Heat Transfer kit or home ventilation?  What should you be choosing?

People get confused when picking a system as they are not fully aware of the difference between the two.  And to be fair, some home ventilation systems can have a heat transfer kit added to them.  So what is the difference?

With a transfer system, you take the warmth you are generating in one room (traditionally the living area with either a log fire or heat pump) and you then transfer it to other rooms. The system itself does not actually create the heat. Effectively moving air already in your rooms from one area to another area.  You decide when you install the system how many rooms you want to include.  Often this type of system will have the ability to control the flow of air so you can turn it up or down depending on how cold the other rooms are.

With a ventilation system you bring air that is either outside, or in your ceiling cavity down into your rooms, and then force any old/stale air out through any gaps in windows/doors etc.  In doing this you are removing any pollutants or moisture that may have been in the air effectively drying the place out.  This type of system does not provide nor create heat it is simply for drying out spaces.