Ventilation & MVHR Quotes in Ireland
Compare up to 4 local ventilation & mvhr professionals. Free, no obligation quotes.
Ventilation is the most overlooked element of home energy performance in Ireland. When you insulate your home, upgrade your windows, and draught-proof your doors, you make the building more airtight. That is great for energy efficiency, but it traps moisture from cooking, showering, breathing, and drying clothes inside the house. Without controlled ventilation, this moisture condenses on cold surfaces and leads to mould, musty smells, and poor indoor air quality.
Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery (MVHR) is the gold standard for ventilated, energy-efficient homes. An MVHR system continuously extracts stale, moist air from kitchens and bathrooms and supplies fresh, filtered air to bedrooms and living areas. The clever part is the heat exchanger: it recovers up to 90% of the heat from the outgoing air and transfers it to the incoming fresh air. You get fresh air without the heat loss of opening windows.
MVHR is essential in any home that has been retrofitted to a high standard (B2 or better) or in new builds constructed to nearly zero energy standards. In less airtight homes, demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) or positive input ventilation (PIV) may be more appropriate and cost-effective alternatives. A PIV unit sits in the attic and gently pushes filtered air down into the house, displacing moist air through existing vents.
Ventilation system design and installation are specialist jobs. A poorly designed duct layout, incorrectly sized unit, or badly commissioned system will be noisy, inefficient, and fail to deliver the air quality benefits. Comparing quotes from experienced ventilation installers is essential.
SEAI Grants May Be Available
Some ventilation & mvhr work may qualify for SEAI grants. Visit HomeEnergyGuide.ie to check eligibility and amounts.
SEAI Grants May Apply
Some ventilation & mvhr work qualifies for SEAI grants of up to €8,000 or more. Check eligibility and current grant amounts on our energy guide.
Check SEAI Grants on HomeEnergyGuide.ieHow Much Does Ventilation & MVHR Cost in Ireland?
Typical pricing for ventilation & mvhr services in Ireland (2026):
| Service | Typical Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| MVHR system (new build) | €4,000 | €7,000 | Property size, ductwork complexity |
| MVHR system (retrofit) | €5,000 | €9,000 | Existing structure, access |
| Demand-controlled ventilation | €2,000 | €4,000 | Number of units |
MVHR costs depend on the brand and model (Zehnder, Vent-Axia, Beam, and Daikin are common in Ireland), the size of your home (determining the unit capacity), and whether it is a new build (ducting installed during construction) or a retrofit (ducting must be routed through an existing house, which is significantly more complex and expensive). Retrofit MVHR is typically 40-60% more expensive than new build installation due to the difficulty of running ducts through finished ceilings and walls. Demand-controlled and positive input systems are considerably cheaper.
What to Expect: The Ventilation & MVHR Process
- A ventilation specialist assesses your home's airtightness (often via a blower door test), measures room volumes, identifies moisture sources, and recommends the appropriate ventilation strategy.
- You receive a design proposal showing the unit location, duct layout, supply and extract points in each room, and the expected performance (air changes per hour, heat recovery rate).
- Installation of MVHR in a retrofit typically takes 3 to 5 days. Ducting is routed through the attic, ceiling voids, or specially constructed bulkheads. The central unit is usually located in the attic or a utility room.
- Commissioning. The installer balances airflows in each room, sets the operating speed, and tests the heat recovery efficiency. Correct commissioning is critical to performance and noise levels.
- You receive a handover including filter replacement instructions, maintenance schedule, and warranty documentation.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Installing MVHR in a home that is not airtight. This is the single most common waste of money. MVHR needs a sealed building envelope to work. If your home has not been insulated and draught-proofed, the system will not deliver its promised efficiency.
- Poor duct design. Ducts that are too small, too long, or have too many bends create resistance that makes the system noisy and inefficient. The installer must design the layout properly, not just find the easiest route.
- Skipping commissioning. An MVHR system that is not balanced (airflows set correctly in each room) will over-ventilate some rooms and under-ventilate others. This leads to cold draughts, noise complaints, and wasted energy.
- Not replacing filters on schedule. Blocked filters restrict airflow, increase energy consumption, and reduce air quality. Set a reminder to check filters every 6 months and replace them when dirty.
- Blocking or closing supply vents because they feel draughty. If you feel cold air from a supply vent, the system is not recovering heat properly (likely a commissioning issue). Closing vents unbalances the entire system and makes the problem worse.
What to Look for When Hiring a Ventilation & MVHR Professional
Look for installers who specialise in ventilation, not general builders or plumbers offering MVHR as a sideline. The installer should hold SEAI registration if the work is part of a grant-supported retrofit and should have manufacturer-specific training for the brand they install. NSAI certification is a quality indicator. Ask whether they carry out a blower door test to measure airtightness (this determines whether MVHR is appropriate or whether a simpler system would suffice). Be cautious of installers who propose MVHR for a draughty, uninsulated home (it will not work effectively) or who cannot explain the duct layout and commissioning process in detail.
Questions to Ask Your Ventilation & MVHR Professional
- Is my home airtight enough for MVHR? MVHR works best in homes with an air permeability below 5 m³/hr/m². In leaky homes, the system draws unconditioned air through gaps rather than through the heat exchanger, wasting energy.
- What brand and model do you recommend for my home? Different MVHR brands have different heat recovery rates, noise levels, filter types, and maintenance requirements. The installer should explain why they are recommending a specific unit.
- Where will the ducting run? In a retrofit, duct routing is the biggest practical challenge. Understand where ducts will go, whether bulkheads are needed, and how this affects room heights and aesthetics.
- How noisy will the system be? A well-installed MVHR runs at 25-30 dB (barely audible). A poorly installed one with uninsulated ducts, undersized ductwork, or the unit mounted on a resonant surface can be annoyingly loud.
- What maintenance does the system need? Filters need replacing every 6 to 12 months (cost €20-€40 per set). The heat exchanger needs cleaning annually. Ducts should be inspected every 3-5 years. Understand the ongoing commitment.
- Will you carry out a commissioning report? A commissioning report confirms that airflows are balanced correctly in each room and that the system meets its design performance. Without commissioning, you are relying on guesswork.
Frequently Asked Questions
An MVHR system costs €4,000 to €7,000 in a new build (where ducting is installed during construction) and €7,000 to €12,000 in a retrofit (where ducting must be routed through an existing house). The cost depends on the brand, unit capacity, and the complexity of the duct layout. Demand-controlled ventilation (DCV) costs €1,500 to €3,000. Positive input ventilation (PIV) costs €500 to €1,500.
In a well-insulated, airtight home (air permeability below 5 m³/hr/m²), MVHR is essential for maintaining healthy indoor air quality while recovering up to 90% of heat that would otherwise be lost. It prevents condensation, mould, and stuffy air. In a leaky, poorly insulated home, MVHR is not cost-effective because air enters through gaps rather than through the heat exchanger. For these homes, demand-controlled ventilation or PIV is a better starting point.
Filters should be replaced every 6 to 12 months (more frequently if you live near a busy road or in a dusty area). The heat exchanger should be cleaned annually. Ducts should be inspected and cleaned every 3 to 5 years. Annual professional servicing costs €100 to €200. Most filter replacements are straightforward enough to do yourself, keeping ongoing costs low.
A properly installed and commissioned MVHR system operates at 25 to 30 decibels on normal speed, which is quieter than a whisper and virtually inaudible in a furnished room. Noise problems are almost always caused by poor installation: undersized ducts, uninsulated duct runs, the unit mounted directly on joists without vibration isolators, or incorrect fan speed settings. Insist on proper commissioning.
A bathroom extractor fan removes moist air from one room and expels it outside, losing all the heat it contains. MVHR is a whole-house system that continuously ventilates every room while recovering 85-90% of the heat from the extracted air. MVHR also supplies filtered fresh air, removing pollen, dust, and pollution. It is a fundamentally different level of ventilation and air quality.
Yes. Condensation and mould in insulated homes are caused by trapped moisture that has no way to escape. MVHR continuously removes moist air from kitchens and bathrooms and replaces it with dry, filtered fresh air. In homes where condensation and mould have been a persistent problem after insulation, MVHR almost always resolves the issue completely.
There is no standalone SEAI grant specifically for MVHR. However, ventilation is a standard component of whole-house retrofits supported under the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme. If you are doing a retrofit through an SEAI One Stop Shop, the MVHR cost is included in the overall grant calculation. If you are adding MVHR to a home that has already been insulated, it may qualify under a follow-up retrofit project.
You can, but it may not perform well or be cost-effective. MVHR relies on the house being reasonably airtight to work efficiently. In a draughty home, the system draws cold air through gaps instead of through the heat exchanger, reducing heat recovery and increasing energy use. If your home has not been insulated and draught-proofed, start there first, or consider a simpler ventilation solution like PIV.
Ventilation & MVHR Quotes by County
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