envirovent/nuair PIV systems

Have you tried using a dehumidifier? It works well in the DD flat.

I have tried a dehumidifier but it needs to be on all the time and is noisey and only works in the room I have it it ( kitchen because thats the worst room).

Hence thought of a PIV. Read about them in a magazine ( and saw an advert for one yesterday o TV).

passive ventilation via the stack system only works when there is wind. We had mechanical ventilation which was on 24/7. Highly insulated house with triple glazing and lime remder which let the house breathe. A house does need to breathe. Mould needs high humidity plus cool air to grow so really you also do need to add warmth

retro fitting would not be at all easy, you need intake vents and ducting through the house plus a fan high up to the outside wall. Passive ventilation must also exit high up with the duct on the windward side. Intake vents should also be in the kitchen ceiling and over any bath and shower and in the utility room

The house was excellent, never ever seen mould or even condensation anywhere

OH wont allow heating on so we have a cold house. He is a miser of the old fashioned sort. The kitchen has no heat. We are off grid so no central heating.

I was under the impression the venting system could have a heat element attached, was situated in the rood space and needed on central vent in the ceiling to circulate the air and removed the old air into the roof and out.

aprilrose that is why your house has mould, you need to be crafty with your oh. Leve him articles to read about the very real dangers of mould in the house. When that sinks in then back off a bit and casually suggest that he finds out how mould is formed. I bet he says to add some heat. Haven`t you got any source of heat? even a small wood stove would help and for that he would have to create a small vent for air, near the floor and a flue through the wall

I suggest that you have the passivent people down, simply to ask for advice. You are living in an airtight box and it really is not at all good for your health

aprilrose Your husband will not allow your house to be heated?
Are you serious?
That is an abusive relationship and you don't have to put up with it.
How is your health?

Thank you for the replies. But does anyone actually have a PIV? Do they work?

I cannot leave I have nowhere to go and cannot afford to live alone. My income isnt sufficient for that. I suppose I could get a f/t job but my age is against that. I tried a while ago. When I get my pension I will be on even less unless I continue to work forever.

The problem is my husband believes all he reads in the papers about poverty and believes we are in poverty or likely to be soon ( when I retire in around three years, if he allows me to do so).

He is also an "eco warrior" because he sees the TV and Greta Thunberg etc. and believes we have to do our bit for the environment ( and of course it means cheaper bills). So we heat only one room. We used to heat a family room which was open plan and had a dining room in it but now he has put a curtain half way across so we only heat a small area of a sitting room where we have the TV. That we are allowed to have at 16 degrees c.

He keeps a close check on what we are using in electric / fuel etc. When we have used the days supply, then that is it. Every plug has a meter on it so I cant even put a little convector heater on to top up. We are not allowed any heating on anymore ( central heating that is) and it doesnt matter if we have gas/oil or wood, that is strictly rationed.

Last year the house cost £1498 for heating cooking and all other things. He uses that as the price guide. We are allowed so much a day. When we reach it, everything is turned off and we go cold.

We also have to reduce our eco footprint this year, so I am not longer allowed t wash more than once a week , run the dishwasher at all or dry clothes using the tumble dryer ( which is a condenser machine so does not produce more water but drying clothes in a wet house does!

This has led to the kitchen ( which is never above 9 degrees as it faces North) is cold and has a lot of condensation on the back wall. This is now spreading through the house( bungalow) as we have no heating on anywhere.

The place smells musty. The bedrooms are now getting mold in them. The sitting room has a patch in the one corner and its cold.

I will stress this is not about money really. Its about his attitude. he has spent money putting in insulation and double glazing ( new) to ensure no heat loss but that means no air circulation and and so the water in the house ( excuse me for daring to breath because that now seems to be the main cause of condensation). The windows are wet every morning. The wall in the kitchen is running with water now, I dry it off every day.

The rest of the house is cold ( around 9 or 10 degrees c this time of year - colder if we have a frost or the weather is colder) .

I read that the councils and housing ssociations etc. were now using PIV's to stop condensation in the homes of those on low incomes. I wondered if that could work for me.

Yes, my health is suffering I hink. I have had a cough now for 12 weeks. I have chesgt infections a lot but my huband just tells me the problem is that we shouldnt be in this house and we cant afford it and I have to suck that up.

By the way, we are not poor. We live easily on my wages ( I earn around £1500 a month take home) and he has his work pension ( around 13K a year and his state pension which I dont know what that is). According to him though I am not entitled to any of that money as he only had a state pension for one ( it was after the change of pension rules and the married mans pension was make a single pension but before the rule change to the new pension). I have to earn my own.

Please dont think he was always like this. Its was only after
he retired in 2008.

But I really do need to solve the condensation problem on a more permanent basis. Dehumidifiers are ok as long as you are allowed to put them on. A PIV would be out of his reach in the roof.

Hope that explains it more fully.

Personally my anger is directed to the TV and the constant bombardment of eco issues, insulation and all manner of rubbish. Why cant they just explain that sometimes you need to heat the house? Instead of bigging up on these other things?

Maybe I need to get rid of the TV and the radio? We dont buy papers anymore and I am allowed to use a computer for three hours a day ( cost of electric). Yes, maybe I am abused but as I said, I have nowhere to go and cannot afford to live on my income if I had to rent etc. Besides I am about to retire so I couldnt sustain it.

I had a Envirovent fitted three years ago and can highly recommend it - not cheap though!

I live in a bungalow which was built on marsh land so it has a five foot space underneath to take the surface water after heavy rain. Before the vent was fitted I had black mould each winter in my spare room wardrobes and the double glazed windows ran with water every morning. I also had mould growing behaving my bed which soaked my mattress so had to put the bed right next to the radiator to keep it dry.

The vent is in the hall and goes up into the loft. The company surveyor checked the humidity in the loft before installing, it has to be very dry and well ventilated but as far as I am aware, does not specifically depend on the wind blowing. The unit runs all the time, there is no off switch but I did pay extra for a remote control so I can vary the setting - I have it low in summer, high in winter.

Since it was installed, I have had no black mould and very little window condensation, just a smidge in the autumn which disappears when I change the setting to high.

It is almost silent, I have to stand underneath it to hear it but there is a very slight flow of cold air coming from the vent but it's not a problem by the front door. I guess in a house the vent would go on the landing.

I did a lot of research into different models and did not go for the cheapest unit as I wanted one from a reputable, well established company.

If you both live easily on your wages of £1500 a month you alone can live on that amount and be warm.

Many people are trying to find free financial help with bills. Free financial helps low-income families and many more who really need help. There are organizations and charities that provide free financial help. Check financialhelpfree.net for more info.

Thank you teacheranne. Thats what I needed to know. The experience of someone who seems to have had the issues I have and has solved them.

If you both live easily on your wages of £1500 a month you alone can live on that amount and be warm

It is one thing to live on £1500 a month when you have no outgoings because there is no mortgage etc. Its another to pay £500 a month rent for a one bed flat and then live on the rest
(and still keep warm).

I understand your feelings about not being able to live on your wages - but you really do need to leave that situation. What would happen if your health deteriorated so much you were unable to work? Do you have family or friends who could help you? Are others aware of your situation or do you hide it from outsiders?

This is an abusive situation, you need to have a serious talk with him - tell him unless he changes his attitude you will leave, there are many organisations out there who can help you.

I thought I would update this. I bought a PIV system. I argued with OH until he fitted it. That was three days ago.

Already the condensation has gone from most rooms. The kitchen is beginning to clear and the walls are free of condensation for the first time in twenty years . The wondows thogh seem to be taking longer. They still have some condensation first thing in the morning. It clears during the day ( never did before).

Now I have to clean off all the mould and wait to see if it returns.

Yes, the house does feel colder because OH wont let me switch the heat element on , but the air is fresher and the musty smell is going. Now I have to wash all the clothes I have stored and hope I can get the smell out.

In case anyone else has problems with extreme condensation, I would say fit a PIV. Mine is a New Aire Eco
(with heat and hall controls)