Home Ventilation Systems

Most ventilation systems are positive pressure which are designed for older NZ homes with sufficient gaps around doors and joinery that fresh air blown into the room displaces the damp, stale air

This system works effectively in older homes but more airtight homes should consider a heat recovery or energy recovery system that draws the stale air out as it introduces fresh air.

Positive pressure systems push out the damp, stale air through gaps around doors and windows in older homes (pre-2000) and positively pressurise fresh, dry filtered air in from either the ceiling space or from outside into your home.

Unlike extractors, a positive pressure system can ventilate multiple rooms and is usually used as a whole home ventilation system, particularly in homes which are not tightly sealed.

They source air from the roof space (winter) or outside (summer) and use a fan with a filter to push air into your house creating a slight positive pressure displacing existing air with fresh air. These systems are good for reducing condensation and moisture which can contribute to mould, they also reduce heating and cooling costs by utilising freely available warmth from the roof space in the daytime in winter, and outside air at night in summer for cooling. This system works effectively in older homes but more airtight homes should consider a heat recovery or energy recovery system that draws the stale air out as it introduces fresh air.

Read more about Positive Pressure ventilation systems here.

In new or tightly-sealed homes, a balanced system is needed as it removes moist, stale air while at the same time replacing it with fresh air.

Energy & heat recovery systems remove warm and damp air from living spaces and pass it through a heat recovery system (also known as a heat exchanger) to warm up dry, cool air which has been pulled in from outside.

These balanced ventilation systems have 1 fan to supply air to the home and 1 fan to remove air at the same rate - which creates gentle circulation and keeps the air filtered and fresh. There are whole home, single or multi-room solutions available. An Energy and Heat Recovery system is generally a balanced pressure system but can be configured to be either a slight positive or negative pressure system by adjusting the speed of the supply and exhaust air fans.

These ventilation systems are generally a balanced pressure system and work well in modern, tightly sealed homes and are most effective when used in conjunction with properly sized heat pumps.

These systems can be used for whole home or single room applications to maintain indoor air quality and transfer the energy of incoming supply air through a heat exchanger with outgoing exhaust air being expelled from the home.

The difference between the two is the type of material used in the heat exchanger core - HRVs are better in dry environments and ERVs are best in humid environments. Depending on your local climate zone, we can help select the best recovery system for your home.

The main component of a ventilation system is the fan. A two-vent system costs around $15 per month running continuously - that's around 2c per hour. A 4-room system costs around 3c per hour. This estimate is based on 27c/kWhr.

Our standard ventilation systems can cover 1-6 rooms using one outlet per room. Additional kits can be utilised to extend to up to 12 rooms. Note that particularly large rooms may need more than one outlet.

Most ventilation systems rely on having a roof space to run the ducting to the various rooms. If you don't have a roof space your options are limited, however some options are:

• There are through-the-wall options on a room by room basis. The SmartVent option for this incorporates heat recovery efficiency.
• There are options for skirting roof cavities.
• When renovating or replacing the roof, there are options to be able to run ducting during the construction phase.

We have a range of ventilation systems available to suit most budgets starting from $1,929 installed. The $1,929 price is for a SmartVent Lite.

SmartVent filters are recommended to be changed every 12 months for maximum effectiveness but your controller will indicate when it is necessary.

Charcoal and HEPA filters usually require 6 monthly changes.

The great aspect about SmartVent filters is that you can easily change them yourself, alternatively we offer a full filter change and service check. Read more here.

Yes, ventilation will significantly reduce condensation but not necessarily eliminate it.

A positive pressure ventilation system introduces warm and dry air to push out moist air created from cooking, showering, breathing, laundry etc.

In the majority of situations a ventilation system will eliminate condensation however in some circumstances mechanical dehumidifiers are required to complete the job.

Many reverse cycle air conditioners (heat pumps) have a dehumidifying function. We recommend you check your heat pump user guide for instructions.

It doesn’t matter how dirty the air is in your roof space, the high quality filters in the ventilation system will remove dust and any airborne particles to ensure only fresh, filtered air is transferred into your home, keeping it clean and healthy.

Dust, pollen, bacteria, smoke (from cooking) and other airborne particles are filtered by the ventilation system.

Depending on the ventilation system you have, there are filter cartridges, carbon filters or HEPA filters available. They do need changing every 6-12 months depending on the type, and are extremely efficient in preventing the spread of airborne bacteria, odours, pollutants, particles, dust, pollen and allergens. We can help, read more here.