Vent Axia MVHR Install - Top Tips?

[Weebles]

This weekend is MVHR install weekend (hopefully). We are looking for some pointers from anyone who has installed a Vent Axia Kinetic Sentinel unit. BCP has supplied all the kit. Very thorough. Could do with an idiots guide for the plan of attack though.

 

First attempt at a plan. How does this sound?

 

1. site manifolds

2. Site plenums

3. Cut duct lengths and join between manifold and plenum (cutting holes in walls and floors as needed)

4. Site unit

5. Figure out how to connect all those silvery pipes from the unit to the manifolds

6. Put in pipes to outside

 

Is this a reasonable approach?

We have trawled this site for photos. Any out there that show all the connections to and from the unit itself and the manifolds?

It looks like it should be fun (or the makings of a divorce) ?

 

 

 

 

[Triassic]

I’d pull each duct length into place through the walls and ceiling before cutting.

 

Otherwise cutting them to length first could result in them being too short or too long! Knowing my luck too short!!!

 

 

Edited August 31, 2018 by Triassic
Typo

[Declan52]

Have something rigged up to hold the ducting in place to let it pull through the joists. Can be a simple brush shaft through the middle sitting up as high as it needs on 2 trestles so you can pull it and keep it on the reel. 

As above don't cut them to length till after the plumbers and sparks have been in. The ducting might be in the way of a   run of pipes or cables.

I used airtightness tape to hold the insulated ducts to both the unit and the manifold. The silver tape was crap.

How are you exiting to the outside, wall vent or tile vent???

It's not a hard job is just a fiddly one. If you can get an extra pair of hands it will really speed up the process.

Are you bring the ceiling vent through the plasterboard or will you let the plasterers do their bit and then cut through??

 

[Stones]

Two pairs of hands better than one when routing the ducts.  I would also sit down and work out a cutting list so you get the most out of each roll of ducting / save having to join pieces of duct.

[Weebles]

1 hour ago, Declan52 said:

 

How are you exiting to the outside, wall vent or tile vent???

 

 

Wall vent.

 

1 hour ago, Declan52 said:

 

Are you bring the ceiling vent through the plasterboard or will you let the plasterers do their bit and then cut through??

 

 

Not sure. Any recommendations? (We probably won’t be boarding out the house)

 

Thanks for tips on rolling out / cutting (not cutting) ducts. Will rope in a friend too who can be a third pair of hands.....

 

Is the order of attack about right or would anyone prioritise anything in particular?

 

The manifolds and unit are going in a plant room which is not heated and is separated by a full height wall but is still within the air tight envelope of the house. We have been supplied with a load of flexi duct (insulated) to connect to the unit. Any photos out there showing those unit to manifold and unit to outside wall connections?

[JamesP]

I have exactly same system but have only installed the radial pipe so far.

I found it easier to unroll the 50 metre length into the garden and start dragging / feeding it through the frame. Don't cut the pipe until in position and ready to fit the plenums.

 

 

Enclosed the BPC installation pdf, you might already have it.

 

bpc_.installation_of_a_heat_recovery_system_with_unit_info_2016.pdf

[Guest Alphonsox]

We did this a couple of years ago.

My main recommendation is to get some help, We had four of us feeding the radial ducting through the Posijoists and pulling it into position at the plenums. Feed the duct from the manifold location through to the plenum and connect. Make sure the run is supported a long its length - We used builder band for this. Don't be tempted to cut the duct until you have the run in fully in place.

[Declan52]

19 minutes ago, Weebles said:

 

Wall vent.

 

 

Not sure. Any recommendations? (We probably won’t be boarding out the house)

 

Thanks for tips on rolling out / cutting (not cutting) ducts. Will rope in a friend too who can be a third pair of hands.....

 

Is the order of attack about right or would anyone prioritise anything in particular?

 

The manifolds and unit are going in a plant room which is not heated and is separated by a full height wall but is still within the air tight envelope of the house. We have been supplied with a load of flexi duct (insulated) to connect to the unit. Any photos out there showing those unit to manifold and unit to outside wall connections?

It's easier for the plasterers if the ceiling has no holes in it. I just cut the metal section of the ceiling unit so it say flush with the bottom of the joists. When the plastering was done in just cut out the holes.

No real right or wrong way to do it. Put the unit in first and then run the ducts from it. Just leave enough slack just incase.

Mine connected to a tile vent on the roof.

[JamesP]

Have a look here, great blog entry with photos. https://theoldwatertank.blogspot.com/2017/02/heat-recovery-system-installed.html

 @jamiehamy 

[ultramods]

Seeing this topic I decided to look at the proposed MVHR plans for our house, can anyone tell me what the three items that I have highlighted are please?

 

The plan shows the attic space, it will be a cold roof with the possibility to be converted into living space in the future.

 

[le-cerveau]

Would need to see the other floor plan, but suspect that ducts go down along and then back up to wall vents.

[Triassic]

You need to look at the layout for the floor below.

[Weebles]

Radical duct mostly in now. Two or three pairs of hands worked well. 

 

So now the unit / manifold connections. 

 

We have worked out how it all fits together. Bends, couplings, silencer, flexible duct. Our unit needs to be in our plant room which single storey and is inside the thermal envelope. Should we fix the unit to the wall (it would be an outside wall) or mount it on a platform?  

 

The plan is to sit it high so the exhaust supply vents are as far off the ground as possible on the rear wall with vents out on the left hand wall as you look at it. Good idea or not an issue? 

 

First image shows duct runs going through to the plant room. Second image is the plant room.

[Stones]

I would say mount it so you can easily work on it - i.e. unscrew the front, remove filters, remove core, clean inside of unit, whilst standing up.  I had originally planned this for mine but ended up installing it in loftspace where it sits on the floor.  TBH it's a bit of a pain to work on like that, so I may well end up putting it in the services cupboard although I'd have to muster the enthusiasm to do so first!

[Dreadnaught]

38 minutes ago, Weebles said:

The plan is to sit it high so the exhaust supply vents are as far off the ground as possible on the rear wall with vents out on the left hand wall as you look at it. Good idea or not an issue? 

 

 

I believe it is better too have the supply and exhaust vents on the same face of the building (but separated by an acceptable distance to prevent cross flow). The reason for being on the same face is that, in that orientation, the wind pressure is likely to be balanced across supply and exhaust.

[joe90]

I made my own plenums from cheap bits, mounted them flexibly within the ceiling space, measured the centres from walls and wrote it down on the plans, plastered over and cut the ceiling after plastering, worked brilliantly, I even painted the ceiling before cutting the holes. 

[Weebles]

1 hour ago, Dreadnaught said:

 

I believe it is better too have the supply and exhaust vents on the same face of the building (but separated by an acceptable distance to prevent cross flow). The reason for being on the same face is that, in that orientation, the wind pressure is likely to be balanced across supply and exhaust.

 

A min of 1.5 metres apart we have been advised by BPC.  And they will be on the same face. There are trees very close but there’s nothing we can do about that. I guess the filters might need changing more often?

they will be about 2m off the ground. Is that ok?

[Weebles]

2 hours ago, Stones said:

I would say mount it so you can easily work on it - i.e. unscrew the front, remove filters, remove core, clean inside of unit, whilst standing up.  I had originally planned this for mine but ended up installing it in loftspace where it sits on the floor.  TBH it's a bit of a pain to work on like that, so I may well end up putting it in the services cupboard although I'd have to muster the enthusiasm to do so first!

 

Thanks. We will look at running the ducts out of the top rather than the side to lower the unit. Otherwise it will be a stepladder to do anything and not sure I’d ever find enthusiasm to move it!

 

[dogman]

@Weebles, did you get the metal manifolds. If yes be careful as they have many sharp edges to extract blood from hands. If you have not yet got them i got the largest they did so i only used one side of the unit for connections to make fitting easier. Don't forget the condensate drain, the cable for an extension controller and any cables you need to switch the unit to boost( cooker hood, bathroom lights etc)

Also i only put one silencer on the supply. I cannot hear any noise. However i can hear noise on the extract vents so will need to fit a silencer on that side aswell