Coolheat Blog

VENTILATION - Thoughts from Graham Parker

I watch television and listen to the radio only to be bombarded by advertisements for attic ventilation units to “cure” condensation which is a common problem within New Zealand homes. Now you could say ‘well, that must be the answer’ and all you would have to do would be to pay $3000 plus to stop this particular problem for ever.

But prior to even thinking about spending that sort of money here are a few thoughts…

Take a quiet look around your house and self evaluate what you think could be creating moisture. Areas without adequate ventilation such as rangehoods above stoves, extract systems in the Bathroom/En suite etc can all create large amounts of moisture. By using systems such as these in general areas that create moisture, the “wet” air will be dumped outside  which would be major headway to drying out your property.

Another trap to be aware of when looking into particular home solutions is that some companies are selling attic ventilation units without heaters. For example - during a Christchurch winter your roof space is not always warm so without something to temper the air - you will just be dragging in and around cold air! In my experience, once the temperature in a given area is stabilized in winter then the need for additional attic ventilation is much less.   

The other area you might care to look at is are you letting enough fresh air into your house through burglar proof catches on your windows, window vents etc - well worth consideration.

You may be thinking ‘what does this all have to do with a heat pump blog?’ - however we are all about the entire subject of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning!! My background in this industry started with many years in ventilation therefore I understand the simple solutions to rectify the “problem” of condensation.

If I have given you something to think about then that’s good and I would recommend to look at what you can do yourself before buying into the “promising” ad’s on TV. If you would like me to spend more time at your property on a one-to-one basis - just give us a call on (03) 366-3952 and I will visit with you to see what can be done to help you. Remember every residence in New Zealand is different, there is not one set solution so don’t part with hard earned dollars prior to giving the problem some thought.

- Graham Parker, Sales Consultant.