The two kinds of balancing
- Hydronic balancing: heating, chilled-water and hot-water return circuits. Setting balancing valves, measuring flow by differential pressure.
- Air balancing: AHUs, extract and heat-recovery ventilation, supply and return ductwork. Setting dampers and terminals, measuring with a flow hood, anemometer or Pitot tube.
Why it is not guesswork
Every adjustment changes the distribution across the whole system: opening one valve starves the others. Balancing companies follow a method (proportional, compensated or calculated pre-setting), with calibrated instruments, and repeat measurements until every terminal is within tolerance.
What a balancing report should contain
- For each adjusted device: reference, design flow, measured flow, deviation, setting.
- The instruments used, their serial number and calibration date.
- Measurement conditions: pump or fan speed, filter condition, control valves open.
- Faults found and snags to clear.
Getting a system balanced through Metteur au Point
1. Describe the project
Post a free project request: building type, systems involved (hydronic circuits, ventilation, AHUs), drawings and specifications if you have them, timescale.
2. Network companies reply
Interested commissioning companies send you an anonymous quote to compare on substance: method, measuring equipment, timescale, price.
3. You choose, no commission
Accept the quote that suits you and then work directly with the chosen company. No commission on the job.
Companies by city
Paris · Lyon · Marseille · Toulouse · Bordeaux · Lille · Nantes · Strasbourg · Rennes · Montpellier · Nice · Grenoble · all cities
Frequently asked questions
Is balancing mandatory?
French HVAC specifications almost always require it, with a report at handover. For housing ventilation, DTU 68.3 requires airflow checks; for ventilation and air-conditioning systems, standard EN 12599 describes acceptance testing.
Does balancing need redoing after alterations?
Yes, whenever a circuit is altered: terminals added or removed, pump or fan replaced, valves changed. Flows across the whole system change.
How long does balancing take?
From a few hours for a small circuit to several weeks for a large commercial building. The company states it in its quote after seeing the drawings.
See also
A system to balance?
Describe the installation in a free project request and receive quotes from the network’s balancing companies.