Kitchen smell transfer via MVHR fresh air vents

[readiescards]

My partner started frying some onions in the kitchen, while I was upstairs, I was amazed that the onion smell came out of the fresh air vent in the room I was in.  (my partner had previously commented that when I burn the toast she can smell it from the fresh air vent in her ensuite bathroom with the door closed)

 

Anyone else experience similar?

 

note my own investigations of my MVHR suggests there a sealing issue allowing some 'cross-talk' but before I fix it I was wondering if this smell transfer is normal?

[ragg987]

Yes we have experienced something similar, but it has been intermittment nd I suspect that one source of the "cross-talk" is the external inlet and outlets. In our case they are both on the same external wall about 2.5m apart. Also the MVHR does not seal 100% - I think some of the manufacturers publish figures about this, I recall seeing figures in the upper 90% for sealing against cross flows.

[Dee J]

If there is 'cross-talk' between exiting air and fresh air input then either there is a leak within the unit or exhaust and intake are too close together on the outside of the building.

[jack]

No, I've never noticed this with ours.

[Adsibob]

I’m in the process of designing my MVHR layout and this is definitely something I want to avoid. What are the recommendations for siting inlet and exhaust? How far apart should they be and can they both be in the same side/orientation of the house?

 

@readiescards, did you ever solve this?

[PeterW]

  On 06/02/2021 at 22:00, Adsibob said:

I’m in the process of designing my MVHR layout and this is definitely something I want to avoid. What are the recommendations for siting inlet and exhaust? How far apart should they be and can they both be in the same side/orientation of the house?

 

@readiescards, did you ever solve this?

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To ensure they aren’t off balance they need to be on the same wall. Try and get a minimum 1200 horizontal distance between them and vertical separation if possible. Also make sure they are accessible (or don’t have fine mesh on the intake) as you will need to access them to clean them otherwise. 

[JamesP]

  On 06/02/2021 at 22:02, PeterW said:

Also make sure they are accessible (or don’t have fine mesh on the intake) as you will need to access them to clean them otherwise. 

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Supply and extract on same external wall. 2.5m apart, extract 1.5m higher. Never had any cross contamination.

Fine mesh supply clogged after 9 months.

 

 

Edited February 6, 2021 by JamesP

[Adsibob]

Brill. Thanks @PeterWand @JamesP

[readiescards]

The 'cross-talk' I put down to the internal leaks within the MVHR - there are plenty of routes for the stale air to be sucked into the fresh air feed within the device.  Mine you havn't noticed it recently