As continuous ventilation continues to gain momentum across the UK, Ashley Smith, Product Manager at Vent-Axia, explains why dMEV is becoming an increasingly valuable category for electrical wholesalers looking to grow sales, support installers and meet rising demand for higher performance ventilation solutions.

Demand for decentralised mechanical extract ventilation (dMEV) is continuing to rise as the market shifts towards continuous ventilation solutions. With continuous running dMEV now accounting for around one in four fans sold into the UK, the category is creating a significant opportunity for electrical wholesalers. By stocking high quality, feature-rich dMEV products, wholesalers can support electricians with advanced ventilation solutions while benefitting from growing market demand and higher-value sales.

For wholesalers, this presents an opportunity to expand product ranges and support installers with ventilation products that offer more than standard intermittent extract fans. Continuous-running dMEV units are increasingly being selected by electricians and households, creating ongoing demand for products that combine energy-efficient performance, quiet operation, improved indoor air quality, and straightforward installation.

As installers look to offer customers improved ventilation solutions, wholesalers that stock reliable and innovative dMEV products are well placed to become trusted supply partners while increasing basket value and counter sales opportunities.

Higher value sales

Stocking premium dMEV products allows wholesalers to help electricians upsell more advanced ventilation solutions to customers. Products offering intelligent controls, quiet running and improved IAQ provide clear differentiation compared to more basic extract fans, helping installers secure higher-value projects, offering an upsell or spec-break opportunity.

For example, the Vent-Axia Lo-Carbon PureAir Cleanse has been designed as a next-generation continuous-running dMEV that combines premium performance with a competitive trade price. This creates an attractive over-the-counter sales opportunity for wholesalers looking to offer electricians a feature-rich ventilation solution that is easy to recommend and install, with the quality, reliability, and innovation installers expect.

As consumer awareness of IAQ continues to grow, products that provide healthier indoor environments are becoming increasingly attractive. The PureAir Cleanse delivers continuous, energy-efficient ventilation while operating at near-silent noise levels, helping improve comfort within the home. Its sleek, modern circular design also gives installers a product that is visually appealing as well as high performing.

Driving added value

For wholesalers, stocking advanced ventilation products can help increase sales opportunities and provide electricians with clear upgrade paths for customers.

The PureAir Cleanse range, for example, includes models with humidity control, timer and integrated IAQ sensing, allowing electricians to choose solutions suited to different property requirements. Features such as these enable wholesalers to offer products across multiple price points while supporting customers looking for enhanced functionality.

Vent-Axia’s PureAir Cleanse is also the industry’s first dedicated continuous-running dMEV to feature an integrated IAQ sensor. Combining intelligent humidity control with advanced air quality sensing, the unit can detect, measure, and respond to chemical pollutants, specifically total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs), which are commonly generated through everyday activities such as cooking, cleaning and showering.

When pollutant levels increase, the fan automatically boosts extraction rates to help maintain healthier indoor air conditions. For wholesalers, innovations such as integrated IAQ sensing create strong sales opportunities by providing installers with a premium, technology-led ventilation solution that addresses growing concerns around air quality and occupant wellbeing.

Comfort

Quiet operation is another increasingly important consideration within the residential ventilation market. Homeowners expect ventilation to operate effectively without causing disruption, particularly within bathrooms and living areas.

The latest dMEV products are therefore designed to run almost silently in the background while continuously maintaining airflow. The PureAir Cleanse, for example, features intelligent control logic that adjusts airflow smoothly and proportionally, helping reduce unnecessary noise and nuisance tripping.

Additional features such as patented delayed comfort control and intelligent light-switch logic further improve household comfort by helping minimise disturbance during night-time bathroom use. These types of features provide wholesalers with additional selling points when supporting installers and contractors looking for premium ventilation solutions.

Installation

Ease of installation remains critical for electricians, making installer-friendly design an important factor when wholesalers select ventilation products to stock.

Products that simplify installation and commissioning can help reduce time on site while improving installer satisfaction and repeat purchases. The Vent-Axia PureAir Cleanse has been designed with this in mind, offering quick installation alongside high-pressure development and a silent mixed-flow impeller that allows the unit to meet the requirements of many domestic applications without requiring a traditional centrifugal fan.

Additional features including flexible wall and ceiling mounting, compatibility with low ceiling voids, an IPX5 rating and simple speed adjustment controls all help streamline installation and commissioning.

Additional information can be found here

Find more industry features here

The post Why dMEV is a growing sales opportunity for electrical wholesalers appeared first on Professional Electricians Wholesaler.

Ruth MacEachern, Product Manager at EnviroVent discusses PIV and MVHR and choosing the right ventilation strategy for healthier indoor environments

As awareness of indoor air quality continues to grow in line with new regulations like Awaab’s Law, ventilation is no longer viewed as a “nice to have” but a fundamental part of delivering healthy, compliant living spaces. Homes today are more airtight than ever, which brings energy efficiency benefits but also increases the risk of trapped pollutants, excess moisture, condensation, and indoor air quality issues if ventilation isn’t properly addressed.

Two of the most commonly specified whole‑house ventilation approaches in UK homes are Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) and Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR). While both are designed to improve indoor air quality, they work in very different ways and suit different property types and scenarios.

Understanding how each system functions and where it performs best is key to ensuring the right solution is specified for each home.

How PIV works

Positive Input Ventilation is a whole‑house system that works by gently supplying filtered air into the property, typically from the loft space. This continuous input of air creates a slight positive pressure inside the home, which helps to push stale, moisture‑laden air out through natural leakage points such as trickle vents, air bricks and gaps around doors and windows.

Rather than extracting air mechanically from individual rooms, PIV focuses on dilution and displacement. Pollutants such as excess humidity, odours, airborne allergens and everyday household contaminants are gradually forced out and replaced with filtered air.

Because the air is introduced at a low flow rate and filtered before entering the living space, modern PIV systems operate quietly and unobtrusively, providing background ventilation without relying on occupant interaction.

The indoor air quality and health benefits

PIV can play a particularly valuable role in reducing condensation, damp and mould, which remain some of the most common indoor air complaints in UK housing. Excess moisture generated from everyday activities such as cooking, showering and drying clothes can quickly build up in poorly ventilated homes, creating ideal conditions for mould growth and dust mite proliferation.

By constantly introducing drier external air, PIV helps to stabilise humidity levels across the entire dwelling, reducing surface condensation and limiting the conditions mould needs to thrive. This, in turn, supports better respiratory health, especially for occupants affected by asthma, allergies or other breathing conditions.

Unlike intermittent extract fans, which depend on manual operation or occupancy sensors, PIV systems run continuously, maintaining consistent air movement and improving overall air freshness throughout the home.

When PIV is the best option

PIV is particularly well suited to existing homes and retrofit scenarios, where installing a ducted ventilation system may be disruptive or impractical.

It is commonly specified in:

• Older properties with limited or inconsistent background ventilation
• Homes experiencing condensation or mould but without major structural defects
• Social housing and private rental properties where minimal disruption is important
• Occupied homes where residents need an immediate, low‑maintenance solution

Because installation requirements are relatively straightforward, PIV offers a cost‑effective and scalable way to address indoor air quality issues across large housing portfolios. Its simplicity, reliability and ease of upkeep make it a popular choice where a quick improvement in living conditions is required.

However, it’s important to recognise that PIV relies on the building’s natural leakage paths to expel air. As housing stock becomes increasingly airtight, this is where alternative strategies may be more effective.

Introducing MVHR

Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery operates on a fundamentally different principle. Rather than supplying air into the property and allowing it to escape naturally, MVHR systems extract stale air from wet rooms such as kitchens and bathrooms, while simultaneously supplying fresh air to living and sleeping spaces via a fully ducted system.

What sets MVHR apart is its ability to recover heat from outgoing air. As warm, stale air is extracted, the heat is retained within the heat cell to pre‑warm the incoming fresh air, improving thermal efficiency while maintaining a continuous supply of air. This controlled, balanced airflow allows MVHR systems to manage indoor air quality with a high degree of precision.

Why MVHR delivers long‑term indoor air quality control

MVHR is particularly effective in airtight, modern properties, where uncontrolled air leakage is minimal and ventilation must be carefully managed.

Because air supply and extract rates are balanced, MVHR prevents pressure imbalances within the home, reducing draughts and helping maintain stable internal conditions. The continuous removal of humidity and pollutants directly from source rooms makes MVHR highly effective at reducing condensation and helping to protect the building fabric.

From an indoor air quality perspective, MVHR systems also offer excellent filtration, helping to reduce the ingress of outdoor pollutants and allergens, which are a growing consideration in urban environments.

When MVHR is the right choice

Under Approved Document F of Building Regulations, MVHR is suitable for a dwelling with any air permeability level, however MVHR is often suited to:

• New‑build homes designed to high airtightness standards
• Properties undergoing deep retrofit or whole‑house renovation
• Homes where energy efficiency and occupant comfort are key priorities

While installation is more complex than PIV, the long‑term benefits in terms of comfort, air quality control and energy performance make MVHR a strong choice where design conditions allow.

Choosing the right system

No single ventilation system is right for every property. The most effective solution depends on a range of factors, including:

• The age and airtightness of the building
• Existing ventilation pathways
• Occupant behaviour and lifestyle
• Budget, disruption tolerance and long‑term performance goals

In many existing homes, PIV provides a practical and accessible route to improving indoor air quality and reducing moisture‑related problems. In contrast, MVHR offers maximum control and efficiency for homes designed to support a fully ducted ventilation strategy.

What matters most is that ventilation is considered early, specified correctly, and matched to the realities of the building and its occupants. With indoor air quality now firmly on the agenda, choosing the right approach has never been more important.

Additional information is available here

Find more industry features here

The post PIV vs MVHR: choosing the right ventilation strategy for healthier homes appeared first on Professional Electricians Wholesaler.

Wholesalers are witnessing a growth in Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) sales as households increasingly ask electricians for help tackling condensation and mould. PIV is a very effective solution that removes persistent mould and improves indoor air quality (IAQ) and so is a great product for electrical wholesalers to offer. Katie Mairs, Channel Marketing Manager at Vent-Axia, explains more.

Condensation, damp, and mould affect thousands of homes across the UK. More than just an eyesore, these problems can cause serious damage to properties, lead to extensive repairs, and even put health at risk. An ongoing issue for many households, Awaab’s Law has brought the risks of living in a mouldy home into sharp focus following the tragic death of two year old Awaab Ishak. As a result, households are asking electricians, who are completing work in their property, for help in tackling condensation and mould, as well as indoor air pollution. Positive Input Ventilation is a very effective solution that removes persistent mould and improves IAQ and so is a great product for electrical wholesalers to offer.

So, what is Positive Input Ventilation? Ideal for existing properties, PIV offers a whole house ventilation solution that can be installed in the loft. The technology gives wholesalers a highly effective option to offer electricians to help their customers to control condensation and mould in their homes. Designed to remove stale, moist air from the home and replace it with filtered, drier air, PIV prevents moisture buildup that can cause condensation and mould, improving IAQ.

Tackling condensation and mould

Ventilation is condensation and mould’s biggest enemy since it tackles the root cause: moisture in the air. By removing moisture from the air, condensation cannot settle on cold surfaces and mould cannot grow, removing the problem at the source. PIV also provides whole house air purification and humidity control, which adds up to a great solution for electrical wholesalers. Operating by drawing in warm, fresh air from the loft, PIV units, such as Vent-Axia’s PureAir Home, filter all incoming air via high-grade ISO ePM10 or ePM2.5 filters before gently introducing it into habitable areas of a property via a ceiling-mounted diffuser. The diffuser directs the airflow upwards, where the incoming drier air mixes with the warm, moist air that gathers at ceiling height. Providing filtered, tempered air (heater model only) into the home, which is drier than the inside air, the PureAir Home creates an indoor environment where condensation and mould find it hard to exist. This improves IAQ and quickly eradicates conditions that lead to mould growth and associated health issues, such as asthma and itchy skin, as well as avoiding the damaging effects on the building.

Happy households

PIV units like Vent-Axia’s Lo-Carbon PureAir Home are highly energy efficient, unobtrusive, near silent, and help provide a healthy environment. Once installed in a loft, a PIV unit will operate without the household even noticing it is running due to its quiet operation. There are PIV units now available that are near silent in operation; for example, at the point of supply into the house the PureAir Home is almost inaudible. The unit will continuously ventilate silently in the background whilst in ‘Trickle’ mode.

Wholesalers can also reassure their customers that PIV units won’t cause irritating cool draughts either. Many units come with an energy-efficient comfort heater which tempers the incoming air. However, every home is different. This makes fine control of air velocity and heat temperature essential to eliminate cold draughts. Vent-Axia’s PureAir Home, therefore features Smart Sense technology, which allows for 1l/s or 1ºC adjustments to ensure a home’s ideal thermal comfort. Plus, once the unit automatically senses excess heat being lost into the loft, the airflow will increase to ‘Energy Recovery’ mode to recover heat that would otherwise be lost through the roof.

Finally, in the current energy climate, households will be happy to know that the PureAir Home features a quiet-running Lo-Carbon motor and ultra-low power consumption, which works out typically less than a traditional lightbulb to run. Plus, the unit is also made using recycled material, offering a more sustainable choice for households.

Happy installers

Electrical Wholesalers can be assured that PIV offers a simple install for their customers. Vent-Axia’s PureAir home is uniquely flexible offering two installation methods, high-sided anti-vibration legs and a hanging set come as standard, allowing it to be installed quickly in any size loft. If installed on the floor, Vent-Axia’s PureAir Home features unique anti-vibration legs and mounts that eliminate the vibration caused when PIV units are fixed to the joists in the loft, reducing any noise.

Easy to fit, installer safety was a key driver when designing Vent-Axia’s Lo-Carbon PureAir Home. With the unit sized to fit all standard loft hatches, the PureAir Home is a lightweight one-man-lift, with an easy-grip top-mounted handle moulded into the main body, which makes transporting the unit into the loft simple and safer.

Vent-Axia’s PureAir Home is also supplied with a purpose designed diffuser to be located over the stairwell of a conventional dwelling, in the main hall of a bungalow, in the landing or hallway. The four point contact easy fit technology allows fast and repeatable ‘drill free’ installation. Once installed using Smart Sense Technology the unit is easily set to the appropriate speed at installation based on the size of the dwelling.

Helping provide a healthier indoor environment for households, PIV proactively prevents condensation and mould while combating a wider range of indoor air pollutants. Ticking all the right boxes for electricians too, electrical wholesalers can be confident that Vent-Axia’s PureAir Home PIV will tackle condensation and mould, offer easy install, and ensure homeowner satisfaction, so fewer callbacks.

Find out more here

Find more industry feature articles here

The post Why are wholesalers witnessing a growth in Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) sales? appeared first on Professional Electricians Wholesaler.

Airmaster is long established as a key brand in air cooling with comprehensive ranges of table and floor fans, encompassing both premium and economy options to key products.

Aircon units have been added in recent years, with 2023 enhancements to both 9000 and 12000 BTU units now with quieter operation and complete with wi-fi app controlled versions.

There are three further major additions for this year, starting with a portable air purifier. This 22W floor standing unit, for room sizes from 17 to 30m2, features a high efficiency filter and clear LED display. A similarly portable compact dehumidifier is next. Designed for quiet operation, this 12 litre refrigerant and auto frost detector is fitted with omni-directional wheels for ease of movement.

And the final new addition is a floor standing evaporation cooling tower, cooling air by water evaporation. With three fan speeds, this unit has a remote control seven hour programmable timer with an auto pump shutdown protection when waterless.

For more information, click here

The post Airmaster | Cooling range appeared first on Professional Electricians Wholesaler.

After a tough time during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic (as lockdown hit the commercial sector hard), HVAC contractors in the UK are currently experiencing strong demand. And according to market research data provider, Research & Markets, post-lockdown, the sector expects sustained healthy growth to continue over the next few years. Here, Michael Crowther, Product Development Director at Hylec-APL, outlines some of the key industry trends driving air cooling and ventilation in the UK.

As the pandemic took hold and the world went into lockdown in spring 2020, hotels, offices and conference, entertainment and sports venues shut down, as did many factories and retail premises – resulting in disruption for many electrical contractors working on HVAC projects. But as the world and the economy opened back up, demand for HVAC products and services has bounced back robustly – something we expect to see continue in the wake of several industry trends.

Broadly speaking, we see three key drivers impacting the HVAC market for electrical installers and contractors – with increases in smart technology also influencing all three areas.

Indoor air quality

The introduction or extension of low emission zones in London and growing numbers of other UK cities is intended to help reduce air pollution, which Public Health England (PHE) estimates is responsible for around 30,000 premature deaths every year (plus other negative health effects). After a coroner ruled in 2020 that air pollution had directly contributed to the 2013 death of a British schoolgirl, a bill to enshrine access to clean air as a human right (‘Ella’s law’) has been proposed.

At the same time, the pandemic highlighted the vital role of good ventilation in infection control and improving indoor air quality (IAQ). Alongside passive ventilation methods, mechanical ventilation can be a valuable tool in building design to both ensure adequate ventilation and help regulate temperature.

Climate change

In the wake of record high heatwaves last summer, a report from the UK’s independent environmental watchdog, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has insisted that ventilation must be considered as part of a holistic design approach to reduce overheating risks. While the CCC continues to advocate for passive cooling and ventilation, to avoid waste heat and carbon emissions being generated to directly lower temperatures in buildings, it has also recognised that such measures may not be sufficient to limit temperatures for all areas of the country or during prolonged high temperatures – urging authorities to rethink how mechanical systems are used to address overheating in homes, offices and public buildings.

This is particularly true in densely populated ‘urban heat islands’, where tall city buildings, roads and other infrastructure absorb sunlight and re-emit as heat over time – exacerbated by increased use of HVAC equipment expelling hot air, for instance by growing numbers of data centres.

CCC’s Net Zero Review warns that the UK must brace for an increase in mechanical cooling demand, observing that energy decarbonisation efforts and rising energy costs must be balanced against the reality of rising temperatures. Industry bodies concur that ventilation will be critical to avoiding overheating during summer heatwaves, with a recent BSRIA (Building Services Research & Information Association) study noting that the UK domestic AC market is ripe for growth.

Newer HVAC technologies offer higher efficiency – and when combined with smart technologies for monitoring, control and building automation, can help minimise energy usage and wasted heat. Meanwhile, the IOR (Institute of Refrigeration) has called for more collaborative planning of heating and cooling systems to maintain a much needed focus on emissions and energy reduction. IOR President Graeme Fox says the cooling sector, with its expertise of circular heat recovery, can play a major role in delivering on net zero strategies.

Regulation  

The 2022 Building Safety Act, alongside a new Building Safety Regulator, will introduce greater oversight of both the safety and performance of buildings – with gateway checks during design and build phases, as well as stricter scrutiny of HVAC contractor and firms’ professional credentials. But legal standards around factors impacting health and wellness in buildings, such as IAQ and thermal comfort, contributing to overall indoor environmental quality (IEQ), are also being considered in both workplace and domestic legislation.

Summary

Effective air cooling and ventilation play an important role in the health, wellness and ultimately productivity of workers – and are arguably even more vital for safety and comfort in domestic settings, particularly in urban settings.

For electrical wholesalers serving and supporting the HVAC industry, Hylec offers a comprehensive range of components and products for OEMs and contractors – from enclosures, switches, isolators and controls to cable glands, weatherproof connectors and venting elements – to aid their system design, build and installation.

To find out more, click here

The post Key industry trends driving air cooling and ventilation in the UK | Hylec-APL appeared first on Professional Electricians Wholesaler.