The Nuaire Drimaster Definitiv Guide 2020

In this article you will learn:  


 

What a Nuaire Drimaster Does

A Nuaire Drimaster is a highly efficient whole-house ventilation solution that makes use of PIV (Positive Input Ventilation) technology, to create internal pressure differences within a property that forces out stale moist air through naturally occurring gaps, and replaces it with a constant supply of fresh filtered air.

Drimaster units are one of the most effective whole-house ventilation solutions available on the market today.

Why the Drimaster was created

Every home creates moisture through, showering, cooking, drying clothes etc. Since the 1970s, homes all across the UK have been fitted with double glazing.

This started a trend of making houses more insulated and energy-efficient. This has enormous benefits to not only the environment but also lower energy bills.

However, with that came a new problem, increased condensation and eventual mould growth. This led to many family homes and properties discovering that much as they may have dealt with their heating bills, they now had stains and potentially dangerous spores coming from the mould that had started to form. 

Conventional bathroom and kitchen extractor fans help to remove some of the moist air, but as it travels as a vapour, it is very easy for it to travel to less well-ventilated areas of a property.  

Nuaire tackled this issue by creating positive input ventilation and utilising it for their Drimaster units.

Positive Input Ventilation (PIV)

By mounting a unit in the loft cavity of a property, fresh air can be drawn in through the soffits and pressed back down through the property after passing through high-quality filters.

Adding additional fresh air into a property creates increased internal pressure, which forces its way through each room of the property, and increases the circulation of the air within.

For water vapour to condensate, it needs to be able to collect in one place, (usually the least well-insulated walls or ceilings of a property). Once condensation has occurred, warmth from central heating allows the perfect opportunity for mould to grow.

With increased circulation coming from the Drimaster unit, it is very hard for water vapour to be able to condensate in the first place. This means that with one Drimaster unit, you can effortlessly tackle both condensation and mould growth.

This is the premise of Positive Input Ventilation.

Drimaster Unit Variations

There have been several variations of the Drimaster units throughout the past forty years.

Nuaire is constantly improving the design and function of their units to provide the highest quality air to homes with the most efficient condensation and mould prevention technology.

Drimaster eco heat



Owners of properties in colder climates found that while there were a great many benefits to having fresh air into a property, an issue was created by drawing outside air.

If the external air is several degrees below the internal temperature within a property, a cold draft could be created by the Drimaster unit. Nuaire addressed and tackled this issue by creating the Drimaster Eco heat unit.

Nuaire added a temperature sensor to the exterior of the units, and a small (400w) heating element.
In doing this, the Drimaster units were now able to detect the ambient temperature of the roof cavity, and if below a set temperature, would automatically initiate the heating element to temper the air being taken into the property.

The heating element is not intended to be used to heat air in the way that a fan heater would, it is simply there to temper the air to bring it up to a comfortable temperature before being brought into the property. This is a common misconception about the Nuaire Drimaster Eco heat units.

During warmer months, the temperature sensor knows not to initiate the heating element, so only draws in external air, which is usually several degrees cooler than the ambient temperature in the loft cavity.

This does not mean that you are getting an air conditioning unit with the Drimaster, but having a flow of fresh, cool air through your property in the height of summer is certainly an added benefit to the units.

Energy Saving – Solar gain

Solar gain is the process of utilising and recirculating previously warmed air, in much the same way that a heat recovery unit would.

Warm air rises within a property, and so the warmest area is usually the loft cavity. As this is where the Drimaster unit intakes fresh air, the previously warmed air is taken from the loft cavity and after being filtered, passed back down again.

Now you have a supply of fresh, filtered air that has been warmed.

This process helps not only increase the properties comfort levels but also assists in lowering heating costs.

Running Costs

As a result of Nuaire’s economical engineering, both variations of the Drimaster units are incredibly efficient, and therefore very economical to run.

The yearly running costs of a standard Drimaster unit is roughly 1p per day. The “Drimaster heat” unit has an integral 400W heating element, which only adds 6p per hour whilst the heater is running at full capacity (depending on energy supplier). 

Noise

A key concern for many people when installing a PIV unit is the level of noise it may generate and how disruptive this could potentially be.

A Drimaster Eco Heat – generates 19 decibels at its maximum level which is the equivalent to rustling leaves.

You can see from these results, that if your main concern over installing a Drimaster unit in your property is the noise, you need not worry.

Should you install a Drimaster unit?

If you struggle with consistent damp, condensation or mould in your property, the Drimaster is the fastest and easiest way to resolve these issues.
They are cheap to run, easy to install and come with a 5-year guarantee. They are more effective than using individual fans in separate rooms, and only need filters to be changed every five years.

Nuaire have also created the revolutionary “Flatmaster units” for properties without loft cavities, with all the benefits of the standard drimaster units, but designed entirely for properties with limited space.

Which Drimaster Unit Should I get?

There are Drimaster units available for most applications. Below is a list of units and their best suited applications.

Nuaire Drimaster Unit Usage Guide

Drimaster Unit type

Recommended use

Drimaster-Eco-Heat

For properties in cooler climates that require tempered air

Drimaster Eco Hall Control

For easy access to Drimaster settings without requiring loft access

Drimaster Eco Basic

For properties with easy loft access and warmer climates

Drimaster Eco Link Hall Control

For easy remote controlled access to settings without requiring loft access

Drimaster Eco Social Housing Model Hall Control

For landlords and social housing applications

Drimaster Eco 3S Heat Hall Control

For 3 story properties in cooler climates that require tempered air

Drimaster Eco 3S Loft Control

For properties with easy loft access in warmer climates

Can You wash Drimaster Filters?

Yes, cleaning the Drimaster filters is simple. You should only need to check your filters once every month or two to see if they are dusty or dirty. If they are, you can use a vacuum to carefully remove the majority of dust and debris.

It’s entirely normal for the filters to become dusty, especially in loft mounted units. If you can see that they need more than a dusting to clean them, you can gently wash them in lukewarm water with a mild detergent. Ensure that the filters are completely dry before re-installing them into the unit. 

Key Takeaways

The Nuaire Drimaster units are, without doubt, one of the most efficient, quiet and cost-effective whole-house ventilation systems available. In terms of ease of use, improved air quality, heavily reduced chance of mould and mildew and ultra-low maintenance, the Nuaire PIV units cannot be beaten.

Click the link to explore our extensive range of Drimaster units.

Was there anything we missed?

If you think there is anything we have missed in this article, any questions you have that we didn’t answer?

let us know in the comments section below.