Ceiling Vents - In Vent Filters? Do They Exist?

[PattyAFC1903]

Hi folks,

So I am in a council property with a Vent Axia system at the moment. Having a problem where the vents are spitting out dead insects, flies etc. The council aren't much help.

Do any of you DIY'ers know if such a thing exists as in vent filters? Obviously the flies and insects are managing to get past the filters in the actual main unit or the ducting has a split somewhere.

I've attached a photo of the vents.

Cheers!

 

[stem]

Yes they are available, Vega do a range of foam vents that have washable filters. [Other manufacturers are available ]

You don't give details of the type of Vent-Axia system you have, but with it introducing air into rooms, I imagine that it has a heat exchanger to provide a measure of heat recovery. But really, the idea is to prevent insects getting into the ducts, fan and heat exchanger in the first place.

I get the impression from your post that there are quite a lot of insects, not just an odd one now and again. If so, by doing what you suggest, you will be preventing the insects exiting which could lead to them collecting and building up inside the system.

If you are absolutely certain that the insects are being 'spat out' of the vents, there is a problem somewhere that needs rectifying. Perhaps collecting the insects in a jar over a period of time and providing the council with a photo of them might motivate them. Better still catching a shot of one actually exiting the vent would be even better, but possibly almost impossible to achieve. What you describe does sound rather unusual, and I imagine that the council may think that the insects are coming from elsewhere. Are any of your neighbours experiencing the same thing?

I came across a system once where the air intake was next to a outdoor light. When the light was on it attracted the insects which were then sucked into the system. It might be worth locating where the grille that air enters from outside is and see it there's anything obvious like that, or perhaps a form of vegetation that is attracting insects.

 

[PattyAFC1903]

Yes they are available, Vega do a range of foam vents that have washable filters. [Other manufacturers are available ]

View attachment 342703

You don't give details of the type of Vent-Axia system you have, but with it introducing air into rooms, I imagine that it has a heat exchanger to provide a measure of heat recovery. But really, the idea is to prevent insects getting into the ducts, fan and heat exchanger in the first place.

I get the impression from your post that there are quite a lot of insects, not just an odd one now and again. If so, by doing what you suggest, you will be preventing the insects exiting which could lead to them collecting and building up inside the system.

If you are absolutely certain that the insects are being 'spat out' of the vents, there is a problem somewhere that needs rectifying. Perhaps collecting the insects in a jar over a period of time and providing the council with a photo of them might motivate them. Better still catching a shot of one actually exiting the vent would be even better, but possibly almost impossible to achieve. What you describe does sound rather unusual, and I imagine that the council may think that the insects are coming from elsewhere. Are any of your neighbours experiencing the same thing?

I came across a system once where the air intake was next to an outdoor light. When the light was on it attracted the insects which were then sucked into the system. It might be worth locating where the grille that air enters from outside is and see it there's anything obvious like that, or perhaps a form of vegetation that is attracting insects.

Cheers for going into such detail. So council decided to ask me to purge the system each day for the next week and see if that helps. I very much don’t think it will.

Did my first purge yesterday. I put some bags over the vents to catch the flies etc. It caught quite a bit.

 

[JohnD]

There should be a filter on the intake. Can you see it?

Perhaps they flew in through the vents when the system was turned off. Was the building empty for a while?

 

[PattyAFC1903]

There should be a filter on the intake. Can you see it?

Perhaps they flew in through the vents when the system was turned off. Was the building empty for a while?

Yeah there’s filters on the main unit. I’ve changed them and it’s not helped.

It’s a new build block of flats and I’m the first tenant.

 

[JohnD]

I'd be inclined to pull the mushrooms off and hoover them out.

 

[PattyAFC1903]

Yes they are available, Vega do a range of foam vents that have washable filters. [Other manufacturers are available ]

View attachment 342703

You wouldn't happen to have a link to these would you?

I'd be inclined to pull the mushrooms off and hoover them out.

The ceiling vents? I've taken them off and given them a clean a few times just in case. But hasn't helped.

I'm still sure there must be a broken seal in the ducting somewhere.

I'm arguing with the council for them to get onto the contruction company or whoever installed all the ducting and system etc to give plans so I know how the system is hooked up and where the external intake vents are. I can't see them on the side of the building so I'm wondering if they're on the roof.

 

[stem]

You wouldn't happen to have a link to these would you?

There's a video here showing how the filters are fitted and cleaned, and there is some info on the 'vent options' available at the bottom of this page.