When building a house, special attention should be paid to the safety standards in it. One of the components of safe living in an apartment building or private house is the ventilation ducts. So, we will understand the features, working principles, types and required sizes of ventilation ducts in houses.
What are ventilation ducts and ventilation?
Ventilation is a system of ventilation ducts and structures that circulates indoor air.
As we understood, ventilation channels are the main component of air ventilation in a room. Ventilation ducts (ventilation ducts) are hollow inside the building made of various materials, having the appearance of pipes or holes in the masonry walls, through which air moves. They are designed to combat various odors that fill the room, and a high percentage of humidity.
Where are the ventilation ducts located?
Usually ventilation ducts are located in the walls of those rooms in which the presence of an unpleasant odor or high humidity can have a high concentration. These rooms include kitchens, bathrooms and toilets.
According to the rules, each such room should have its own ventilation duct. However, this is not always possible due to the insufficient length of the wall in which it is necessary to install them. In this case, it is allowed that the ventilation duct functioned in two rooms. For example, on the premises of the kitchen and bathroom or on the bathroom and toilet. Under such circumstances, a ventilation grille should be installed at the top of the wall separating these rooms , which will provide an air duct to both rooms.
In addition, it must be borne in mind that ventilation ducts are not recommended to be installed in external walls in order to avoid freezing. To prevent rain and snow from entering the ventilation duct, a cap is installed on top of the pipe. The wall thickness of the ventilation pipes is calculated taking into account the appearance of condensation on their inner surface.
Required ventilation channel parameters
The size of the ventilation duct in a brick wall can be 270 * 140 mm (this corresponds to 1 * 1/2 of a brick) or 140 * 140 mm (this corresponds to 1/2 * 1/2 of a brick).
The minimum distance between the channels in the wall should be at least 120 mm.
In brickwork, ventilation duct sizes are subject to separate requirements. They are recommended to be placed in one row if the wall thickness does not exceed 380 mm, and in two rows if the thickness is more than 640 mm. The dimensions of the ventilation duct are calculated depending on the power of the energy source. For example, for 3.5 kW, the recommended size is 140 * 140 mm, and for power in the range from 3.5 to 5 kW - 140 * 200 mm. If the power exceeds 5 kW, the channel size will be 140 * 270 mm.
Types and materials of ventilation ducts
Today, there are many varieties of ventilation ducts, using different materials for their manufacture.
Plastic ventilation ducts are widely used in different types of rooms. They are tight enough and are not affected by water and corrosion. Due to the smooth surface of such ventilation ducts, the noise level is significantly reduced. The life of such air ducts is an order of magnitude longer, since they do not require regular cleaning. However, there is a limitation. This type of ventilation duct can only be used at temperatures up to 50 ° C. The sizes of plastic ventilation ducts depend on the flow of the calculated volume and the required speed.
Flexible ventilation ducts can be made of plastic or metal. They are used for exhaust ventilation, where the ambient temperature is in the range from -30 ° C to 120 ° C. Corrugated ventilation ducts can be used for complex layouts. They are also distinguished by ease of installation. The sizes of the ventilation duct in the wall can also be different.
Large industrial enterprises practice the use of metal rectangular or square ventilation boxes. This type of ventilation helps to rationally use the space in the room. There is a drawback to such a system. Due to the internal corners of the ducts, air resistance is created, and therefore additional electrical equipment is required.
For exhaust ventilation use the so-called sandwich pipes. They are two connected galvanized pipes filled with insulation. This design ensures the absence of condensate and complies with fire safety standards.
The device of brick ventilation ducts
The most popular method of providing ventilation of a building is the laying of brick ventilation ducts. A paired brick is laid with a sheer square direction. The size of a brick ventilation duct is calculated when designing a building. For masonry, brick and mortar are used, the same as in the construction of walls.
Initially, markup is done using an inventory folding template. For lack of such, it can be made independently. To do this, a board with a size of 140 * 2500 * 25 mm is taken and the corresponding cutouts are made in it, which will subsequently become holes in the ventilation duct.
The most common and most commonly used brick ventilation duct size is 140 * 140 mm. During masonry, it is also necessary to use buoys to avoid contamination and channel bending. As a buoy, you can use any wooden box according to the size of the ventilation duct.
The buoy height should correspond to 7 brick masonry. It, as the canal is constructed, moves up every 7-8 clutches. The seams must be carefully filled with mortar in order to avoid the penetration of contaminated air into the rooms during operation of the ventilation duct.
The principle of ventilation
Ventilation in an apartment building is designed to maintain optimal indoor temperature, humidity and clean air. Therefore, constant indoor air exchange is required. Indoor air, which has an unpleasant odor, carbon dioxide, combustion products, is vented through ventilation ducts. Instead, fresh and cooler air seeps through the slots of the window and doorways.
The ventilation system in homes with more than four floors has the following form. There is a vertical ventilation duct, the so-called "trunk". The lateral branches "satellites" are attached to it. Each apartment has ventilation ducts in the kitchen, in the bathroom and in the toilet. Air through these openings enters the "satellites", and then into the "trunk".
If the walls in the house are brick, then the holes during the laying of the walls are left in the form of voids. If the channels are made attached, then the minimum size of the ventilation duct is 100 * 150 mm.
In block and panel buildings, a special ventilation panel with round or rectangular empty openings is used. The size of ventilation ducts is 150 mm. These channels are grouped by purpose. In this case, combining the hood from the kitchen and bathroom is unacceptable.
Residential homes provide natural ventilation. Air circulation occurs due to different air weights. The air from the rooms rises up through the ventilation ducts, since it is warmer and lighter than the cold air on the street.
Causes of disturbance in the operation of ventilation ducts
Ventilation, like all structures, may malfunction at some point. The reasons may be the following:
- Re-equipment of ventilation ducts. Ventilation may stop working due to the desire of your neighbors, for example, to expand your living space. The consequences of this will be a violation of the ventilation on the lower floors.
- Garbage. Accumulation of garbage can stop the ventilation duct. It is strictly forbidden to clean it independently.
- Incorrect connection of exhaust hoods. High-power cooker hoods create air jams in inappropriate ventilation ducts.
- Seasonality In summer, ventilation works weaker.
- Errors in the construction of ventilation ducts. There may be a small size ventilation duct. It requires the installation of additional supply and exhaust equipment.
Home ventilation service
If you find a malfunction in the ventilation in your apartment, you must contact the Housing Office. They will provide a specialist who will troubleshoot.
Specialists have professional equipment for cleaning ventilation. Previously, he conducts diagnostics of ventilation in the house, usually using a video camera for this. She discovers the cause of the problem. This may be garbage, dust or any damage to the ventilation duct system. After that, the pneumatic brushing machine does the cleaning of the channel. At the same time, disinfection of the mine is also carried out.
It is possible to diagnose the state of ventilation in your apartment yourself. It is enough to bring a lit match or candle to the ventilation grill. If the flame bends towards the ventilation duct, then the ventilation is working. However, if the flame remains stationary, this means that the ventilation is not working. In this case, it is necessary to contact specialists to clean the ventilation duct.