
These systems aren’t designed to recover heat, so colder air will require additional heating costs

Balanced Pressure

• Removes stale air from the home and replaces it with fresher, cleaner air from outside. Filtered fresh air improves air quality for allergy and asthma sufferers.

• Designed for more modern airtight homes.

• Recovers heat energy from the outgoing air to pre-warm or pre-cool incoming fresh air – reducing the need for additional heating.

Mitsubishi Electric's Lossnay Balanced Pressure Air Ventilation System

We recommend Mitsubishi Electric’s Lossnay Balanced Pressure Fresh Air Ventilation System, it is a patented heat recovery ventilation solution that uses fresh air (not attic air) to ventilate your home. The system works by extracting stale air from inside your house & replacing it with allergen-reduced fresh air from outside. Furthermore, Lossnay also recovers heat energy from the outgoing stale air to pre-warm (or pre-cool) the fresh air being drawn into your home. The result? A healthier & drier home to be enjoyed all year-round.

Mitsubishi Electric Air Conditioning Hi-Wall Heat Pump in Small Lounge Room

Single Room Solutions

Mitsubishi Electric’s Lossnay Single Room Range features a wall mounted model ideal for homes without roof space & a ducted model that can be installed in the roof or attic space so it is unobtrusive & hidden away.

Whole Home Solutions

Mitsubishi Electric’s Lossnay Whole Home Range features in-ceiling solutions ideal for homes with roof or attic space to accommodate the heat exchanger & ducting.

Mitsubishi Electric recently brought out a game changing Vertical Lossnay Series that features a small, upright footprint that can be placed in the garage or a utility cupboard & is not limited to an in-roof installation. It’s not only the perfect answer to retrofit projects where accessing roof spaces can be difficult, they are great for new builds with small roof cavities & those wanting easy access for maintenance, too.

Complement Your System With An Exhaust Fan For Wet Areas

Complement your system with a separate exhaust fan for wet areas such as bathrooms & laundries. While many systems—including Lossnay—can draw from moisture laden air, to get the most energy efficiency out of your heat recovery system, we recommend installing a separate Mitsubishi Electric Ducted Exhaust Ventilation Fan in wet areas such as bathrooms. While a bathroom can be warm during showers, when not in use they are often the coldest rooms in the home—so why combine that cold air to the air you are hoping to recover heat from & reduce the overall temperature you can recover? Exhaust fans do an excellent job at removing steam & moisture quickly & are turned off when not needed, saving energy use.

Mitsubishi Electric Ducted System in Lounge/Kitchen Area

Ducted Heating With Ventilation

Want to further maximise your comfort? Mitsubishi Electric Lossnay Ventilation can be integrated with a PEAD Ducted Heat Pump System offering a complete whole home heating, cooling & ventilation solution.

If you are embarking on a new build or renovation project, get in touch with The Heat Pump People team to talk about our extensive range of Mitsubishi Electric Lossnay Fresh Air Heat Recovery Ventilation Solutions & book a free in-home consultation 03 366 1823.

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