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HRV filters turning black in the wintertime

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  • 20-04-2018 11:18am
    #1
    samdeluxjones
    Registered Users Posts: 360 ✭✭


    My ventilation unit is working great but I have had to change the filters 3 times in the last year as they have become black with surrounding houses fireplaces on clam winter evenings.

    Is there any solution to prevent this other than turning off the machine on those evenings?

    Does the smoke do any other harm to the internals of the machine, sensors etc..?


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    #2
    Shaunoc
    Registered Users Posts: 521 ✭✭✭Shaunoc


    possibly black from dampness too?
    could put another diy filter closer to the intake.

    i must add an insect mesh at my intake as when i clean it there are plenty in there


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    #3
    KCross
    Registered Users Posts: 12,084 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    samdeluxjones wrote: »
    My ventilation unit is working great but I have had to change the filters 3 times in the last year as they have become black with surrounding houses fireplaces on clam winter evenings.

    Is there any solution to prevent this other than turning off the machine on those evenings?

    Does the smoke do any other harm to the internals of the machine, sensors etc..?

    I get the same. Not much you can do to stop it.
    I wash them and once they get too tatty I put in new ones.

    I wouldnt recommend turning off the machine though. The filters arent that expensive for me.... are yours expensive?

    As for damaging internals.... you might get build up of dirt on the heat exchanger and that would need to be cleaned as well to keep it running efficiently. Depending on your unit you might be able to do that yourself. Mine is a Brink and it can be a DIY job once you have a basic idea of what you are doing.


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    #4
    samdeluxjones
    Registered Users Posts: 360 ✭✭samdeluxjones


    Mine is Zehnder and set of filters about €22 from a crowd in Holland. €50 odd if bought here.

    I have had it opened up so I can give the heat exchanger a clean out.

    I have to change my fly filter at least once a week in wintertime, I'll attach a pic with fly filter, new filter, intake filter & supply filter after 2-3 months over the winter.

    My filters are kind of micro fiber so i don't think they can be washed but I'll give it a go, nothing to loose..

    HRV Filters.jpg


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    #5
    KCross
    Registered Users Posts: 12,084 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    samdeluxjones wrote: »
    Mine is Zehnder and set of filters about €22 from a crowd in Holland. €50 odd if bought here.

    I have had it opened up so I can give the heat exchanger a clean out.

    I have to change my fly filter at least once a week in wintertime, I'll attach a pic with fly filter, new filter, intake filter & supply filter after 2-3 months over the winter.

    My filters are kind of micro fiber so i don't think they can be washed but I'll give it a go, nothing to loose..

    Yea, mine are different. Yours are folded. Mine are flat so easy to wash.

    Yours are quite black alright. I presume its a sealed stove you have?
    Do you get alot of smoke billowing out when you open the door or something?

    Or maybe its smoke being pulled in from the outside? Are the inlets close to the chimney?


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    #6
    samdeluxjones
    Registered Users Posts: 360 ✭✭samdeluxjones


    It's everybody else's smoke but mine. We live in a village in close proximity to at least 5-8 smoking chimneys so it's unavoidable on a calm night.

    We put the intake in a sheltered corner spot when in hindsight it should have been on the more exposed side of the house.

    I have just put those 2 filters in a warm bath with some vanish washing powder too see what happens..


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    #7
    KCross
    Registered Users Posts: 12,084 ✭✭✭✭KCross


    samdeluxjones wrote: »
    It's everybody else's smoke but mine. We live in a village in close proximity to at least 5-8 smoking chimneys so it's unavoidable on a calm night.

    We put the intake in a sheltered corner spot when in hindsight it should have been on the more exposed side of the house.

    I have just put those 2 filters in a warm bath with some vanish washing powder too see what happens..

    I suppose the silver lining is that the filters are keeping that horrible stuff out of your house so it is helping your family health!

    If the soot is coming from outside you are stuck unless you move the intakes.


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    #8
    RandomAccess
    Registered Users Posts: 1,830 ✭✭✭RandomAccess


    I used to clean my filters with hot water & washing powder mix.

    The dirt would dissolve into the solution almost instantly.

    I was renting so didn't fancy buying new filters and the management company didn't give a toss, I'd say most people didn't even know we had MHRV.
    It was a Zehnder system.


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    #9
    samdeluxjones
    Registered Users Posts: 360 ✭✭samdeluxjones


    The soaking in the vanish powder mixture kinda worked on the filter that wasn't too bad. I will re-use that one next winter on the intake side.

    The black filter was so full of soot it hardly changed colour.

    Anyone try double up on the fly filter on the intake vent.

    The moisture removal from the house is the biggest advantage of having MHRV as far as I can see which isn't affected by a bit of dirt on the filters..


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