What is MVHR: How Can You Benefit From It?

Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery (MVHR) systems are becoming more and more popular in households across Essex and beyond. It's easy to see why too, as they not only purify your home's air, but also contribute to keeping it warm throughout the winter.

In this article, we'll explain the purpose of MVHR systems, as well as running you through their benefits. We'll also answer some frequently asked questions, helping you to gain an in-depth knowledge of what MVHR systems have to offer.

What is MVHR?

MVHR stands for Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery. An MVHR system will provide your home with fresh air, while eliminating stale air from polluted areas such as bathrooms or kitchens. It does so by using a fan, which draws in the fresh air from outside and distributes it around your home.

The heat recovery aspect of the system works when the stale air is being disposed of. The outgoing air is passed through a heat exchanger, which transfers the warmth to the incoming fresh air. This pre-warms the incoming air, which is then passed into living spaces, reducing the need for additional heating.

As a result, your household will use less energy, becoming more sustainable and lowering your monthly energy bills.

What Are the Benefits of MVHR?

MVHR systems can revolutionise your home life, with instantly noticeable benefits. Not only will it lower your cost of living, it will also lower your carbon footprint and improve your health. However, let's start with the financial benefits of MVHR.

♻ Energy Efficiency/Lowering Your Bills

The heat recovery factor of an MVHR system is a real game changer, as it reduces your reliance on your home's central heating system. By pre-warming the air that it allows into your home, certain spaces will automatically be warmed up without you having to turn on the radiator.

As a result, your home will be far better at retaining heat, making it more efficient. As we all know, high energy efficiency leads to low energy bills.

🌬 Improved Air Quality

MVHR systems filter the air that they allow into your home, removing allergens and pollutants. This is especially useful if you suffer from respiratory issues or hay fever. In fact, MVHR systems can prevent up to 95% of airborne pollen from entering your home.

Improved air quality in your home will also help to deal with excess moisture from cooking and cleaning, as well as condensation issues. Having too much moisture circulating in the air around your home can lead to mould growth and damp formations.

🧘 Comfort

It seems as though homes across Essex and the South East aren't suitable for any time of the year, becoming too cold in winter and too hot in the summer. MVHR systems will help you maintain a comfortable temperature all year round.

The heat recovery feature will ensure your home stays toasty in winter. The feature can be disabled come the warmer months, allowing fresh, cool air to enter your home when you need it most.

🌍 Environmentally Friendly

If you're looking to make your home sustainable and environmentally friendly, MVHR systems are a must-have. Thanks to their heat recovery feature, they reduce energy consumption in the home, and lower the use of fossil fuels if you rely on a gas boiler. The ventilation features remove the need for you to use energy-intensive air purification systems, too.

The fans that MVHR systems use do use up some energy, but this is offset by the energy that they save. This will help your home to have minimal environmental impact.

MVHR FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions about MVHR units to help you decide if it is the right choice for your home.

Does MVHR make your home too hot in summer?

No, MVHR systems won't make your home too hot in the summer. The heat recovery feature is excellent for retaining heat and warming up your home in the colder months, but it can be disabled. Once you disable the feature, you'll still have access to the clean, filtered air that MVHR allows for, but it will no longer provide heat to your home.

Many MVHR systems will automatically disable the feature when the outside air becomes warm, meaning you won't even have to press a button. Some MVHR systems will even have cool air features, which act in a similar manner to air conditioning units.

Can you integrate MVHR with other renewable energy systems?

Yes! MVHR systems can work perfectly alongside renewable energy solutions such as solar panels and air source heat pumps. For a start, solar panels will produce the electricity that your MVHR system needs to run on during sunlight hours. If you have solar battery storage, you will be able to run your MVHR on solar energy alone throughout the night.

The heat recovery feature on your MVHR will pre-heat the incoming air, which can be passed through your heat pump and spread across your home. This lowers the workload for the heat pump, resulting in further efficiency between the two systems.

Do MVHR systems need maintenance?

All renewable energy and home improvement systems will require some form of frequent/semi-frequent maintenance. MVHR systems are no different. The filters within the systems will need to be cleaned or replaced every six to 12 months.

This will help eliminate settled dust or debris that can be detrimental to the air quality in your home.

It's also recommended that you get your unit serviced at least once a year to make sure everything is working as it should be.

Does MVHR run 24/7?

MVHR systems are designed to run at all hours of the day and night. This ensures the continuous flow of fresh air around your home. The system will run at different settings, with a lower speed for regular use and a higher speed when the air needs replacement. For example, when you're cooking or having a shower.

How much does MVHR cost?

Different homes will need different-sized MVHR units. The average cost to have one installed in a residential property is between £3000 and £10,000. This includes the cost of the installation and the unit itself.

In terms of running costs, the unit is cheap. You can expect to pay between £35 and £150 a year, depending on the size of your unit.