For the third year running, Polypipe Ventilation is pleased to announce it is a Finalist in the Housebuilder Product Awards Best Services Product category; this year for its Domus Radial Duct System.
Domus Radial (patents pending) was introduced by Polypipe Ventilation as a versatile alternative to traditional branch-based ducting systems and offers customers less air leakage, increased air flow, easier installation and commissioning, as well as elimination of room to room cross talk and a reduction in air noise.
Tested by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) for inclusion within the Product Characteristics Database (previously SAP Appendix Q), Domus Radial was not only found to be equivalent to traditional rigid ducting in smaller builds but actually exceeded the performance in properties with four or more wet rooms / kitchen.
The Domus Radial system has been designed to allow each room vent to be fixed directly to an inlet/outlet plenum with optional twin duct connections. The plenum is then served by a single or tandem duct run which connects securely to a manifold, acting as an air distribution hub. The manifold is then directly linked to a centralised appliance – this being either a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) or Mechanical Extract Ventilation (MEV) unit.
An optional integral flow control device enables the inlet/outlet plenum to be connected directly to a stylish grille, taking away the need for a room-mounted adjustable air valve and giving designers the opportunity to match interior décor schemes. This clever design also allows for single fix commissioning to be carried out in advance of construction of the finished ceiling; providing peace of mind that the required air flow rates will be achieved while the duct system is still accessible. Another advantage is that the flow control device cannot be easily tampered with by the occupant, which could negatively impact system performance.
Domus Radial’s 125mm deep slim-line manifold is ideal for installation between joists or in tight spaces. The smaller manifold size also allows for greater choice on location, removing the need to place the manifold adjacent to the centralised MVHR or MEV appliance.
Domus Radial is supplied as pre-selected house packs for ease of specification and ordering, but now greater flexibility is possible with the opportunity to upgrade and mix and match internal terminals with the aesthetically pleasing architectural grilles. The grilles are available in a variety of styles to complement the property type and interior design.
To complement the range is a 250mm long FireBrake fire-stopping sleeve to prevent the spread of flames through openings in walls and ceilings made for the ducting; and bespoke Radial duct insulation, to prevent the formation of condensation when the duct runs from the warm to cold areas of a property.
Because of the flexibility of the Ø75mm semi-rigid duct, Domus Radial systems can be used in all domestic properties, but are particularly suited to larger houses where modern methods of construction may make traditional ducting problematic, e.g. as a result of poor access to voids, or where multiple room extraction is required.
Domus Radial is specifically designed for use with whole house centralised ventilation appliances including Polypipe’s award winning Silavent Green Line HRX range of Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) units and the Silavent Green Line CMX Mechanical Extract Ventilation (MEV) unit.
The Housebuilder Product Awards are being held on 25th June and Polypipe Ventilation is hoping to match its 2013 success when it won with its Silavent Green Line HRX MVHR appliances.
Polypipe Ventilation has a well deserved reputation for designing and manufacturing high quality ventilation systems, backed up by excellent technical support. Polypipe Ventilation is well placed to offer immediate, practical solutions to Building Regulations Parts F & L. The company continues to provide differentiated solutions in the private and social housing sectors, transforming the way developers, specifiers, installers, home owners and distributors meet emerging environmental standards. For further information, please call 03443 715523 or email vent.marketing@polypipe.com.
Testimonials
Mill Meadow Eco-Homes is a luxury, self-catering, eco lodge holiday development in Somerset. The properties are built using a traditional Scandinavian log house system. Flycatcher, the latest Mill Meadow property in development, has been installed with a Polypipe Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) appliance ducted using a Domus Radial System.
Chris Heayns, Managing Director of Mill Meadow: “we decided to use MVHR as the homes are very air tight, so it didn’t make sense cutting holes in the walls and inserting trickle vents. However, one of the issues we had was that the wood in these lodges continually moves, which could be a problem for rigid ducting. That’s why we were particularly keen on Polypipe’s Domus Radial duct system as its duct is flexible and will move with the house. It is also simple to install, which was an added bonus.”
IBD Distribution, a sustainable energy solutions provider and long term Polypipe customer, recommended the Domus Radial Duct System for a two bedroom house in Ringwood, Hampshire. The house is constructed from a relatively compact timber frame with high insulation and I-Beams that restrict the use of traditional ‘branch’ ducting.
Darren Johnson, Technical Director of IBD: “After our first Radial installation our initial thoughts were very positive. We can confirm at least a 50% labour saving on traditional MVHR [Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery] duct installations. We like the kit – it was very easy to install, with no tech screws, tape or silicon sealant required, apart from those used with the rigid duct located between the manifolds and HR units”.
Other benefits identified by Darren include low parts inventory and reduced storage of stock, simpler deployment logistics and overall ease of system installation requiring less technically skilled labour.
Darren continues “we will most definitely be using the Domus Radial Duct System again. It is now our proposed offering for houses under 275m2.”