Installing a ventilation unit is professional work

The Talo terveeksi video series on Timpurilta Talo’s YouTube channel shows the process of renovating a detached house built in 1983 in Järvenpää. After the renovation, the house meets modern requirements as, after the demolition phase, the interior spaces have been almost completely reconstructed.

The whole project started from bad indoor air quality, which motivated the renovators to play it safe and guarantee high-quality and safe indoor air. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery was installed on the site. After the renovation, a quiet Vallox 99 MV ventilation unit ensures the ventilation of the house. It has in-built air quality sensors which enhance ventilation as needed. In addition, residents have the option to switch the unit from Home mode to Away mode either through a wall-mounted controller or their smartphone when leaving the house. When the Away mode is on, the unit’s fans run on less power, resulting in lower ventilation consumption and energy savings.

A Vallox BlueSky air distribution system was installed on the site in the episode published in January 2024. [S1E16, link]. Episode S2E13 that came out in May 2024 presents the practical installation and setup of the ventilation unit. Finally, the video goes through the unit’s maintenance.

Before the installation, setup and air flow adjustment of the unit, the surface dust accumulated during construction should be vacuumed, and it should be ensured that the house is airtight, i.e. the final doors and windows have already been installed. This ensures that the air flows in and out as planned.

“The unit gives the house a slightly negative pressure so that the air flows through ducts in a controlled manner and not through gaps in walls or windows. If too much air enters from the outside, the house becomes high-pressurised and causes air moisture to remain on the wrong side of the structures,” comments an HVAC installer from Spigot Oy.

It does not take long for a professional to install the unit and the ducts above it, insulations and a potential silencer. Make sure at the installation site that there is a drain nearby to direct condensing water to and that there is enough space to carry out maintenance. In practice, this means that the heat recovery cell can also be removed from the unit for cleaning. The most important maintenance procedure is the regular changing of filters.

“You, yourself, are the best person to see how your consumption causes dust to accumulate in the filters, but my recommendation is to change them three times per year,” says carpenter Mikko Merelä.

Even if you renovated your house mostly by yourself without help from professionals, in ventilation matters, it is best to seek help from an HVAC professional at the latest when commissioning the ventilation unit.

“The adjustment of HVAC units must always be done by a professional. They have the equipment to adjust the air flow correctly. When it comes to ventilation, “Do-It-Yourself” and “feels about right” kind of adjustments should be completely forgotten,” Merelä says.

“Installing the Vallox BlueSky system was so easy that I’m sure anyone could put those ducts in place, but the adjustment of the unit should be left to a professional.”

The episode below shows the installation and adjustment of a Vallox ventilation unit so that it operates optimally. Adjusting the air flow in connection with the setup of the ventilation unit is important in order to ensure sufficient air flow into each room and slight underpressure throughout the house.