Installing proper ventilation in the apartment

To remove unpleasant odors and prevent mold and fungal colonies from settling, proper organization of the home ventilation system is necessary. If the sources of fresh air flow into the apartment are reduced exclusively to natural ventilation through the windows, residents may freeze or catch cold from a draft. Ventilation in an apartment can be arranged in different ways.

Standards and requirements

To properly make ventilation in an apartment, you need to study the sanitation requirements prescribed by SNiP. In general, it is assumed that the air masses of the apartment should be renewed every half hour. At the same time, the requirements for different types of rooms are different. The most active air flow is needed in the kitchen area, especially equipped with a gas stove. Here the norms are 60-90 cubic meters per hour. For room air in bedrooms and living rooms, the minimum is calculated by multiplying the area (in m²) by 3. In storage rooms and hygienic rooms, the indicator is 25 m³ at one o'clock. The air temperature in the cold season should be 20-22 ºС, in summer - up to 25 ºС.

The ventilation of the sewer pipes that implement the outflow of wastewater is carried out through the risers. In the latter, the hood must be removed through the prefabricated shaft of the building or through the roof. This helps to prevent unpleasant odors in the toilet.

Types of ventilation in the apartment

There are several types of tasks solved by ventilation units: air flow into the apartment, exhaust gas removal and recuperation. To implement each of them, certain devices are used.

Supply

Supply ventilation for the apartment ensures the supply of clean air from the street. Installation of a small stand-alone device or complex installation of central ventilation is possible. The simplest device is a wall-mounted valve. Sometimes it is placed above the radiators to ensure heating of the incoming air masses. In the cold season, such devices create strong cravings. In summer, air exchange can be improved by simple ventilation.

There are also breather units that provide fresh air and are able to change its parameters - for example, temperature. The most sophisticated models are equipped with options for ionization, fine filtration, and humidity control. In terms of performance, they are comparable to the most efficient of the valves.

Exhaust

Exhaust ventilation in the apartment ensures that stale air and odors escape through air ducts or other channels. In the toilet and in the kitchen, special grates are necessarily installed. This prevents odors and harmful mists (such as from smoking) from spreading into living rooms. Systems of this type are local and general exchange. A typical example of the first category is a cooker hood installed above the stove in the kitchen. Sometimes small fans are placed in the shafts of the toilet and bathroom. It helps remove odors and regulate humidity.

Supply and exhaust with heat recovery

In this scheme, forced air supply is combined with exhaust devices. For the latter purpose, valves or special electrical appliances can work. With the correct selection of parameters, the design allows you to balance the circulation (flows of incoming and outgoing air) and achieve an optimal microclimate in each of the premises of the dwelling. Recuperation minimizes the return of domestic heat to the external environment in winter. The weak points of this solution are the high cost of the devices, as well as the cost of installing a false ceiling.

Creation of conditions for ventilation

Air exchange should be organized so that air masses move inside the dwelling even with closed windows. This requires the arrangement of holes for the hood and the presence of a gap of 5-10 mm at the door frame. To achieve the latter, the installation must assume the absence of a threshold.

Mine check

Before organizing ventilation in the dwelling with your own hands, you need to check whether the ventilation mine is working normally. If there is no blockage or malfunction, there is no noise or other signal that allows you to quickly detect that something is wrong. You can find out about problems using the following methods:

1. The most accurate and reliable way is to use an anemometer. For home use, a simple device is suitable. In specialized services, models with complex electronics are used, which record the quality indicators of air exchange in the premises.
2. Place a piece of paper before drawing. During normal operation, he should be attracted to her.
3. Bringing a burning candle to the ventilation duct. Problems are indicated by the immobility of the flame or its deviation towards the room. But it is not recommended to resort to this method: an explosion is possible in case of a gas leak.

Methods based on bringing objects to the hood work with an open window and only in the cold season. They are based on the difference in temperature between the inside and outside of the dwelling.

Arrangement of exhaust openings

Plastic grilles are often installed on the holes for the hood in the apartment using self-tapping nails or dowels. When wall cladding with ceramics, you can also use a sealant with silicone. It is advisable to lay the supply cable for the ventilation device before installing the tiles. The problem of excessive moisture can be solved with an exhaust device or a special sensor.

On the passage to the general ventilation in a multi-storey building, you need to install a check valve. Its function is to block the ingress of contaminated air masses from the common mine into the dwelling. Such a problem can be caused by clogging of the duct passages or by the ingress of a foreign body into them.

Organization of fresh air intake

In addition to the valves mounted in the wall or window, there are controlled devices that provide air flow from the street. For this purpose, you can buy an inexpensive ventilator with a filter that traps large dust particles.

There are also more complex devices - breathers. They are equipped with several ventilation programs and a screen on which parameters are displayed during control. In winter, the supplied air can be heated. The installation of such a device is advisable if an allergic person lives in the apartment: the air is filtered from pollen particles and mold spores.

Installation of duct systems

Before purchasing ventilation equipment, you need to prepare a system design and perform power calculations. The indicator of the required performance depends on the dimensions of the channel, the section of the device, and the location.

Design rules

When preparing a ventilation project, you must first measure the cross-section of the channels and the frequency of air exchange. Then targets are determined for all areas of the apartment. Based on this data, you can start the selection of system components.They must be easy to maintain and affordable to purchase and operate. The factor of noise generation is also taken into account. You also need to think about optimizing the functioning of the system in the cold season.

Installation features

Air duct structures for city apartments are usually made of plastic. They are easy to install, lightweight and neutral in design. Multi-section allows you to choose a configuration that best suits the parameters of the system. Metal structures are designed for industrial use in conditions with increased strength requirements (for example, operation at sub-zero temperatures).

Above the cabinets, the parts are fixed with self-tapping nails or holders. Wall passages are lined with insulation to prevent shaking. The distance between the fasteners should be approximately 1 m.

Installation in an apartment with stretch ceilings

A ventilation duct running on a concrete surface, which is then planned to be closed with a stretch ceiling, must be tested with the highest possible load. This will allow you to detect flaws and work on them before access is closed. It is recommended to seal the joints with silicone sealant. You should not use liquid nails or ordinary glue - with such a "dead" fastening, it will not work to repair the structure.

When arranging apartment ventilation, you need to build on the results of measurements of air exchange in rooms. The combination of supply and exhaust devices will ensure the proper oxygen level and prompt removal of the exhaust air.