Getting the best out of your DVS

The need for ventilation and heating

According to BRANZ, both adequate heating AND continuous ventilation are needed to prevent excess moisture in homes causing condensation, mould and mildew problems. BRANZ (and the Consumers' Institute) make recommendations to assist in controlling condensation during colder weather. 

If indoor temperatures are not maintained at reasonable levels, even normal levels of moisture inside the home can result in condensation during colder periods, even in homes that are well ventilated by a DVS ventilation system.

In colder regions of New Zealand, owners of the Classic DVS Ventilation System may find it necessary to use a little more home heating, or to change the times of day the home is heated during colder weather, in order to balance the flow of cooler, drier air required to adequately control condensation and dampness. This is particularly so in the first few months or first winter the Classic DVS is installed. Once the home is drier, whatever home heating you use will be more effective. Owners of the G3 Reclaim Heat Exchange Ventilation System will be able to reclaim and recycle heat generated inside the home (through cooking, showers, paid heating etc) that would ordinarily be lost through the ceilings.

Most Classic DVS customers find that any additional heating required in colder winter months is more than compensated for by much less heating being required during other times of the year. This is due to the Classic DVS making use of free solar heat from the roof space on warmer days, and a drier home requiring less energy to heat than a damp home.

The warming benefits of a DVS ventilation system

Even when no additional heating is installed, many owners of a Classic DVS Ventilation System comment that their homes feel warmer, even while their heating costs remain the same or even reduce over a full year of operation. This is due to some or all of the following effects from the Classic DVS:

• Free solar heated air from the roof space which can supplement or replace normal home heating on warm or sunny days;
• Recycling of warmth trapped below the ceiling, and a more even distribution of existing heating throughout the home; and
• As the home dries out, less energy is required to heat dry air than moist air to maintain the same temperature.

The Reclaim heat exchange ventilation system offers even more warming benefits than the Classic DVS as it can actually reclaim 95% of the energy that passes through its heat exchanger. And that means you'll need to spend less on direct heating or cooling to reach the desired temperature in your home.

Home heating
  
We recommend you consider your current home heating levels and take the opportunity to also invest in additional heating if needed, e.g.

• Our new Tempervents offer a cost-effective way to warm the air that comes into your home through the ceiling vents.
• A Fujitsu Heat Pump from DVS is today’s safe, easy and economical way to keep individual rooms or your whole home comfortable all year round.
• A DVS Air-Warmer can pre-warm incoming air on cold days or nights.
• Atlantic® and NOBO® panel heaters.
• Any electric (e.g. oil column heater) or flued gas heater (not unflued LPG or bayonet fitting heaters) or solid fuel burners (e.g. wood pellet fires).

• Under-floor insulation (e.g. foil or polystyrene sheets)
• Ceiling insulation (we recommend Pink® Batts®)
• Wall insulation (e.g. when walls are exposed during renovation, or in new homes)

Find out how to achieve maximum performance from your DVS.