Nick Higgs

Nick Higgs is National Sales Manager at Elta Trade, a residential ventilation manufacturer, and the guest on Episode 6 of The Healthy House Podcast, “Ventilation – Things to Consider.” He has nearly 15 years of experience in residential ventilation.

On the episode, Nick explains why simply installing a fan is not enough on its own — the design, positioning, installation and commissioning of a ventilation system all affect how well it actually performs. He talks through how older properties naturally lost air and moisture through gaps, chimneys and less airtight materials, and how modern windows, doors and insulation have reduced that natural airflow, creating the conditions for condensation, mould and poor indoor air quality if ventilation is not addressed deliberately.

Nick covers the difference between intermittent and continuously running extractor fans, why an extractor fan needs a suitable source of replacement air to work properly, and common installation problems such as flexible ducting, poor commissioning and fans venting into loft spaces rather than outside. He also explains decentralised mechanical extract ventilation and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR), and how Part F of the Building Regulations is changing expectations around ventilation design, installation and accountability.

He closes with his own Healthy House Checklist: check that extractor fans are present, working, clean and producing the correct airflow; check that trickle vents are open and clear, with enough space beneath internal doors for replacement air to move through the property; and review everyday habits, such as not switching extractor fans off and ventilating properly after showering, cooking or drying clothes.