An escape route in a tower became smoke-logged like a “broken chimney” during a fire after its ventilation system failed, a report has found. Dozens of people received medical treatment after a fire ripped through a 19-storey block in east London, which is encased in Grenfell-style cladding, last month.  A report into the blaze at […]

Condensation is a problem in both period properties and newer homes, but what causes it and what can be done to prevent it?   What is Condensation? The air contains moisture. The temperature of the air determines how much moisture it can hold, and warm air contains more moisture than cold air. When warm, moist […]

Bringing in fresh air – while ideally adding to the overall heat supply in the process – is clearly desirable. How to choose the right system   In the pursuit of higher efficiency in our homes, there are two elements that need to be controlled: insulation and airtightness. Building Regulations currently requires an airtightness of 5m3/m2/hr@50pa, which is approximately half […]

With our homes becoming ever more airtight, and ventilation equivalently hi-tech,take a step back in time and discover how naturally free resources and good house design principles can offer the best supply of fresh air. Before Building Regulations called for increasingly airtight houses and mechanical ventilation became the norm, people kept cool, fresh air in the house using natural [...]