Ways to make ventilation under a stretch ceiling

High-quality air circulation determines the purity of the air and the effective removal of contaminants from living and auxiliary rooms. When installing stretch ceilings, installers do not pay attention to the issues of their ventilation, thereby creating unpleasant and dangerous conditions for the health of apartment residents and the safety of their property. To create a comfortable atmosphere in your home, you should familiarize yourself with the types of ventilation on the ceiling, its pros and cons, possible options for its construction.

Features and characteristics of stretch ceiling

Stretch ceilings made of PVC film are at their peak of popularity and there are reasons for this.

The main advantages and features of structures made of PVC canvases:

• quick and relatively clean installation - the material is attached to the frame around the perimeter of the room;
• flat and uniform surface, the sagging of which is compensated by the luminaires;
• pleasant gloss with varying degrees of reflection of interior items;
• long service life, which for quality products can reach 25 years;
• the possibility of repeated removal and re-installation of blades with harpoon-type edges;
• waterproofness.

To increase the aesthetic characteristics, the gaps between the wall and the canvas are sealed with silicone skirting boards.

The positive properties of stretch ceilings are the reasons for the occurrence of such undesirable phenomena:

• Condensation in a confined space. Water droplets can cause short circuits and metal corrosion in electrical appliances. This phenomenon is especially typical for the kitchen, bathroom and toilet, where high humidity is constantly present.
• The development of mold and mildew. It covers the film and floor slab, spores enter the room through microscopic cracks and poison the air in it. If the house is wooden, its supporting structures will quickly collapse and come into disrepair.
• Sagging of the canvas. It occurs due to heating, accumulation of moisture and mold on its inner surface.

The hood under a stretch ceiling allows you to inexpensively but effectively solve all these problems. You should understand the rules for choosing equipment and the technology for its installation.

Ventilation principle

The emergence of negative phenomena in the opening between the film and the slab occurs due to stagnation in a confined space. You can get rid of them by organizing constant and effective air circulation, when it enters through one or more openings and is expelled through another. In this case, fumes and dirt will be removed immediately, even before they have time to settle on surfaces.

The space under the ceiling has the same temperature and pressure as the atmosphere of the room. To provide traction over the canvas, it is necessary to create an air exchange system for this, which can be autonomous or an integral part of the apartment's air exchange. Installation is carried out using ventilation ducts, grilles, ducts and exhaust devices.

Types of ventilation

Air circulation, depending on the organization of air exchange in the room, can be organized due to the natural movement of the atmosphere or using mechanization means. In addition, planning takes into account the size and purpose of the room, its humidity and temperature.

It is advisable to create a natural type of circulation in residential premises, where it is almost always dry, there are inlet and overflow openings in the walls, doors and windows. It is assumed that under the influence of the draft, the air moves towards one of the exhaust shafts. In this case, air is drawn in under the film from one side, passes under it and is pulled out of the outlet openings. The difficulty lies in the fact that PVC film cannot be cut without preliminary manipulations, otherwise it will simply tear.

To make holes, the following devices are used:

• Perforation. Various colors and sizes of plastic rings are used. They are glued to the canvas, after which the material inside the rings is cut out. Geometric shapes are made from rings, patterns, ornaments or elements are arranged in any order.
• Decorative grilles or diffusers. If you attach the ventilation grilles to a stretch ceiling without support from above, it will sink under their weight, which will negatively affect its appearance. The plus is that you can choose products of any bandwidth. Installation is carried out in the same way with perforation. Rings are glued to the canvas, a ventilation hole is made in the ceiling and the grille is screwed on.

The forced system involves the installation of an electric fan and ducts above the canvas to remove the air taken by it. The construction of such a structure can be carried out before the installation of the film on the lamellas. It is difficult, expensive, but justified for rooms with high humidity. An effective solution is a stretch ceiling hood in the kitchen, when part of the appliance and channels are hidden under the canvas.

The artificial system consists of the following elements:

1. Axial fan. The devices are available with intake diameters of 100, 125 and 150 mm. The duct height is up to 80 mm, so the products can be installed even in rooms with low ceilings.
2. Air duct. It is laid to a common shaft or to an adjacent room, where high-quality ventilation is organized. Channels are made of aluminum corrugations, metal and plastic pipes of square, rectangular and round cross-section.

The fan is attached to the floor slab using steel hangers or a platform. The air duct is fixed on the base with clamps or loops. Then the tightness and performance of the system is checked.

After mounting the tension cloth, a tread ring is glued to it, from which the fabric is cut. After that, a grill with a mosquito net is attached to the fan housing.

Advantages and disadvantages

Installation of ventilation in a stretch ceiling provides the following advantages:

• elimination of condensation formation;
• improving the indoor climate;
• preventing the development of mold and its transfer to the walls;
• preservation of the original appearance of the canvas;
• equalization of the pressure level, as a result of which there is no oscillation of the film;
• the sagging period of the web increases due to a decrease in its temperature.

The installation has a structure and negative consequences:

• the tightness of the structure is lost, protection from leaks from above disappears;
• the cost of installation work increases;
• the integrity of the film surface is violated.

The advantages of arranging an air circulation system under the canvas significantly overlap all the disadvantages of this solution.

When arranging ventilation, a number of nuances must be taken into account. First of all, this is the strengthening of the base and its antiseptic treatment before installation.The sealing of all joints must be reliable and durable in order to exclude the possibility of creating negative pressure under the film. On the last floors, the overlap must be insulated in order to prevent temperature differences. In private homes, you need to take measures against the appearance of rodents and insects.