Sussex Air Con designs and installs heat recovery ventilation for homes and commercial buildings across East and West Sussex. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) supplies a steady flow of filtered fresh air while keeping most of the heat you have already paid for. That means better air quality, less condensation and mould, and lower heating bills.

We fit domestic MVHR systems in new builds, extensions and renovations, commercial ventilation and heat recovery units in offices, shops, schools and industrial premises.

Heat recovering system installed in a factory ceiling.

What is heat recovery ventilation?

A heat recovery ventilation system is a whole-building ventilation system that extracts stale, moist air and replaces it with fresh outdoor air, transferring heat between the two air streams as it does so. The two streams pass each other inside a heat exchanger but never mix, so the incoming fresh air is warmed by the outgoing air before it reaches your rooms.

How an MVHR system works:

  1. Ducting draws stale, humid air from “wet” rooms such as kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms.
  2. The air passes through a heat exchanger in the central MVHR unit, usually fitted in a loft, cupboard or plant room.
  3. Fresh outdoor air is filtered and drawn through the same heat exchanger, where it picks up heat from the outgoing air.
  4. The warmed fresh air is supplied to living rooms and bedrooms, and the stale air is exhausted outside.

Quality MVHR units typically recover around 85–95% of the heat in the extracted air. Many also have a summer bypass that lets cooler air in without heat recovery on warm nights.

Domestic MVHR installation in Sussex

MVHR is most effective in well-insulated, airtight homes, where there is little natural air leakage. We install systems in:

  • New builds and self-builds, where MVHR is often the simplest way to meet the ventilation requirements of the Building Regulations (Approved Document F)
  • Extensions and loft conversions with high levels of insulation
  • Deep retrofits and renovations, where upgraded windows and insulation have made the house more airtight and condensation has become a problem

The best time to plan MVHR is at design stage, before ceilings and floors are closed in, so ducting can be routed neatly. We can work directly with you, your architect or your builder.

Commercial ventilation and heat recovery in Sussex

Good ventilation keeps offices and workplaces healthy and productive by supplying fresh air and removing stale air, odours and pollutants. Our commercial ventilation services include:

  • Supply and extract ventilation for offices, retail units and studios
  • Heat recovery units and air handling units (AHUs) for larger buildings
  • Adding fresh air to existing air conditioning systems, so you can ventilate without losing the heating or cooling you are paying for
  • Ventilation for kitchens, gyms, schools and light industrial spaces

We design each system around occupancy, building layout and running costs. We can install alongside commercial air conditioning or heat pump work as one project.

Heat recovery VRF air conditioning

In air conditioning, “heat recovery” also describes VRF and VRV systems that can heat some zones while cooling others at the same time. Instead of rejecting unwanted heat outside, a heat recovery VRF system moves it through the refrigerant circuit to the rooms that need warming, which cuts running costs in buildings with mixed demand, such as offices with sunny and shaded sides or server rooms next to occupied space.

We design and install 3-pipe heat recovery VRF systems for offices and commercial buildings across Sussex. Find out more about VRF and VRV systems on our commercial air conditioning page.

Our heat recovery installation process

  1. Free site survey. We visit your property, look at the layout, insulation and existing ventilation, and discuss what you need.
  2. System design. We size the unit and plan the duct routes and air flow rates for each room.
  3. You get a clear, itemised quote with no obligation.
  4. Our own engineers fit the unit, ducting and controls, working around your builder or business hours where needed.
  5. Commissioning and handover. We balance the airflow to each room, check performance and show you how to use the controls.

MVHR servicing and maintenance

An MVHR system needs its filters changed regularly and an annual service to keep air flowing efficiently. Clogged filters reduce airflow and heat recovery and make the fans work harder. We service MVHR and commercial ventilation systems we installed and those fitted by others. See our service and maintenance page for planned maintenance contracts.

Why choose Sussex Air Con?

  • Local engineers covering the whole of East and West Sussex
  • Design, installation and aftercare from one team
  • Experience across domestic, commercial, clean room and laboratory projects

Book a free heat recovery survey

Talk to our team about MVHR or commercial ventilation in Sussex. Call 01273 434586, email info@sussexaircon.com or request a free quote.

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