nuaire drimaster

jon1965

Hi I have been pointed to this thread. The original thread is here
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=71760682&utm_source=MSE_FS&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=06-Dec-16
have a drillmaster heat
As far as I can see, there are only 5 five speeds and I have it on the max, it also has five heat recovery settings although setting 5 isn't to be used. I have it on the setting that basically runs all the time ( setting 4) - setting 1 is the default

The temp is about 10 degrees

Should I turn the temp up to cure the damp at the bottom of the stairs

Any thoughts please

We go away on 19th for xmas so maybe could wait to turn the heat up until we return

thanks

richardc1983

5 speeds selectable there is a 6th speed but this is automatic and is based on the loft temperature which is the temperature control options. Option 4 means that it ignores the loft temp so runs at set speed all the time and is more for summer use so if your loft say got to 30c it would turn the fan off in order not to blow hot air into the house - not pleasant on a hot summers day but means you have constant air flow into the house for really bad damp. Within thst setting if you choose one of the other temp options say at loft temps above 16c the fan will run on boost (if on speed 5) or a setting above the set fan speed.

With regards to the Heater this is purely for your comfort to avoid the air being so cold in the winter time it has a very low heat out put so will not heat your landing it's purely to take the chill off the incoming air. It's only a 500w Heater I only use the Heater for an hour on the morning. The rest of the time I just make sure heating is on low I would rather pay for 500w of gas over 500w of electric. Gas is cheaper.

Good to hear it's working but still a concern you still have so much damp has the damp course been checked etc?

jon1965

Hi
It was working fine until I reduced the settings in the summer , it continued to work fine until this recent ish spell of cooler weather.

I am fairly certain it is not damp as in damp course as when the place was empty when the OH was away on his jollies there was no damp on the walls at all.

Are you saying I should change the setting to either default or maybe 3
Currently setting 4 says
At loft temperatures below 16 the unit will operate on normal operation mode . Above 15 but below 29 the unit will switch to 'intelligent heat recovery mode' Above 27 the unit switches to standby

Setting 3 is
This option removes the temperature sensing function out of the unit. On this setting the unit will operate continuously in 'Normal Operational Mode' depending on air volume selected.

As for the temp I must say it is bloody cold getting the air blown into the hall

SO really it is just max setting that won't use too much electricity. I must point out we rarely have the heating on - although that is something I am working on and the radiator in the hall has no temperature control other than the thermostat (all the others have adjustable valves

Sorry to sound so thick

richardc1983

Even on full fan speed it uses about 16w - not far off a tv on standby!

At this time of year the heat recovery setting is going to make no difference as loft temp always gonna be below. Mine is set on option 2.

If you are not using the heating then this is why your still experiencing damp - a cold house any moisture in the air will condense on the cold walls. Think of ice cold glass of water in summer you get condensation on the side of it.

jon1965

Thanks

We are in an upstairs maisonette, the area that gets damp/condensation is at the bottom of the stairs where there is no heating anyway

alejamruc

We had incredible results with the Nuaire Drimaster Eco Heat model.

We have a victorian property with solid walls and double glazing. On cold days condensation would form in large droplets on our windows and even pool on window sills and skirting boards. We also had black mould forming on external walls.

Day 1 after installing it it was below zero, but the windows were completely clear. We now have no issues with mould and the house generally smells fresh and clean.

We now live very normally with no annoying ventilation routines. We are now able to set the heating to 'frost mode' when away fro the weekend and don't return to a damp-smelling house. We also regularly dry washing inside (in fact it dries it notably quicker when placed on a clothes horse hear the vent).

I installed it myself, saving about £600 on a damp company quote. It was genuinely very easy, and Nuaire have even stuck a step-by-step installation guide on YouTube that is easy to follow. If your DIY skills aren't up to the job, then an electrician should be able to do it in 1-2 hours and at a much lower cost than a damp specialist.

Personally, couldn't sing its praises enough - we have experienced condensation issues in every house we have lived in (Bristol has a lot of old houses with damp/mould issues) but nothing has been able to solve the problem, only make it slightly better. Since installing this system we've not had a single condensation/mould issue while putting it through its paces in the cold winter months.

richardc1983

alejamruc wrote: »

We had incredible results with the Nuaire Drimaster Eco Heat model.

We have a victorian property with solid walls and double glazing. On cold days condensation would form in large droplets on our windows and even pool on window sills and skirting boards. We also had black mould forming on external walls.

Day 1 after installing it it was below zero, but the windows were completely clear. We now have no issues with mould and the house generally smells fresh and clean.

We now live very normally with no annoying ventilation routines. We are now able to set the heating to 'frost mode' when away fro the weekend and don't return to a damp-smelling house. We also regularly dry washing inside (in fact it dries it notably quicker when placed on a clothes horse hear the vent).

I installed it myself, saving about £600 on a damp company quote. It was genuinely very easy, and Nuaire have even stuck a step-by-step installation guide on YouTube that is easy to follow. If your DIY skills aren't up to the job, then an electrician should be able to do it in 1-2 hours and at a much lower cost than a damp specialist.

Personally, couldn't sing its praises enough - we have experienced condensation issues in every house we have lived in (Bristol has a lot of old houses with damp/mould issues) but nothing has been able to solve the problem, only make it slightly better. Since installing this system we've not had a single condensation/mould issue while putting it through its paces in the cold winter months.

Good post, have you noticed how the house generally just feels fresher, cooking smells no longer linger and in summer it helps to ventilate the house on a night time too.

alejamruc

Absolutely, the whole house is now generally fresh smelling.

For example, We have a inside porch area with some matts to wipe your feet on. These matts get damp/muddy, the inside door limits air flow, and it is cold in that area, so it always smelt really dank when you first walk through the front door.

Now, these matts dry out after use and it smells fresher when you walk into the porch (even if we switch the heating off when away for the weekend and return, whereas it used to smell especially damp and we'd have to open up all the windows in the house to give it good airing).

dkcjtc01

Hi,

I have just installed the same model, However I'm unsure on which best way to set it up ie the fan speed, and temperature setting. I have seen on some threads that the heating element can be wired separate from the fan unit, so they can put the heater on a time switch ? Is this advisable or can you advise the best setup.

Thanks

Ayrton

I did a lot of research into which PIV to buy, before buying, and found it quite difficult to decide between the Lofty Remcon and the Nuaire Drimaster heat. The Nuaire adds a lot of bulk in the loft, most of the space taken by the Lofty is on the roof of the landing (and it's a smaller item anyway, and not bad to look at), so initially we went for that (our loft is crammed with junk). Plus the Lofty comes with a remote control as standard for the fan setting - you have to get up a ladder for the Nuaire.

I had the Lofty fitted by an electrician for an extra hours pay, he was in the house for another job so I got him to do it whilst he was here. I probably could have done it myself though with hindsight. When I got back and heard it though, I thought "what on earth is that?"- it was making a proper racket. The product itself is advertised as "whisper quiet", and it certainly was not that.

I contacted the supplier who referred me in the first instance to the manufacturer for help with the problem. After a lot of trouble getting hold of them, the chap I spoke to suggested maybe the unit had been dropped in transit and offered to exchange it. I took the old unit out and ran it on the kitchen table, and you could see that the fan was right out of balance. This could account for the problem so I agreed to the exchange.

I did fit the second one myself, and whilst it was not as bad, the landing did still sound like it had aircraft taking off in the loft above. The problem, I think, is that this unit is a fan attached directly to the ceiling. Because it is connected to the house, essentially it treats the loft like a sound box, and that's what you hear. You could hear it at night through a closed bedroom door. I tried using rubber washers etc. to try and damp the reverberations but I couldn't get it quiet. I tried contacting the manufacturer again - and once again, hard to get hold off - so eventually I told the supplier I had had enough, and wanted to return it.

Refund secured, I bought the Nuaire. The difference is like night and day. The Drimaster hangs from the rafter on a cord, so they've clearly thought about reverberation and dealt with it. It is very nearly silent, all you hear is the gentle movement of air. There is a cool breeze on the landing, although we have the heat model so when the air gets colder hopefully the edge will be taken off the chill.

I fitted it on a really hot day, and after setting itself up, it turned off. I was perturbed by this at first but on reading up, I find the unit is smart enough to do this for itself. On hot days you won't be contributing to a condensation problem and the unit isn't needed, so this is a power saving feature.

It's been running 5 days now and I'm really pleased with it. It is unobtrusive, visually and audibly. I will have to keep the loft clearer but hey, I should have done that anyway. You don't need a remote. I did buy the optional wireless control for the Nuaire as well, probably shouldn't have bothered, it doesn't add much, but I will hang on to it, maybe in the longer term I will want to turn on a "blast" of heat occasionally (yes I know it's never really a blast). You can't change the fan speed with this one (the Lofty could), you can just turn on a fan or heat 'boost'.

Our house became a condensation problem when we fitted better double glazing. Presumably once air tighter we were not changing the air enough. The winter will tell us whether or not the Nuaire's core functionality of condensation removal is successful. I've no doubt it will be fine, I know the laws of physics and there are other people's testaments to read here. But I thought I'd share my installation experience if only to give others food for thought about the potential perils of turning your loft into a sound box.