# Wider implications to more airtight house build



## Troy McClure (9 Mar 2011)

I have been looking into the consequence's of building an airtight house.

For 1. alot of people seem to go airtight as possible then put in a stove that is way (output) in excess of what the house may need. In one case they couldn't use the stove at all or they would literally cook.
Also What are the implication of having a gas hob in such a house. After all there's little air coming in, so wouldn't the hob need some sort of external vent for the gas to burn in the same way as the stove. How would this be balanced up?

Who should you talk about this.? 
I asked the architect and he acknowedged they are indeed important questions...


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## col (10 Mar 2011)

I would imagine you will need a ventilation system or a heat recovery ventilation system in an airtight house.


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## Troy McClure (10 Mar 2011)

Apologies, I thought that it went without saying there would be a HRVS in such as house.
This would not address the issues though instead adds to the variables. 

BER accessors dont seem this much knowedge when it comes to design. It seems to be stick it in the software, which give you common sense pointers, build your house, do airtight test (or two) and certify at the end.

Who are the experts on this..?


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## onq (10 Mar 2011)

There are no experts on this Troy and people are still feeling their way with intelligent questiones like yours guiding their path.
My own limited knowledge suggests that once yo uare burning fossil fuel in air you need to carefully consider your MVHR system and it limitations.

The Mechanical Ventilation and Heat Recovery system [MVHR] should be able to both supply air to the gas hob and extract the water vapour this will generate.
When I say "should" I don't mean thay all can, but that if you're using  an MVHR system AND a gas hob, it'll need to deal with the prodiucts of  combusion and cooking.
Cooking products will be generated in addition to the water vapour generated by the gas burning in air, and any steamy kitchen will show these are considerable.

Otherwise the gaseous products of cooking may need to be vented to air.
The supplier of the sustem should be able to confirm/deny what I say. 

In terms of open gas fires for living spaces, I think simething like that would overload the system and leave a hole through the house that would ruin the internal efficiency.
Restrictions on open fires suggest they are usually kept behind sealed glass units and a gas fire may need a balanced flue air feed/chimney from external air.

At the rate we're going we may end up living in super insulated houses and cooking on bar-be-ques on the patio. 

ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon            as a defence or support - in and of itself - should legal    action    be      taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in            Real Life with rights to inspect and issue reports on the    matters    at      hand.


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