Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) can remove persistent mould and improves indoor air quality (IAQ) and so is a great product for electrical wholesalers to offer. Mick Daniels, Sales Director from Vent-Axia, explains more.
Following the recent tragic death of toddler Awaab Ishak, mould continues to make headlines and households are now more aware of the health risks associated with it. 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.
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 build up that can cause condensation and mould, improving IAQ. So, what else should wholesalers know to help their customers?
Prevents condensation and mould
Ventilation is condensation and mould’s biggest enemy since it removes the root cause: the moisture in the air. By removing the moisture and other pollutants from the air, condensation cannot settle on cold surfaces and mould cannot grow, which removes the problem at the source.
Providing fresh, tempered air into the home that is drier than the inside air, a PIV unit creates an indoor environment, where condensation and mould find it hard to exist, helping to protect households by reducing health issues in the home, as well as potential building damage.
Depending on the property, it will take between a few hours to a few days to start to see the effects once a PIV unit is installed and may take a couple of weeks for the areas affected with mould to dry out completely.
Vent-Axia put its Positive Input Ventilation to the test, installing a unit in a three-bed home in Reading which suffered from an ongoing condensation and mould problem. Air quality data from before and after the PIV installation showed a sharp decline in both total volatile organic compound (VOC) levels (a general indicator of IAQ) and mould VOC levels (an assessment of the actively growing mould in a home) after the system was installed, while also successfully tackling condensation and mould.
Whole house air purification and humidity control
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. This creates a healthier indoor environment, with good IAQ and low humidity levels, benefiting both the occupants and the structure of the building.
Discreet installation
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.
Wholesalers can also reassure their customers that PIV units won’t cause an irritating cool draft either. Many units come with a comfort heater which tempers the incoming air. When the air in the loft is warm, the unit will boost to recirculate the warm air back into the property helping to save money on energy bills too.
Helps reduce asthma and allergy irritation
Poor IAQ and mould can lead to health issues such as asthma and itchy skin. PIV reduces the risk of health issues in the home by improving IAQ and quickly eradicating conditions that lead to mould growth in the first place. With filtered air there are also fewer allergens or triggers in the air, helping reduce these health problems for households.
Once again, Vent-Axia put its PIV to the test installing a unit in a home occupied by a family of four, three of whom have asthma and two have eczema. Before the PIV system was installed there was no mechanical ventilation, the family just opened windows to try to tackle the condensation and mould issues that were present in the bathroom, bedroom and on window seals. The family noted that when they went somewhere with good air quality their health issues improved.
After the PIV unit was installed in the home, the total VOC levels dropped by 40%, while mould VOC levels dropped by 67%. There was also no longer condensation upstairs and no appearance of new mould. This illustrates how PIV significantly improves IAQ in the home and reduces allergies.
Easy to install and maintenance free
PIV is a cost effective and easy to install solution that is suitable for existing properties. PIV units, such as the PureAir Home, also feature a discreet diffuser with Smart Air technology which increases airflow performance by 10% but at a lower noise level compared to traditional diffuser designs, while allowing control over airflow direction. Smart Sense control also allows quick and accurate set up and an automatic summer shut off stops warm air coming back into the property.
PIV units should be maintenance free too, however, it is good practice to check the filters every year and clean them using warm soapy water if needed. Where pollution levels are high filters should be cleaned more often and replaced if needed.
Highly energy efficient, unobtrusive, and near silent, PIV helps provide a healthy environment for households by effectively tackling condensation and mould while filtering out allergens and pollutants. This all adds up to PIV being the ideal solution for electrical wholesalers to offer for electricians tasked with tackling condensation and mould issues in homes.
For further information on all products and services offered by Vent-Axia, click here
