What does a red ‘F’ in a triangle mean?
A red ‘F’ in a triangle is an alert, alerting that the filters are coming up to be replaced. They do not need replacing at this time but should be changed sometime in the next 2 months. Send a filter request via email to mailto:office@Kiwi.co.nz and arrange for either a DIY change or we can do it for you.
When is the best time to install a KIWI Home Ventilation system?
The best answer to that is anytime of the year. Most people have systems installed over the winter months because thats when the moisture problem is clearly visible and evident however, during autumn, summer and spring, that is the best time to be conditioning your home for the following winter if moisture or damp is your concern. Autumn is when hay fever and allergies are kicking off and this is an opportune time to have your home ventilated with a good filtration ventilation system to filter out the bulk of impurities, pollens and pollutants in the air to help keep your home healthier.
Will a ventilation system rid our home from condensation and moisture?
No ventilation system can claim a 100% eradication of condensation or moisture. To completely eradicate condensation you need to remove all moisture from the home which would be unhealthy and dangerous, or heat the home 24/7 maintaining a high temperature, this would be extremely expensive and unpractical. By lowering the moisture content in the home to ideally maintain a relative humidity level averaging 40%-50%, will drastically ‘reduce’ the moisture and condensation levels.
How will the system know what to do?
The system has been developed using the latest microchip technology and utilising the KIWI triple sensoring active controller, the system knows what to do and when to do it whether you are at home, asleep, at work or overseas.
What if I don’t want the system on all the time?
There is no reason why you would ever want to turn the system off. There is a on/off button on the controller however there is an auto on feature so the system will auto power back on after a time, just in case you forget to turn it back on again ensuring your constant protection.
We have pets and sometimes the house smells like pets, especially when it is all closed up during winter months, will this help?
By ventilating the home 24/7, KIWI conducts complete whole house air changes many times during the day, the KIWI MAXvent feature will change all the air in the home at least 3 times in the space of 1 hour. Not many smells will linger after this. It is also very beneficial for the ‘smelly teenager’, those that smoke in their home or the renovator with painting fumes.
Why does KIWI promote vents in most rooms while other companies only have 1 or 2 vents?
KIWI knows that in every household, there are times when the bedroom door gets closed by the shy or private teenager, the noisy bedroom dweller or a multitude of other reasons, when the door is shut with no vent the good starts to be undone. If this shutting is frequent or longer the benefit of the system is reduced or even nullified, this could contaminate the rest of the home with stale, damp, polluted air significantly reducing the efficiency of the system. Having a vent in each bedroom and living area creates better positive pressure within the home forcing out the stale damp polluted air which has been accumulating through the day.
We don’t need a ventilation system, we have a heat pump.
Heat pumps are great. They are an efficient form of primary heating. Generally heat pumps will be placed in the main living area. To be truly effective most homes would need at least 2 heat pumps to maintain a consistent climate through out however cost in most cases prevents this. Although heat pumps are a very efficient form of heating, they still can be costly to operate. Most heat pumps do not remove sufficient moisture from the home, instead they heat the damp or moist air in the home which can promote the growth of mould and dust mites which thrive in warm damp conditions. The filters on most heat pumps can only be regarded as very basic dust filters and do not filter out pollens, allergens, bacterias or pollutants to the same degree as an efficient ventilation system, also the filtering only concentrates in the area of the unit and not through the whole home. Heat pumps do not introduce fresh filtered air, they recirculate the air already in the home. You do not run a heat pump 24 hours a day 7 days a week anyway, even if you did the running costs would be very high. In Summary, a Kiwi Ventilation System will compliment your heat pump perfectly.
You say my home is damp, it doesn’t feel like it.
You would be shocked at the amount of moisture which is introduced into your home on a daily basis by merely existing in it. An average family of 4 introduce on average 30 litres of moisture per day, thats water, imagine every day getting a large bucket of water and poring this all over the carpets, drapes, furniture, bedding, clothes in the drawers and wardrobes. EVERYDAY. Apart from running dehumidifiers in every room, 24/7, the average home has no systems in place to remove this moisture so believe us, your home is damp.
Why don’t I just get a dehumidifier to get rid of the moisture
It is a start. Dehumidifiers remove the moisture from the air in any given room. To remove the moisture from a house using dehumidifiers you would have to run 4 or 5 for extended periods of time. This is an expensive, unpractical and unhealthy option. Dehumidifiers can over dehumidify the air and in doing so can dehydrate the occupants which can be unhealthy and dangerous.
We have a modern brand new home, it shouldn’t be damp
All families still introduce moisture into all homes on a daily basis. In some cases new homes are more damp than older ones as they are so sealed up around the doors, windows and baffles on the exhaust fans (bathroom and kitchen) that nothing can get in or out. That nothing includes moisture along with all other pollutants and smells.
How can it possibly warm our home in the middle of winter?
Even in the middle of June and July, the outside temperature may not get over 12deg during the day, As the radiated heat from the sun hits the roof it heats the ceiling cavity, this temperature in can reach 20 – 26 deg. This is even on a cold, damp overcast winters day. This is the free energy supplied by mother nature. It can also work detrimentally in reverse, this is why the controller has to be ‘smart’ and not merely an incremented fan speed switch or the like.
Why doesn’t it cool when you want it warmer and visa versa?
The system ‘knows’ when to switch from heating, cooling and ventilation modes, it does this automatically. In ventilation mode, the system is running anything from 5% to 35% of full capacity; this mode is not significant to change the climate in the home but is delivering fresh, filtered, healthy air.
Can I make any changes or adjustments?
There are limited changes that you can make, the system has been specifically designed so people only have limited options on changes, that way there is less chances of making the wrong decision and not running the system at is optimum. Only an authorized KIWI technician can make significant changes to the programming. This has been designed this way for your benefit.
How long does the filter last
Under normal conditions the filter should work efficiently for more than 2 years. We recommend the filter(s) be changed every 2 years. We will notify you when the 2 years are about to be up.
Can I change the filter myself
Either we can change the filter or if you are moderately handy and don’t mind getting down and dirty in the roof space you can do it yourself. We supply the filter as a ‘kit’ with detailed instruction. The latter would be a cheaper option for you.
Will we need any other heating source
A KIWI PPVS will significantly warm and dry your home during the winter months however it is not a primary heating source. You will need a primary heating source (but please, no unflued gas heaters for your family’s sake). You will find the required amount of energy to heat the home will be significantly less, in some situations primary heating was reduced by over 50%, that’s 50% off your heating bill, every home and location is different so results will vary from house to house. A dry warm ‘whole’ home is easier to heat, requires less heat for less time.
How long does it take to install
Every house is different, some big some small, as we custom fit each system to the house, installation times can vary. Expect on average an installation to take 3 to 4 hours.
Is there any major construction required in an installation?
Installation is generally mess free and our installers clean up on completion. The only ‘construction’ required are the 150mm holes in the ceilings for our dual cone fully adjustable diffusers (vent outlets).
How long will it take before I notice a difference?
You will notice a difference within hours of installation and power up, there will be a noticeable fresher, cleaner smell in a normally locked up house. Depending on the particular house, you will notice improvements to the overall condition of the house as each day passes by. Your home will be going through a conditioning process over the coming weeks and months. As time passes, your home will be drier and healthier.
Is there much noise, can I hear it?
Just like any other system if you listen carefully, you will hear a very slight hum coming out if you are close to the vents, this is not intrusive and generally you will not hear it. KIWI systems are suspended within the roof cavity to eliminate as much noise as possible.
What should we do first? Upgrade the insulation, install a primary heating source or install a ventilation system.
In an ideal situation if you did all three you would not need to do anything else but lets face it even with the current Government subsidized insulation and heating subsidy, it is still a very expensive exercise so where is the best start. Before you can heat a home and make it a healthy place for your family you need to remove the moisture and pollutants, this is not a one off process, it has to be ongoing on a daily basis to be effective. Insulation is definitely a major factor in a healthy home however you still need to heat it up for the insulation to minimize heat loss. Insulation helps keep a home drier but first the home has be dry to start with, insulation does not remove moisture. Heating damp polluted air is not just the answer to the heart of a healthy home. First you remove the moisture and pollutants and give your home a kick start using the solar energy available. This can only be done by a reputable and efficient positive pressure ventilation system. Then you maintain the heat or add to it with a primary heating source which job has been made easier and more cost effective thanks to the PPVS. Finally through efficient insulation, you minimise the heat loss again adding to the whole home efficiency making for a healthier happier home. Which system do you put in first? You do the math.
What are the dark rings around the diffusers?
The dark rings are caused by static electricity and can be easily removed by using a clean dry brush. Do not use water or cleaning agents. The dust from the room sticks to the ceiling by positive and negative electrons. The dust does not come from the vents and has nothing to do with the filters. All ventilation systems can get these rings and it may affect 1 or more vents.
We have an old drafty house, we don’t need a ventilation system
That’s all the more reason for a ventilation system. All the outdoor pollutants will be coming and going as they please. A Positive Pressure Ventilation System will passively keep these pollutants out by gently flushing the house with fresh filtered air.