Honest reviews: Ventilation systems; which is best Dvs, Sayr or Hrv

[Wayne]

Already tried - the guy doesn't care at all, he just keeps explaining how his system is superior to SmartVent's.

they all say their's is the best.
You have to be careful that you get and pay for what you really need not a lot of stuff that you don't actually use because you can't be bothered changing the settings.
Remember why you got it - reduce moisture in winter (maybe).
Not add cooling in summer (which as has been said is dubious).

[donthatetheplayer]

I know the guy who designed Unovent. I have talked to him at length about it. I would certainly go with this over other options just based on my understanding of what will be the most effective at reducing moisture. Sometimes the simpler, less expensive option really is the best. The Designer is a good, honest bloke. He's an Engineer, not a salesman.

I haven't tried it myself yet but will probably install in my own home this winter.

I am sure the other product suppliers will be worried. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to bring out a similar product soon.

[ivanp]

I've just called Cleanaire - their smaller balanced pressure heat recovery system (enough for 3-bdrm up to 400 m3 / 150 sqm) costs just $2055 + GST + $65 for delivery from ChCh to Auckland + ducting and grills to be provided myself. Comes with basic fan speed control; the system is designed to be configured once (to provide enough air changes/hour) and left as is, so the fan speed control should be probably hidden in ceiling space. Sounds foolproof. Will probably go this way for my new builds (as they are fully insulated and less air-leaky, so positive pressure systems are not good).

[Damap]

The healthaire guy was the inventor of these systems, his product is outstanding in our experience. He was teh dearest then also but we live in a house with his system it is awesome. The hot cold thing is great and the simple red green light display means you always know it's working and which way it's working. highly rate them.

[Macnz]

He can buy quite a few brands of fans - check Bunnings, they sell 3-4 brands at least, I reckon most of them are cheaper than Manrose.

Wayne is spot on you can't get the parts from Bunnings...and Bunnings is a 'Buget store'...if they were a car yard they'd be selling Cherrys, great walls and and a few Honda's and Toyota's, plus a couple of BMW's in the corner.

Manrose is a good reliable middle of the road brand...but certainly not top of the line. Most of there stuff is ex China (No offence)...but if I had my pick of A great wall or a BMW...

My top three choices as I have now discovered all using basically the same fan - German made EMB...with Sayr using the top of the line model.

[Macnz]

I've just called Cleanaire - their smaller balanced pressure heat recovery system (enough for 3-bdrm up to 400 m3 / 150 sqm) costs just $2055 + GST + $65 for delivery from ChCh to Auckland + ducting and grills to be provided myself. Comes with basic fan speed control; the system is designed to be configured once (to provide enough air changes/hour) and left as is, so the fan speed control should be probably hidden in ceiling space. Sounds foolproof. Will probably go this way for my new builds (as they are fully insulated and less air-leaky, so positive pressure systems are not good).

Looked at balanced pressure and true heat recovery systems and was very keen...until someone pointed that they are actually designed for VERY cold dry environments, like Canada...triple glazing and a furnace / central heat working 24/7 for 6-8 months of the year...oh and its -25 degrees outside. NZ doesn't need this type plus its too damp (When its very cold it's very dry) and their air flow is a fraction compared to the others.

[Macnz]

I know the guy who designed Unovent. I have talked to him at length about it. I would certainly go with this over other options just based on my understanding of what will be the most effective at reducing moisture. Sometimes the simpler, less expensive option really is the best. The Designer is a good, honest bloke. He's an Engineer, not a salesman.

I haven't tried it myself yet but will probably install in my own home this winter.

I am sure the other product suppliers will be worried. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to bring out a similar product soon.

You sound like a salesman or the guys brother...Obviously you didn't read my previous post...I will refresh your memory.

"I researched it - and saw the video .

1. Both Sayr and dvs are NZ made / NZ companies.
2. Unovent has limited control / automation
3. I have pink batts and insulfuff - their filters are washable thin material. Think you need a F6-7 to exclude those fibre's. Therefore I didn't want my son who asthma breathing dust and glass fibre's.
4. Once you buy a whole system plus have it installed the cost is not really any different from the top of the line systems.
5. airfow nowhere near the others.

Similar money for less performance, less control and poorer filtering???"

[harmonist]

I quite like the look of this unovent system as well, simple to install yourself and no ducting running all over the place, however I have insulation rolled over old insul-fluf and also wonder how good the filtering would in that situation, maybe you could just buy some cheap ducting from mitre10, place it over the fans and feed them further up into the roof space away from the insulation? $1368 for 4 vents sounds pretty awesome, does anyone actually has this system installed?

[ivanp]

$1368 for 4 vents sounds pretty awesome

What's so awesome about getting a system for the price of one ducted system with clear disadvantages:
1) you'd have to regularly replace 4 filters instead of one, and they don't tell price of the filter on their web site;
2) you'll obviously get more noise from Unovent (4 fans just above the grill instead of 1 fan far away from grills).

Simple install is probably the only advantage of Unovent.

[ivanp]

Just don't forget that you are buying stupid and simple system that just pumps air from your roof space or outside, that's it. No rocket science here

It's truly amazing how NZ sales/marketing make $1K+ margins on top of what should be a basic reliable fan plus $30 controller plus few ducts and grills.

[harmonist]

Good to know, I see there's a lot of love for Smartvent here, do you think the Smartvent SV04 for $1650 on TM is a good buy? I'm definitely keen on installing something myself this winter, I get puddles on a bunch on my window sills in the mornings, would be nice waking up to a dry house!

[ivanp]

SV04 is what I have in my own home (plus heat transfer plus summer kit). All good just don't expect any magic from it - like with my concrete tile roof there's no heat in the roof space at all, so under-roof air pretty much the same as outdoor air, and in night time the system just pumps cold air (at much slower speed), which helps with moisture/wet windows but obviously cools down the house.

I see at least two sellers of SV04 for $1650 on TM
One of these is harbour heat pumps - seems to be some heat pumps / ventilation company from North shore but I didn't buy from them yet.
The other seller is "kiwi_power" - I've purchased smartvent SV02 plus some other staff from these guys several times - they are based in East Tamaki, chinese business reselling various electrical staff, plus Simx/SmartVent. All good. I like them because they are close to me

[harmonist]

Excellent thanks for the info, will do some shopping around!

[donthatetheplayer]

You sound like a salesman or the guys brother...Obviously you didn't read my previous post...I will refresh your memory.

"I researched it - and saw the video .

1. Both Sayr and dvs are NZ made / NZ companies.
2. Unovent has limited control / automation
3. I have pink batts and insulfuff - their filters are washable thin material. Think you need a F6-7 to exclude those fibre's. Therefore I didn't want my son who asthma breathing dust and glass fibre's.
4. Once you buy a whole system plus have it installed the cost is not really any different from the top of the line systems.
5. airfow nowhere near the others.

Similar money for less performance, less control and poorer filtering???"

You sound like you got out of bed on the wrong side! I couldn't give two hoots what system people choose to install. Just giving my opinion. Take it or leave it.

As is mentioned - don't forget these systems are all just fans pumping air around the place. I think what you want to look into is when/why they pump air. If RH is same in your ceiling as it is in your house any air movement is a waste of time. You only want air pumped into your house if it is dryer.

How much control do you want? I just want to turn it on and for it to work.

If the Unovent filters are no good that would concern me. I have both insulfluff and batts too so wouldn't want that pumped into my home. I haven't looked into the filters but like the idea of being able to replace them myself.

I'll get some quotes for different systems but based on what I've seen / heard Unovent looks pretty cost effective. I'd be surprised if other systems were the same price. The Unovent price was much better last year but seems to have shot up since then.

Don't really care about volume of airflow. If the system works does it really matter?.

[Macnz]

You sound like you got out of bed on the wrong side! I couldn't give two hoots what system people choose to install. Just giving my opinion. Take it or leave it.

As is mentioned - don't forget these systems are all just fans pumping air around the place. I think what you want to look into is when/why they pump air. If RH is same in your ceiling as it is in your house any air movement is a waste of time. You only want air pumped into your house if it is dryer.

How much control do you want? I just want to turn it on and for it to work.

If the Unovent filters are no good that would concern me. I have both insulfluff and batts too so wouldn't want that pumped into my home. I haven't looked into the filters but like the idea of being able to replace them myself.


I'll get some quotes for different systems but based on what I've seen / heard Unovent looks pretty cost effective. I'd be surprised if other systems were the same price. The Unovent price was much better last year but seems to have shot up since then.

Don't really care about volume of airflow. If the system works does it really matter?.

No No...not the wrong side of bed...Just getting a bit frustrated with the Thread. I have a simple question

1. I have narrowed to down to three systems hrv dvs and Sayr

From what I can see these seem to be the most popular and I wanted to know who has these and what they think.

So far I have only had 1 person answer my question which was "I have a Sayr and love it"

Everyone else on here seems to be trying to push something else? I Don't want anything else...just what people thought, of those three systems.

And just to help anyone else I have shortened the list...We are now only tossing up between hrv and Sayr. dvs don't have the air flow to compete with the other two.


and Airflow - "I don't care what size my engine is I just want that car"

It was put to me like this "would you tow your big boat up over the Bombays with a mini - No, not unless you had too and you're not gonna do any favors to you mini. You'd use your 4x4 or commodore. No point in under performance...better to have over performance.

hrv and Sayr seem to be the only two companies that follow a standard as far as how much airflow is needed...all the others seem to sell what ever you will buy. i.e. unovent...there is no real control just how many vents do you want...that's not cutomer service that almost snake oil... 'no consideration of how cold it is, how big the house is etc...just how many do you want.'

I applaud people who try to find solutions and make them accessible...but it has to be done right...Who would by a Cherry Car....Hey cause they are real cheap...but they have a poor reliability record and for God's sake don't crash one!

Sorry for the rant...Just after a bit of specific feed back.