Recommendations
Home Heating and your DVS system
The DVS system is not a home heating system,
although a drier home will improve the
effectiveness of whatever heating is used in
your home.
Some DVS ventilation system owners take the
opportunity when their DVS system is installed
to invest in some additional home heating. For
example, the optional DVS Air-Warmer can be
installed to pre-warm incoming air on cold days
or nights and prevent any slight cooling of
your home, while ensuring proper ventilation
to reduce condensation. Also DVS can provide
advice on heating requirements and provide cost
effective heater options to compliment your DVS
system.
Your consultant may have covered some of
the options available from us here at DVS or
suggested some proven methods of home
heating which are very compatible with the DVS
system. Please call us if you would like more
information.
Even when no additional heating is installed,
many DVS system owners comment that their
homes feel warmer with the DVS system
installed, with heating costs remaining the same
or even decreasing over a full year of operation.
This is not because the DVS system is directly
heating incoming air, but is due to some or all of
the following:
• More even spreading of existing heat
throughout the whole home
• Recovery of heat from the exhaust air via
the heat exchanger.
• Drier air requiring less energy to heat than
moist air to maintain the same temperature
While the DVS system may have an overall
positive impact on home heating over a full year,
some DVS system owners may find that their
homes are cooler during winter months than
before the DVS was installed. This is because,
in order to control condensation, mould, mildew
and dampness problems during colder seasons,
the DVS system must continue to bring air from
outside into your home, even when the air is
cool. The incoming air however is prewarmed by
the heat exchanger.
To offset these possible lower temperatures
in your home during colder weather, you may
need to use more heat, or change the times of
day you heat your home. As noted earlier in
this section, it is essential to adequately heat
and ventilate your home in order to control
condensation, and maintain an acceptable
comfort level.
Alternatively, you could experiment by reducing
the airflow from your DVS system (see page 6).
However, reducing the airflow may reduce the
DVS systems ability to control your condensation
– you will need to find the balance that is right
for you.
Un-flued and Bottled Gas Heating
Un-flued and bottled gas heaters generate large
volumes of water vapour, often doubling or
trebling the total amount of moisture produced
in the average home. Continued use of un-flued
or bottled gas heaters may prevent the DVS
system from being able to completely solve
your condensation and other damp problems,
although you should notice some improvement.
The impact will vary from home to home and
between different regions of New Zealand,
and will depend on the weather and seasonal
temperatures, and the extent to which un-flued
heaters are used.
If you are using un-flued gas heaters and
continue to have a problem with condensation
you may wish to investigate using other forms
of heating. Un-flued gas heaters are not a
recommended source of heating as they release
polluting gases directly into the room, excessive
water vapour and have high running costs.
Page 13