Ventilation system for a living space - we select it competently

• What types of ventilation are there?
• Why ventilation in an apartment may deteriorate
• What kind of ventilation should be done in the bathroom and bathroom
• How else can you ventilate living rooms?
• Kitchen ventilation
• How to check the operation of ventilation ducts
• Why is good apartment ventilation so important?

Apartment ventilation plays a huge role in maintaining comfortable living conditions. Not every resident of a metropolis can spend enough time outdoors or have a country house for weekend relaxation. With the help of various ventilation systems, fresh air flows into the home and constant circulation of air flows. This allows you to avoid dampness and fungal growth in the apartment, as well as maintain optimal temperature and humidity.

What types of ventilation are there?

There are different types of ventilation, depending on the design of the system and its purpose it can be:

• Natural;
• Forced.

Natural ventilation - this option is the most primitive, cheap, but unreliable. This ventilation system consists of channels that are laid throughout the building structure. Ventilation grilles are installed in bathrooms, bathrooms and kitchens. The operation of this system is based on the pressure difference near the head of the ventilation duct and the ventilation grille in the room. The magnitude of pressure drops cannot be considered constant; they are affected by temperature, pressure, wind force and speed. Therefore, this type of ventilation is not sufficient for modern premises.

Forced ventilation in apartments

Forced ventilation in an apartment is installed when the air exchange in the room is insufficient. To avoid being stuffy and hot, it’s worth investing in forced air circulation. The system is called forced due to the use of special fans to increase air flow. Compulsory systems are divided into the following types:

1. Supply;
2. Supply and exhaust;
3. Exhaust.

Supply ventilation in the apartment is necessary to ensure that purified, fresh air constantly enters the room. For high-quality air exchange in a room, you should not rely only on the natural ventilation system; it is the air supply units that will make the atmosphere of your home comfortable. Air handling units are presented in a large assortment in HVAC and household appliance stores. They are powerful enough to easily service both small apartments and luxury large houses. They have the following advantages:

• High energy saving class;
• High-quality air purification from dust and harmful elements;
• Elimination of unpleasant odors.

With this ventilation method, clean air is supplied to all living rooms and extracted from the bathroom, kitchen and bathroom.

Supply ventilation system

The most optimal method of ventilation is supply and exhaust ventilation in the apartment; with this ventilation option, bad air is removed from the rooms, and the room is filled with clean and fresh air.

In order for each room to be properly ventilated, it is necessary to install a system of air ducts throughout the apartment, which can be successfully hidden in wall niches or a suspended ceiling. The air handling unit itself can be easily placed in a closet.

Differences between a ductless “inlet” and a ducted one

For urban housing this option is optimal. It takes into account all the features of living space in a multi-storey building, including low ceiling heights and limited area.

There are many reasons to buy supply ventilation for an apartment, and one of them is a favorable combination of price and functionality. Among other advantages of such equipment, buyers note:

• High performance. The air supply rate of “active” supply ventilation in a room is on average 100-150 sq.m3/hour (20-30 sq.m3 per hour is required per person);
• Ease of management. Some models are controlled by regulators on the body. Another option is a remote control or via Wi-Fi through a special application on a smartphone;
• Possibility of air filtration. For modern cities, this ventilation function is more than relevant. The device may include one or more filters (types of retained contaminants, odors and cleaning depth depend on the model and cost of the device);
• Compact device, easy installation. No pipes under the ceiling, no expenses for installing false walls that hide communications. There are also no annual duct cleaning costs. The device has small dimensions and is mounted directly on the wall. The installation process takes no more than an hour, without dust and dirt. Installation can be carried out even for final repairs.

Why ventilation in an apartment may deteriorate

Problems with apartment ventilation can occur due to the following factors:

• Installation of modern sealed windows - metal-plastic, wooden or aluminum;
• Installation of sealed interior door blocks;
• Incorrect installation of kitchen hoods or fans;
• Destruction or severe contamination of the ventilation duct.

All these problems can be easily eliminated if you approach the matter correctly. In order to have proper exhaust ventilation in an apartment, the ventilation duct must work well. If it is littered with debris or birds have built nests in it, then the air flow will not circulate well within the system. If the channel is clogged, it needs to be thoroughly cleared; sometimes this requires dismantling the wall from the entrance.

To clean the channel, it is better to call a construction specialist. It happens that the ventilation duct is partially or completely destroyed, then it needs to be restored and properly insulated.

New windows must be ordered with a winter ventilation function, in which case the frame sash opens a couple of millimeters. It is worth installing a supply valve on the window unit. It is advisable to do this during installation of the window unit, but it can be done later. Such a valve has meshes, grilles, an anti-noise device and special adjustments.

Interior doors must be installed at a distance of at least 2 cm from the floor level. If you don’t want to cut the door leaf, you can make through holes and cover them with special grilles.

Fans must be installed on the exhaust openings of the ventilation ducts, the same applies to the installation of a kitchen hood. These fans help remove bad air through a hole in the wall or window.

Project ventilation of rooms in the house

There are standards for providing housing with fresh air. In accordance with them, a ventilation system for the entire house is arranged. If there is insufficient air exchange, they resort to available methods to improve the climate in the room.

Regulatory documents on air exchange

The sanitary norm for air circulation for humans is 30 m3/hour. If there is insufficient supply of fresh air, the amount of oxygen decreases and the concentration of carbon dioxide increases. Prolonged stay in such an atmosphere is dangerous to health. The main document for organizing ventilation is the set of rules SP 54.13330.2016 on residential premises in apartment buildings, it contains the SNiP 31−01−2003 of the same name. With natural ventilation, you need to pay attention to signs of poor ventilation:

• excess humidity is indicated by fogging of glass in winter, the appearance of fungus and mold in the corners;
• lack of oxygen is expressed by difficulty breathing for apartment residents.

Indicators can be measured with a hygrometer and a gas analyzer. But the result is clear even without devices: there is a lack of ventilation in the apartment - supply or exhaust.

Air mixture circulation in new buildings

According to SNiP standards, the flow of outside air is ensured in the kitchen and living quarters, subject to simultaneous exhaust of gases from household technical rooms (toilet, bathroom). The exhaust stream is discharged into the ventilation shaft of the house. Holes for this are provided in the bathroom and kitchen.

We recommend that you read: Ventilation ducts made of plastic pipes

In old apartments, air supply was supposed to be through cracks in window frames and doors on the balcony. With the replacement of wood with plastic, the natural supply of street air ceased, and it became necessary to force a fresh stream. To do this you can:

• use one of the traditional methods;
• install an adjustable valve into the plastic frame;
• install an air supply device into the wall;
• buy factory air conditioning equipment.

Tightly closed interior doors also prevent free circulation. To ensure the passage of renewed oxygen, a gap is left between the floor and the bottom of the door leaf.

Instrument-free fresh stream improvement

A simple, free way to depressurize a plastic window is to use the drainage holes on the profile to discharge condensate. There are two of them, and they are hidden on the inside of the frame with plugs. Sequence of operations:

• open the window sash and remove the mosquito net;
• Use a screwdriver to remove both plastic plugs from the drain;
• Use a knife to cut out a section of soft seal 5 cm long at the upper end of the frame (do not throw it away!) and close the window.

The ventilation scheme works as follows: under the influence of the draft of the general house ventilation channel, outside air is sucked in through open holes, passes through the profile and the gap between the sash and the frame flashing. The flow enters the room through the opening in the seal. There is one circumstance: if there is no draft in the ventilation shaft of the building, the method will not work. In case of strong wind, the removed piece of rubber cord is put back in its original place.

What kind of ventilation should be done in the bathroom and bathroom

Installing ventilation in an apartment involves placing the most appropriate ventilation option in each room. It would be appropriate to install exhaust ventilation in the toilet and bathroom. Such rooms usually have very high humidity, so a fan installed on the ceiling or wall and connected to the ventilation duct will easily solve the problem of drying out the rooms.

Ventilation in the bathroom

Such devices can be made either automatic, so that the fan turns on when the lights are turned off or the door is closed, or with mechanical adjustment.

How to order supply and exhaust ventilation for an apartment

The Avik company offers the organization of supply and exhaust systems in residential apartments on a turnkey basis. We design ventilation networks, think through their design taking into account the customer’s wishes and install it. We strictly adhere to deadlines and perform quality work. We provide an installation guarantee, during which we provide free maintenance of installed ventilation systems and, if necessary, carry out repairs.

Contact us and we will help you choose the type of ventilation system. We will give recommendations taking into account the architectural features of the apartment, the state of the natural ventilation channel and other nuances. To do this, we will send a specialist to the site to study it in detail. The visit of the master is free. Have questions? Then call us or request a call back. Then we will call you shortly and provide detailed advice regarding ventilation systems in the apartment.

How else can you ventilate living rooms?

It happens that at some point the living rooms may become too hot or too damp, in which case an air conditioner will come to the rescue. It is better to install split systems, they have many advantages:

• Low cost;
• A large assortment;
• Ease of installation;
• Silence;
• Possibility of economical operating mode;
• Easy to control using the remote control.

An air conditioner can easily ventilate, dry and cool a room. Heavy, exhaust air is discharged outside, and fresh and purified air enters the rooms. If the split system is installed with suitable parameters, then it will be possible to ventilate a small apartment without difficulty.

Kitchen ventilation

The kitchen, more often than other rooms, needs additional ventilation. When installing ventilation in an apartment, you should immediately think about installing a kitchen hood. There are different types of hoods:

Kitchen ventilation structure

1. Hanging;
2. Built-in;
3. Fireplace.

The simplest and cheapest option are suspended models, but they require periodic replacement of carbon filters. Built-in models are more powerful and feature a reusable, washable filter made of thin aluminum. Fireplace or dome hoods are the most powerful; they are most often installed in large apartments and houses.

How to check the operation of ventilation ducts

The operation of ventilation ducts in apartments is checked several times a year by utility workers. If you have doubts about the quality of ventilation, you can check the draft yourself using the following methods:

• Using a lit match;
• Using a thick sheet of paper.

Checking with a match is very easy; just light a match and bring it to the grille of the ventilation duct; if there is draft, the flame will deflect in the direction of the grille. The second option for checking the draft is to bring a sheet of paper to the grille; if there is good draft, the paper will stick tightly to the ventilation hole. Backdraft ventilation is very dangerous, especially for those apartments and houses where gas equipment is installed - a stove or gas boiler. In the absence of proper draft, such equipment will not work correctly, and carbon monoxide may enter the home. Therefore, when there is no traction, gas equipment cannot be turned on. If the ventilation is not working, utility workers seal all gas equipment to avoid accidents.