An MVHR unit is designed to be part of a system to help manage heat and air contaminants in your home. Typically, a proper installation doesn’t just use a single MVHR unit and appropriate ducting, but several units are installed in key rooms around the home.
In this article, we’ll cover how to choose the right MVHR unit(s) and a rough indication as to the likely costs involved too.
The MVHR Unit
An MVHR unit that is usually affixed to the wall is designed to handle a certain capacity. It depends on the relative square metres of interior space and the number of people who’ll often occupy it as to what capacity of the MVHR unit is recommended.
There is an interesting quirk with capacity here that is difficult to appreciate right away. Rather than picking one or more units to run near or at full capacity, that’s the wrong approach. Instead, a unit should only be pushed to 50 or perhaps 60 percent of its capacity. The reason is that MVHR units are less effective at the upper band.
Getting the Sizes Right
There are different sizes of MVHR units. Depending on the room size and expected occupancy, it may be necessary to install a single larger capacity unit or two smaller ones. With larger spaces, a single unit likely won’t be as effective in recovering the air to capture the heat within it. This is where two smaller units are preferable for improved performance while not pushing each smaller MVHR unit too hard. As a result, the longevity of each one when sized appropriately for space is not negatively impacted.
Talking About Costs
Of course, like most things in life, the answer to costs is “it depends”. Nevertheless, here is a rough idea to get you started.
When it comes to the MVHR cost, there are smaller and larger capacity units with different pricing. Also, some brands are believed to be superior to others. Individual units can start at around £1,000 and rise to closer to £3,000 for the more substantial options (all indication prices are excluding the UK’s VAT on sales).
However, before you even get to that, the MVHR system design is undertaken and can cost £500 to £1,000. A full MVHR system for a mid-sized home might cost between £4,000 to £8,000, with variance on the upper end depending on the size of the home, specifics of the job, and so forth.
How to Think About MVHR
There are several main benefits of heat recovery systems including a reduced energy bill, less environmental impact, and cleaner air from the filtration system. While the latter is more about creating a cleaner internal environment, especially for people with allergies or asthma to deal with, the energy bill is a financial aspect to consider.
Whilst the upfront costs are not inconsiderable and there’s no getting around that, it’s an investment in your home. The investment is recovered over the years through the savings from a reduced energy bill, especially during the cold winter months. Essentially, it pays for itself and then the cleaner air is like a bonus, which is a good way to think about it.
The people hired to complete an MVHR installation will also create an installation plan that’s sized for the specifics of your home. Therefore, they will make recommendations for you – there’s no need to become an expert on the topic.
