New Zealand’s Healthy Homes standards are primarily concerned with insulation rather than ventilation, requiring insulation in the floor and ceiling along with at least one heating source in the house. However, insulation alone won’t solve all of a home’s problems.
An effective, efficient ventilation system is vital to maintaining good air quality and moisture levels in your home, and a holistic approach is necessary when you’re looking to upgrade or improve the health of your home; no single element can ensure optimal performance by itself. If you only have the budget for one substantive renovation, however, an effective ventilation system will likely have a bigger overall impact on your home becoming healthier, warmer, dryer, and more comfortable.
Mechanical ventilation systems are a great way for homeowners with lower budgets to make a meaningful improvement to their homes, and more and more experts are acknowledging their benefits. After years of scepticism, BRANZ finally embraced mechanical ventilation systems in late 2020, recommending that residential buildings be mechanically ventilated and built to an airtightness target.
In addition to a healthier environment, mechanical ventilation contributes to a more comfortable environment as well. By extracting moisture, humidity levels are kept within an optimally comfortable range. Also, heat recovery systems help to ensure that the temperature is even throughout the house.
As with most features in your house, there is no single mechanical ventilation system that will suit all homes. For new build houses that meet higher efficiency and airtightness targets, a Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery (MVHR) system will likely be your ideal solution, this is also known as a balanced pressure system. These systems provide filtered fresh air and extract stale, moist air. However, these systems may not be as effective in older homes that already leak too much air.
Craft Homes specialise in every system and design element that contributes to a healthier and more comfortable homes, applying a holistic approach to ensuring the best possible indoor environment, from the design stage, and work with you from concept to completion, so for more information on new build homes and home renovation please go to https://www.crafthomes.co.nz .
