Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

11

Time Required

                          40 minutes

Sections

1

  • How to clean the Vent-Axia MVHR Cell
  • 11 steps

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Introduction

Remember apart from when you clean the heat exchange cell it should never be turned off.

What you need

Step 1

              How to clean the Vent-Axia MVHR Cell
  • Turn the heat recovery system off at the wall.

Turn the heat recovery system off at the wall.

1024

Step 2

  • Remove the 6 screws from the heat recovery panel.
  • You may need a friend to help you lift the panel off and hold the screws for you!

Remove the 6 screws from the heat recovery panel.

You may need a friend to help you lift the panel off and hold the screws for you!

Step 3

  • Remove the internal filter on the left hand side using the pull tab
  • Repeat for the external filter on the right hand side of the cell.
  • If required clean them using a hoover.
  • Do not wash in water under any circumstances

Remove the internal filter on the left hand side using the pull tab

Repeat for the external filter on the right hand side of the cell.

If required clean them using a hoover.

Do not wash in water under any circumstances

Step 4

  • Gently take the cell by the pull tab
  • You may have to rock it gently to get it out.
  • Gently and slowly is the most important step here.
  • The cell will begin to slide out

Gently take the cell by the pull tab

You may have to rock it gently to get it out.

Gently and slowly is the most important step here.

The cell will begin to slide out

Step 5

  • Clean the cell on each side with a hoover to remove any dust

Clean the cell on each side with a hoover to remove any dust

Step 6

  • Fill a bath with warm water and add a small bit of fairy liquid or similar.
  • Place the cell into the water
  • Gently hold the cell
  • Rock the cell from side to side. Ensure the cell is not scraping the bottom
  • Lift the cell up and let the water drain out.
  • Repeat for each side of the hexagon
  • Remove from the bath and leave to dry
  • Vent Axia tehnical support told me the cell can be a little damp but ensure all water is out the cell.

Fill a bath with warm water and add a small bit of fairy liquid or similar.

Place the cell into the water

Gently hold the cell

Rock the cell from side to side. Ensure the cell is not scraping the bottom

Lift the cell up and let the water drain out.

Repeat for each side of the hexagon

Remove from the bath and leave to dry

Vent Axia tehnical support told me the cell can be a little damp but ensure all water is out the cell.

Step 7

  • Clean inside the heat recovery system with the hoover
  • Remove any dead flies
  • Check the fans for any build up of dust
  • If you have the summer bypass fitted (the white grill) Don’t yank it, as its attached via a cable.
  • Gently lift it to clean the fan behind

Clean inside the heat recovery system with the hoover

Remove any dead flies

Check the fans for any build up of dust

If you have the summer bypass fitted (the white grill) Don’t yank it, as its attached via a cable.

Gently lift it to clean the fan behind

Step 8

  • Begin to insert the cell back in.
  • Slide using the plastic tab
  • Ensure the two black arrows meet

Begin to insert the cell back in.

Slide using the plastic tab

Ensure the two black arrows meet

Step 9

  • Put the cover back on
  • Insert the screws and secure the cover to the MVHR.
  • Leave the internal and external filter out for now
  • We will slide them through the filter flaps later.

Put the cover back on

Insert the screws and secure the cover to the MVHR.

Leave the internal and external filter out for now

We will slide them through the filter flaps later.

Step 10

  • Insert the filters into each flap (clean if needed using a hoover)
  • Close the flap

Insert the filters into each flap (clean if needed using a hoover)

Close the flap

Step 11

  • Turn the heat recovery back on
  • It will go through its initial power on so don’t expect the fans to start immediently.
  • If you have a message on the screen saying check filters you can clear it (once the filters have been cleaned) by:
  • Waiting until Normal airflow xx% is displayed on the screen
  • Press and hold the up and down arrows for 5 seconds
  • This will reset the cycle for the filter clean. Whenever you see the check filter message clean the filter (remember this is separate to the cell).
  • Keeping your MVHR cleaned to the Vent-Axia recommendations gives you the best chance of having many years of trouble free service.

Turn the heat recovery back on

It will go through its initial power on so don’t expect the fans to start immediently.

If you have a message on the screen saying check filters you can clear it (once the filters have been cleaned) by:

Waiting until Normal airflow xx% is displayed on the screen

Press and hold the up and down arrows for 5 seconds

This will reset the cycle for the filter clean. Whenever you see the check filter message clean the filter (remember this is separate to the cell).

Keeping your MVHR cleaned to the Vent-Axia recommendations gives you the best chance of having many years of trouble free service.

Your heat cell is now clean. Vent-Axia recommend you clean the cell once a year.

Remember to clean your filters as needed. If you want any extra information all appropriate manuals are attached to this guide.

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                    Tom

Member since: 05/04/2014

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Martin Smith - May 9, 2018

Reply

Nice guide! I also found a cool website where you can by replacement air filters for mvhr systems https://filtermate.co.uk

Terry Ellison - Aug 29, 2018

Reply

Yes, this was an extremely useful guide. The maintenance manual simply says “withdraw the heat exchanger”, but it was as tight as a gnat’s a**e. Tom’s guide gave me the confidence to use a bit of gentle persuasion. Thanks :)

andrew - Nov 30, 2019

Reply

Hi

I followed this great guide on a vent axia unit installed in a council property,the arrows however did not correspond I.e black to black red to red before I extracted the cell.Has it been incorrectly installed all this time(10 years)?Which way around do I insert it now?

Andy

Damien c - Nov 30, 2019

the same as he was removed (or in the correct way). it’s your choice

Tom - Dec 1, 2019

As far as I know the arrows are there to note which way round the installer decided to fit the unit. If you were to take the back off on my unit the other side would have red arrows. I don’t know what the impact would be but as long as the ducting is connected properly I doubt it would be a huge problem. You could ask Vent Axia support, they are very helpful. Its been going strong for 10 years so it can’t be that bad!

In terms of the correct way round I would say arrow to arrow should be fine. I assume that’s the way you took it out?