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You are absolutely right to be concerned. I was - until I spent a few days researching the issue, and visited several passiv houses. @MrsRA and I always sleep in a draft: year round. Our Tomcat (Sid) will not use a catflap (we haven't got one) and so uses the windows. I work outdoors all day (on the build), and so loathe stuffy rooms. Sounds to me we are quite like you, therefore. In the planning phase, at one stage I thought we'd go 'hardcore' and have a naturally ventilated passiv haus (instead of MVHR) and read several research articles on the subject. As a spin off from that exercise I read about how common it is for MVHR installations to be 'tuned' badly, switched off even, unbalanced and commonly poorly maintained - filter left uncleaned, that sort of thing. Air quality suffers as a result. I have yet to choose an MVHR system, but in researching suppliers I have come to realise that there is a common conflict of interest: suppliers often both design and specify the system. And I have yet to find a supplier who is obviously competent at design. Maybe the sales reps I talk to -not one of whom is interested in design- simply fill me with dread because they couldn't give a stuff about the customer; they just want to close a sale. We went to Denby Dale passiv haus open day this time last year. What did we see? The owner chatting enthusiastically about how he leaves the window slightly open all night because he -like you, like us- can't stand a stuffy room. I think the answer is take great care tuning (balancing) the airflow, and, if needed don't be shy about keeping the window open a bit. Yes, it'll unbalance the airflow, yes it's counter intuitive. But nobody has ever said passiv hauses have to have the windows shut all the time. Not even us Germans.

Weirdo! Next you'll be saying Leela from Futurama does nothing for you.....

We've been living in our (non certified) passive house for a month now and I've only got round to completing the MVHR installation today due to other works in the plant room. So for the last few weeks we've been randomly leaving the windows, velux and big sliding doors open for ventilation and it's been fine - no need to have the heating on either even on the recent cold nights. Will be interesting to see what difference the MVHR makes. Can't agree with Stones more, we have a highly insulted, airtight house that's been designed to minimise solar gain (blinds and orientation). No one dictates how we live in it though. Solar gain is an issue whatever the standard of your house - our caravan suffered from excessive gain (was unbearable in the summer) and that was not passive by any standard

PHPP requires a minimum of 0.3 air changes while the regulations here in the Republic of Ireland require 0.4 but for the total floor area not the Treated Floor Area that PHP uses which is smaller. You can get a larger MVHR unit and have it run at a higher rate and as it's recovering circa 80-90% of the heat, the house will still be very warm but have a lot more fresh air. Might cost an extra euro or two a year but worth it if you're afraid of a stuffy house.

I don't understand the problem, all a passive house is, is a house that meets certain standards, the most notable one being the amount of heating input required. All of the concerns you have, air quality, solar gain etc could apply to a house built to less stringent insulation and air tightness standards. It's about how you choose to live in the house. I like a fresh, well ventilated house, and far prefer the air quality offered using an MVHR than a house without, I just choose to mechanically ventilate at more than the minimum or optimum passive house level. If I want to really freshen things up I throw open the windows. I like my house nice and warm in winter, and will happily heat it 24/7 at a higher temperature than than the prescribed design temperatures used when filling out PHPP. So what if it costs a bit more? At the end of the day, it's your house, and you do not have to be a slave to some predetermined rules unless you choose to.

To be fair this is not a topic which will be referenced as part of core content, and I don't think anyone would start posting inappropriate construction related keywords to bring in visitors. Ferdinand

I have it on good authority the only reason Steptoe is thinking of moving, is his patio is "full"

Safe word?

I think I might need to start moderating this thread

OK. Here's Garfield on a private forum. Credit: Fadri https://drawception.com/player/148070/fadri/ Ferdinand

We used a builder, and his preferred trades to fininish and fit out or timber frame shell, with the exception of the Kitchen and Heating which we sorted oursleves. All the individual Trades invoiced us directly and we paid the builder a 10% management fee based on the final invoice. It worked really well for us, all the trades our builder worked with were 2nd to none in terms of finish and cleanliness and he organised when they needed to be onsite, and the materials that they needed. There were a couple of delays but the other trades were able to go and do other jobs and then come back to ours when required. Our architecht couldn't believe how well between us and the builder we managed to get everyone in at the right time, our timber frame started going up on 18th Jan 2016, and we moved in with just painting to finish off on 27th June.

With a ring the load is in effect shared by the two legs going back to the cu. Think what happens when say one leg goes open circuit - all the load could be on one possibly now undersize cable leg. Every socket might still work until something melts.....or worse! Thinking about high load areas like the kitchen you might be better running a 32A radial (or two) in 4mm. It might serve to run 20A radial to low load areas like bedrooms for example. Testing is easier on radials too. Be aware some socket makes don't like accepting 4mm cables (tbh some struggle with 3x 2.5mm).

The main advantage is less points on a circuit, so better segregation under fault. Ring circuits were mainly used during copper shortage as a smaller CSA cable could be used for the same rating of 'fuse' Radial circuits are much more efficient to install, generally use less cable, and much better segregation of points, I have a mixture of ring and radial in my house, I also have a mix of loop in and spider lighting too, Whatever suits the circumstances best.

Hello you! Yep I've been here a while now (and eBuild before) all down to PD! (He's on a MASSIVE commission btw . As for inane building questions you've a long way to go to catch me up I reckon! Collective knowledge on here is great. A bit gutting when you realise you could have done such and such building job so much better though! It's not all the Grand Designs brigade at all they'll help all sorts. A few Pi & Linux fans about. There's some really clever PLUMBERS here too and a blinding roofer called ProDave!

Well, Things in order, I can NOT afford your house in the highlands, I'd love to move there, but, I don't have another saleable kidney, and I quite like not getting divorced,,, I did notice OnOff, I pulled present house apart 9years ago when we moved in, still putting bits back together, but that has hastened now due to the potential move. @Redoctober PD met me on a private type adult forum He thought it was about time I grew up and became a responsible adult,,,,,,

I keep telling you Steptoe, take the easy way out and buy my house up here in the Highlands. If you haven't already noticed, @OnOff is also here, pulling his house to bits and rebuilding it. slowly.