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Home ventilation

MVHR servicing and filter changes

Annual service, filters, heat exchanger clean and a measured airflow check for existing MVHR.

  • From £145 inc VAT per visit
  • Charged visit, price agreed first
  • Airflow tested and recorded
Get a guide price0800 088 6341
Hands lifting a filter out of an MVHR unit

An MVHR service is a visit to clean and check a heat recovery ventilation system and put it back to its design airflows. We change or clean the filters, clean the heat exchanger and fans, check the condensate drain, and measure the airflow at the valves so you know the system is still ventilating the house properly.

How it works

MVHR is often fitted and then forgotten. Over a year or two the filters clog, the fans work harder, airflow at the valves drops and the house slowly goes back to condensation and stale air. It is common for a system to go years without a filter change after the builder hands over.

A service puts that right. We work on most makes of MVHR unit and can supply filters for future changes, so you can do the in-between swaps yourself if you would rather.

Options we fit

Annual service

Filters, exchanger and fan clean, drain check, controls and boost checked, airflow spot-checked at the valves.

Rebalance and recommission

Every valve measured and set again to the design rates, with a new commissioning sheet. Useful after building work or if rooms feel stuffy.

Filter supply

The right filters for your unit, ready to change yourself between visits.

Fault finding

Noisy fans, error codes, condensate leaks and boost controls that stopped working.

Signs you need this

  • The unit filter warning is showing
  • Condensation is back on windows that used to stay dry
  • Bathrooms take longer to clear after a shower
  • The unit is louder than it used to be
  • You have moved into a new build and nobody has serviced it
  • Water dripping from the unit or ducts

Guide prices

MVHR servicing and filter changes guide prices
WorkGuide price
MVHR service: filters, unit and heat exchanger clean, airflow check (per visit)£145–£245 inc VAT
Rebalance and recommission an existing MVHR system (per system)£245–£445 inc VAT
MVHR or MEV commissioning test, every terminal measured and recorded (per system)£245–£395 inc VAT

Guide prices using West Midlands (our baseline) rates. Home prices include VAT at 20%; business prices exclude VAT. A guide price is not a quote: we confirm a fixed price in writing first. London is about 20% higher and the North East about 8% lower.

What happens, step by step

  1. Book a visit

    Tell us the make and model if you know it, or send a photo of the label.

  2. Strip and clean

    Filters out, heat exchanger removed and cleaned where the design allows, fans and casing cleaned.

  3. Checks

    Condensate trap and drain, insulation on cold ducts, controls, boost and bypass operation.

  4. Measure

    Airflow measured at the valves with a calibrated hood and compared with the design or commissioning sheet.

  5. Report

    A short written record of what we found, what we did and when the next filter change is due.

The rules that apply

England

In England, ventilation is covered by Part F of the Building Regulations and its guidance, Approved Document F (2021 edition). For homes, it sets minimum extract rates such as 15 litres a second for a bathroom and 30 or 60 for a kitchen, and expects mechanical systems to be airflow-tested.

Wales

Wales has its own Part F ventilation guidance, published by the Welsh Government, and work is checked by building control. We design to the Welsh rates and commission mechanical systems so the results can be recorded.

Scotland

In Scotland, ventilation is covered by the Building (Scotland) Regulations and section 3 of the Technical Handbooks, and most building work needs a building warrant first. We work to the Scottish ventilation standards and record the airflow achieved.

Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, ventilation is covered by the Building Regulations (Northern Ireland) and Technical Booklet K. We design to the Northern Ireland guidance and measure the airflow achieved.

Questions people ask

How much does an MVHR service cost?

An MVHR service usually costs £145 to £245 including VAT, depending on the unit and how easy it is to reach. Filters are included for most common units; rebalancing every valve is priced separately at £245 to £445.

How often should MVHR filters be changed?

Most manufacturers recommend changing MVHR filters every 6 to 12 months, and more often near busy roads or building sites. A full service once a year is a sensible minimum.

Can you service any make of MVHR?

We service most common makes of whole-home MVHR unit. If we cannot get parts for an older or unusual unit we will tell you before the visit and suggest options.

Why has my MVHR system gone noisy?

Noise usually comes from clogged filters making the fans work harder, a fan bearing wearing out, or valves that have been closed down. A service and rebalance fixes most cases.

Do I need to be at home for the service?

Someone needs to let us in and be there when we measure the valves, which means visiting every room. A service usually takes one to two hours.

My new build MVHR has never been serviced. Is that a problem?

It is very common and usually fixable. Builders often hand over without explaining filter changes, so the first service often finds filters that are badly blocked. We clean everything and reset the airflows.

Related services

Wall-hung MVHR unit with insulated ducts in a boarded loft

MVHR installation

Whole-home heat recovery ventilation, designed room by room and airflow-tested at handover.

From £4,450 inc VAT per home

Read before you buy

MVHR servicing and filter changes by area

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