Ventilation and heat recovery pays off healthwise

Johnson and Starley HR155 Heat Recovery Unit with Cooker Hood, incorporating an aluminium plate heat exchanger, was solution to long-standing health problems.

A ventilation and heat recovery system installed in an authority house in Epping Forest has brought to an end years of suffering for the householder and her two children.

A Johnson and Starley HR155 Heat Recovery Unit with Cooker Hood, incorporating an aluminium plate heat exchanger, has been the solution to her long-standing problems.

Suzanne Reece and her daughters, Jessica 8 and Teona 6, started to suffer from asthma soon after moving into the flat.

"This area was once a lake," explains Suzanne, "and the air is very damp.

She continues; "despite all our efforts we couldn't get rid of the damp, mushrooms had grown in the hall and mould was constantly reappearing".

"Even the children's mattresses had to be changed due to mildew on them.

At one stage the children's asthma had become so bad that both children were taking preventative (brown) and instant (blue) inhaler medicines, Suzanne herself was on steroids and was taken to hospital during one attack.

After hearing about a potential remedy to the problems of condensation and damp from a neighbour who told her about Johnson and Starley, Suzanne contacted the company and a suitable ventilation system was chosen.

Epping Forest District Council was approached and they happily gave the go-ahead to install the system, including the heat recovery.

The Reece family started to feel and see the benefits quickly.

"The difference is astounding" says Suzanne.

"I used to listen to the children coughing at night and pray they would not have an asthma attack".

"Now you wouldn't know any of us had suffered breathing difficulties".

"The girls play sports again and I feel great! We can look forward to a normal life again thanks to Johnson and Starley.

The mould has gone from the house and so has the mildew, condensation and damp odour that lingered indoors.

This has all been achieved by using the whisper-quiet air extraction vents in the kitchen and bathroom, ducted to the heat recovery and re-circulation system that incorporates a cooker hood".

""It looks so nice and fits into the kitchen perfectly" says Suzanne.

Air is partially extracted, passed over a heat exchanger to recover energy from the house and passed outside, whilst the remainder is sent back into the other rooms having been dehumidified and filtered.

The system accurately controls the amount of air extracted and recovers a nominal 70% of energy in the removed air.

Damp, mould and fungal growth will eventually destroy the fabric of a building.

Fitting a Johnson and Starley system will eradicate the problems and halt any further damage to the property.

This will result in reducing future maintenance costs that would be incurred.

With up to 15 litres of vapour a day being generated by an average family, modern building methods and regulations that 'seal' a property can produce harmful effects, such as the asthma experienced by Suzanne and her family.

However, the heat recovery and ventilations systems - provided by Johnson and Starley - can cure the problems associated with energy - efficient buildings, without sacrificing the energy savings.

Johnson and Starley was established in 1922 and for over 80 years has provided innovation to the UK heating industry.

As a manufacturer of 'Home Comfort Solutions' the company offers an extensive range of Part L compliant warm air heaters and ventilation products in addition to SEDBUK A -rated high efficiency condensing boilers.

They offer the complete heating and ventilating range to heating installers and specifies.

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