How to set up a ventilation system with recuperation in summer
Summer is starting, temperatures are rising and it's time to take care of the ventilation system with recovery in your home. With the start of the summer holidays, the regular regime in the house will also change. The children will stop going to school, they will be at home, or you will all go on vacation and the house will be empty. If you don't plan on traveling in the summer, you'll have to figure out how to maintain the most pleasant climate in the house despite the tropical outside temperatures.
We have prepared several tips for you on how to optimize your ventilation system with recuperation in the summer.
What to check:
1) unit setting – non-flammable season, desired temperature
2) filters
3) siphon
4) performance of the unit when the window is open
5) precooling and bypass mode
6) vacation mode setting
Correct setting is the basis
Verify that your heat recovery unit's control system is set for non-flammable season and that the required supply air temperature is reduced. Alternatively, readjust the weekly schedule according to the current situation or use the CO2 sensor.
Make sure preheat is disabled.
Check the filters and siphon
The pollen season is upon us, so don't forget to check and replace your filters if necessary. Clogged filters can overload fans and other system components, which can lead to faster wear or even failure. Some units may have higher energy consumption while others may experience reduced air flow.
If you do not have a ball siphon installed on the condensate drain from the unit, but only a hose with a loop, check the amount of water regularly. Water or a ball in the siphon is necessary to prevent backflow and unpleasant odors. If the water dries up, the siphon ceases to fulfill its function. Check that condensate drains freely and does not accumulate. A blocked drain can cause the siphon to overflow and water to leak into the space of the recuperation unit or the surroundings.
Ventilate through the window or not?
If you have a recovery ventilation system, it is usually better to leave the windows closed and rely on the system to maintain optimal air quality and temperature. Opening windows can disrupt this process and increase energy consumption, as the system will have to increase output to compensate for temperature differences. But opening the windows can provide instant and intense air freshening, especially if the weather outside is pleasant and there is a gentle breeze. This can also be useful if you want to quickly change the air in the room or get rid of high humidity or a strong smell in the interior. So feel free to open the windows, but reduce the power of the recuperation unit so that the air ducts do not get clogged with dust.
If you live near a busy road and cannot open the windows, make full use of the night pre-cooling function or the bypass function of the heat recovery unit. The supplied air will not be heated in the recuperator. Play around with the performance of the unit, the higher the flow is acceptable for you in terms of acoustic comfort, the faster you will pre-cool your home.
How to activate bypass or night pre-cooling can be found in the manual. If you are not sure, feel free to write or call us.
What (not) to do before going on vacation?
Maybe you're used to flipping the circuit breakers, turning on the faucets, and locking up before going on vacation. When it comes to recovery, we do not recommend a complete shutdown.
Instead, you can set it to a lower output, which can be a trade-off between saving energy and maintaining air quality. You can set ventilation only for night. Some modern recovery units, e.g. Atrea Duplex or Ventbox
they have automatic modes that adjust ventilation according to current conditions. If you have such a system, you have won. If your unit allows time control, you can program it to turn on and off as needed.
If you miss something, don't worry about it. Go for a walk, have a good time and it will work out somehow :).
Updated on 2/7/2024
