Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) refers to the cleanliness and healthiness of the air inside a building. It involves factors like airborne pollutants (dust, pollen, mould spores, VOCs), temperature, and humidity. Maintaining IAQ is crucial for occupant well-being and comfort. Key aspects include proper ventilation to exchange indoor air, control moisture, and enhance oxygen supply. Ventilation systems, including fans and filters, play a vital role in improving IAQ and involve effective ventilation strategies for minimising pollutant sources. Regular monitoring is essential for a healthier indoor environment.

Mechanical extraction for odour control employs various methods and technologies to effectively eliminate or neutralise unpleasant odours from the air. This process involves using fans or other mechanical systems to physically remove air from a space. There are systems available that can sense a change in the air quality - essentially smelling the air - and will trigger to vent the area. Most standard ventilation systems for the home will help eradicate bad smells simply by removing the particles in the stale air to replace with fresh air. Of course, removing the source of the smell from the home is also recommended!

Every fan on our website will show a noise rating measured in decibels (dB). Decibels as a measurement of sound can be confusing, as the linear rise in decibels does not correlate to the logarithmic curve that tracks the perceived volume we hear as humans. Effectively, the best way to describe how we perceive sound is that the perceived volume we hear doubles every 10dB.

For the most part, when it comes to extractor fans, we are unlikely to look at anything above 50dB unless we are talking about commercial units - but this is where we hit a snag. The dB ratings on the fans are an average dB reading taken from a distance of 3m while the fan is not attached to any ducting and in an environment that gives a true dB level unaffected by variables such as natural amplification or additional noise pollution affecting the readings taken. This is great for giving a level that can be compared against other units including from varying manufacturers, but it means that this level is not a true representation of how the fan noise level will be perceived once installed in your home.

Many fan systems that use filtration are supplied with filters that can be either replaced or are washable and reusable, but not all. Depending on the type of filtration being used, some filters will have to be disposed of and replaced periodically. It is always worth checking with the manufacturer to confirm whether a specific filter can be reused or not.

If you are installing a grille to an external vertical surface, then no resistance grilles are best. These grilles help to minimise backdraughts while causing no airflow impedance by keeping an open aperture for the out-going air. In contrast, gravity grilles incorporate hinged slats that fall closed when the fan is not in use and are blown open when the fan is in use. The downside to these grilles is that the fan has to push the slats open causing back pressure in the ducting which can put a fan motor under undue strain and shorten the life of the unit while also reducing the fan’s extraction rate. The slats can also clack in higher winds, causing an irritating noise.

Passive grille or passive ventilation refers to non-mechanical vents that leverage natural forces for airflow without powered fans. These grilles or openings facilitate the exchange of air, utilising wind, buoyancy, and temperature differences. Trickle vents offer continuous low-level airflow, adjustable for control even when doors or windows are closed.

The downside to passive venting is the lack of control to heat loss and cold air and moisture entering a building. Regulated trickle venting via mechanical ventilation controls the rate of outward airflow and stops unwanted inward drafts.