What is a PIV system? And what does it do? The concept of a PIV (positive input ventilation) system is to push fresh filtered air into a property in order to push humid air out.
What does a PIV sytem reduce? Condensation, mould, and indoor contaminants. By removing the humidity from the air, you remove the condensation from surfaces and reduce the risk of mould developing.
Why are PIV systems so popular? They were popular when they first came to market as it was the only system that was suitable. It was quite groundbreaking that you could push moisture out of a building, and it was a great solution for the time. It was a simple installation as one air vent in the hallway is needed, the PIV system was housed in the loft and the filtered air is pushed into the hallway. At the time, it ticked all the boxes. Fast forward to today and there are several eco-friendlier options to consider.
What is a better alternative to PIV systems? Our DH1200 DRyFan 12L Desiccant Dehumidifier is a more environmentally-friendly product as it recirculates the air and doesn’t push the central heating out of the building. This filtered air system removes the water vapour in the current airflow, rather than purging the air entirely.
What are the environmental effects of PIV systems? The environmental impact of PIV systems is considerable. PIV systems will purge all the humidity and air within a property, including the energy from the central heating.
This is against the Government’s current guidelines, which states that you need to save heat energy where possible. When you let heat escape, it means that your central heating system must work harder to maintain an optimal temperature, which equates to a larger carbon footprint.
Why is the DH1200 Dehumidifier more environmentally-friendly? It’s more environmentally-friendly than PIV systems, as it’s working with a recirculation system, and isn’t pushing your central heating out. It uses a filtration system, taking the air that’s already in the room, filtering the moisture out of it, and then putting it back. It’s as simple as that.
How cost effective is the DH1200 Dehumidifier in relation to PIV systems? Both have a running cost, as they both have fans within their units. The running cost of the DH1200 is higher than a PIV system, as the DH1200 has a filtration system to remove water vapour and it takes energy to do that however, it takes considerably less energy than it does to reheat an entire property.
Can a PIV system cause damage to a property? There’s some speculation on whether PIV systems can cause damage to properties in the long-term. If you put pressure into a room, the air has to escape, and it’s widely assumed that air leaves a property via a trickle vent in a window, or around a door. Unfortunately, there are many more options for possible escape routes, as buildings have numerous gaps.
One example is the space between the plasterboard and the wall air can access this from below the skirting board or from a badly fitted windowsill. There are concerns that the PIV system can push humid air into these spaces and into the cavities. As these cavities are generally cold, the humidity condenses inside the cavity and mould forms. This doesn’t happen with the DH1200 Dehumidifier, as it works with an equal pressure, not a positive pressure.
This article was paid for by Ecor Pro.
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