MrMagic Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Hey all, As some might be aware a few years back I built a garden office/shed, insulated well and sealed it up as best as I could. Recently, when working in the office I had started to noticed feeling drowsey or 'foggy', sometimes headaches and certainly always in the afternoon (and this is without going to the pub for lunch!!) Anyway, I purchased a Netatmo weather station with indoor Co2 PPM monitor (was on offer), only turned it on this morning but already it's showing Co2 being much higher than I imagined.. Current peak is 2325ppm Co2. Now even allowing for the fact this is a consumer product so won't have the best of tolerances, it's still showing a level which I would consider 'high', and indeed various articles indicate a target of around 1000ppm or below would be best. Volume is approx 20m3. I'd like to do it in a controlled fashion and where possible keep some heat in the office but open to all and any options at the moment. Windows are fixed so can't 'just open the window' ? So - any thoughts on how I should go about ventilating this space? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Small Ventaxia MVHR? Various models, some with humidistat etc. This link at random. I think about 70-80% efficient: https://www.i-sells.co.uk/mob/prod_detail.php?Lw_wcB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Jimbo Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 I will follow this with interest as i am just doing my own posh shed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMagic Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 2 hours ago, Onoff said: Small Ventaxia MVHR? Various models, some with humidistat etc. This link at random. I think about 70-80% efficient: https://www.i-sells.co.uk/mob/prod_detail.php?Lw_wcB Thanks @Onoff - I had looked at these after seeing @DamonHD s good review. My only concern was that it'd look stupid with such a long vent hanging out the side as my wall make up is probably only 150mm. I guess it's either that or gas myself!... now up to nearly 3000ppm co2.. feeling pretty sluggish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 11 minutes ago, MrMagic said: now up to nearly 3000ppm co2 How many people are in this place, and what else goes on it it i.e. heating system, if factory connected to it. May also be worth finding out what sort of CO2 is use. Some only estimate based on other gases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMagic Posted January 23, 2020 Author Share Posted January 23, 2020 (edited) @SteamyTea Just me, myself and I.. garden office, i.e. office in my garden Heating is via heat pump (air con unit) Yeah I had wondered if it was g/CO2e but the spec sheet seems to imply it's a proper CO2 sensor (although hard to believe at a consumer price point). Spec - https://www.netatmo.com/en-gb/aircare/homecoach/specifications CO2 Meter: Ranges from: 0 to 5,000 ppm Accuracy: ± 50 ppm (from 0 to 1,000 ppm) or ± 5% (from 1,000 to 5,000 ppm) EDIT: Heres a teardown of the internals - doesn't look likes theres any noticeable marks/codes on the sensor - https://www.fictiv.com/blog/posts/netatmo-weather-station-teardown-part-2-indoor-module EDIT 2: Looks like it's a NDIR based sensor with variable results based on temperature. https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/portalfiles/portal/146097852/Untitled.pdf - Even allowing for +/- 600ppm, I've still got plenty of CO2 around it seems Edited January 23, 2020 by MrMagic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 (edited) Build it out on the inside. I think there is scope for that if you wall is thin. I put my first one of these inside a louvred cupboard. Edited January 23, 2020 by Ferdinand 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pudding Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 So would a unit like this do for my orangery/study extension i'm planning, rather than having trickle vents on the windows? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMagic Posted January 24, 2020 Author Share Posted January 24, 2020 1 x Vent Axia Lo Carbon Temp T on order! Will report back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMagic Posted February 5, 2020 Author Share Posted February 5, 2020 (edited) Finally got this fitted, stating the obvious.. it only bleedin' works! Dotted line is the max of the previous week (prior to fitting the fan) with the solid line being yesterday. Whilst the PPM still rises to just over 1000ppm, it remains relatively stable and then the decay is much quicker with the air clearing in an hour or so after finishing for the day whereas previously it took all night for the "air to clear". This is running it only on its 'fast trickle' setting of 9l/s 24x7. Next step is to try selectively switching on boost to see if I can keep the PPM down further. Temperature wise, there is a slight cooling affect but nothing drastic considering it's pulling in 3degC air this morning so the heat exchange appears to be working well. So in conclusion, if you seal it up tight, don't forget to ventilate right!! Edited February 5, 2020 by MrMagic 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 Be fun to see the readings when there is a bonfire nearby. So how come the VentAxia is showing 1000 ppmv and the other sensor was showing 3000 ppmv? Was it before mechanical ventilation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMagic Posted February 5, 2020 Author Share Posted February 5, 2020 19 minutes ago, SteamyTea said: So how come the VentAxia is showing 1000 ppmv and the other sensor was showing 3000 ppmv? Was it before mechanical ventilation? Correct, peak of ~3000ppm prior to fitting the fan, it basically just went up and up until I finished for the day, whereas now with mechanical ventilation it appears to be holding stable at ~1000ppm with the fan running. Bonfires - not too many round here, but I'm sure when I fire up the BBQ in the summer it may jump!! ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Davies Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 1 hour ago, SteamyTea said: So how come the VentAxia is showing 1000 ppmv and the other sensor was showing 3000 ppmv? AIUI, these are the same sensor: the Netatmo; there isn't a VentAxia sensor. Max values for the previous week (dotted line) are without mechanical ventilation, Feb 4th (solid line) is with VentAxia MV. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 5, 2020 Share Posted February 5, 2020 16 minutes ago, Ed Davies said: AIUI, these are the same sensor Right, thought the VA had a built in sensor. I am internally debating about getting one of those cheap sensors. Just to add to all the other ones I have. Need two really, one inside and one outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mfmcdonagh Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 @MrMagic just wondering are you still happy with your VentAxia ? i'm planning on converting part of my garage and im looking at a ventilation solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMagic Posted June 30, 2020 Author Share Posted June 30, 2020 @mfmcdonagh So far so good, fit and forget. Just sits there doing it's thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garrymartin Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 @MrMagic Just wondering whether you have any photos of it installed? Like you, I want to introduce some ventilation into my garden room that has circa 200mm deep walls, which from the specs, don't seem to be deep enough for the unit you purchased. Did you do an interior or exterior build up to accommodate it? Cheers, Garry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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