The foundation is an important part of any building. The duration of the operation of the home depends on the correctness of its arrangement. It is from the foundation that the permanent destruction of the house begins. Therefore, much attention is paid to the correct arrangement of the foundation of the building.
One of the important factors for long-term operation of the house is the proper ventilation of the foundation. It can be created in many ways. However, the purpose of such a system remains unchanged. Proper ventilation can prevent the occurrence of rotting and premature destruction of the foundation. You can create it yourself.
Need for ventilation
Ventilation in the foundation of the house plays an important role. It prevents the accumulation of condensate. Indoors, due to temperature fluctuations, increased humidity appears. In this case, droplets of condensate can be observed on the materials of ceilings, walls, etc. Over time, mold and fungus will appear in such places.
Moisture in the absence of ventilation will accumulate in the ground under the building, in the basement, on boards and beams. High humidity and the contrast between a heated living room and an unheated basement lead to condensation. The processes of decay will gradually develop, destroying the foundation materials, ceilings, etc.
Also, in some cases, radon may be released from the soil. In some cases, it becomes very much. It is a radioactive gas. Over time, it will penetrate into residential premises. This leads to various ailments and poor health. Rot and mold can also contribute to the development of various diseases. Therefore, the process of creating ventilation must be given great attention.
When is ventilation not required?
In some cases, ventilation of the foundation in a private house is not required. It should be considered when such a system is not required. In some cases, the basement can be operated as a cellar. It will store food products. In this case, ventilation is not required. However, surface treatment will need to be given great attention.
You can also neglect the arrangement of ventilation, if a vapor-tight film is used for decoration. It should be stacked in several layers. Also, ventilation is not required if, when creating the foundation of the building, high-quality heat-insulating materials were used.
In these cases, the creation of vents or other ventilation systems will not be required. The basement will be dry, it will be warm. No temperature contrast will be observed in this case.
Types of ventilation
There are two main approaches to how to make the foundation ventilation . In the first case, when creating a construction project, the presence of perfumes is provided at the base of the house. They have a certain size, their number corresponds to the features of the structure. In this case, the air naturally enters the basement, and then gradually leaves it. In this case, excess moisture, spores of the fungus and bacteria are safely removed from the room.
This approach is easy to set up. Natural ventilation with vents has a number of disadvantages. The aesthetics of the cap are violated in this case. At the same time, in winter more energy resources will be needed to heat the room. Large heat losses will be observed at the base of the floor.
The second method involves removing the pipe from the basement through the roof of the building. Air intake will be carried out using grilles from the premises of the building. In this case, you need to use insulation. They finish the base, foundation and blind areas. Also waterproofed with soil. This option is preferred.
The size of vents
There is a special technique on how to make ventilation in the foundation of a house . In this case, you will need to study building codes. When calculating the size and number of vents, it is necessary to take into account the climate, the type of soil and landscape. Next, you need to calculate the size of the holes.
The building code states that the total area of the products should be 1/400 of the total area of the subfloor. To perform the calculation, it is necessary to measure the length and width of the base of the building. Next, the result is multiplied. For example, a house project involves the construction of a building 10x10 m. In this case, the subfloor area will be 100 m². This result must be divided by 400. It turns out that in total there should be vents in the foundation for a total area of 25 cm².
It should be noted that the minimum hole size must be greater than 5 cm². Thus, for rectangular holes, the minimum dimensions should be 25x20 cm or 50x10 cm. The diameter of the round holes should not be less than 25 cm.
number
The ventilation of the foundation in a private house without a basement or with a room in the basement is made taking into account the total area and space inside such a room. In this case, the holes in the foundation can be of any configuration. Most often they are made rectangular or round. If desired, you can choose any shape.
If the house is multi-story, vents are large enough. Their number in this case can be reduced. However, for a private cottage this option is unacceptable. It significantly spoils the aesthetics of the facade. Therefore, make small but frequent holes. They are located at a distance of 2-3 meters. For example, for a house of 100 m² and a hole size of 5 cm², you need to make 5 holes. Their total dimensions will be 25 cm² required by SNiP. If in the area where the house is built, there is a large emission of radon, the number of ventilation holes will need to be increased by 4 times.
Location
Ventilation of the strip foundation requires proper positioning of vents around the perimeter. All holes must be made at a distance of 15 cm from the upper edge of the base. For a low base, you will need to make a pit. Ventilation must be located exactly as indicated.
Holes should be placed evenly. They should be on opposite sides of the building opposite each other. This will allow air to circulate correctly in the basement. Depending on the direction of the wind, the air stream will fly into one outlet, fly out through another.
If there are partitions in the basement, at least one outlet should be provided for each individual compartment. The distance between the holes should be a maximum of 3 m. In climatic zones with high rainfall, it is recommended to increase the size of the vents.
Tools and materials
Holes in the foundation for ventilation must be foreseen at the planning stage of the future structure. In some cases, it will be necessary to create products after the construction is completed. However, it is better to make such holes even at the stage of creating the formwork for the strip foundation.
Also, to create ventilation with your own hands, you will need to prepare a number of materials and tools. To create vents in the strip foundation, it is recommended to use pipes of the required diameter. Rectangular wooden beams after concrete hardening are rather difficult to remove. To prevent the ingestion of animals, insects, ventilation products must be covered with a metal mesh. Its cells should be small.
You will also need to prepare the appropriate tools. You will need a shovel, a hammer, a puncher, a drill for wood (2.5 cm) and metal (1.4 cm). You will also need a chisel. In addition, you need to prepare the sand.
Creating Round Fragrances
Ventilation under the foundation most often has a round shape. When creating a strip foundation, this option is preferred. Plastic or asbestos pipes of the required diameter are cut into pieces. Their length should correspond to the width of the formwork.
Next, sand is poured into each pipe. On both sides of the pipe opening is covered with a rag. Sand will not allow the pipe to flatten under the mass of concrete. A rag will prevent sand from spilling out of the pipe.
Next, each workpiece is installed at the required distance in the prepared formwork. They should fit snugly against the walls of the mold. Next, concrete is carefully poured into the prepared formwork. After the solution has solidified, sand can be removed from the pipes. The holes are obtained in a perfect round shape.
Rectangular ventilation holes
Ventilation in the foundation of the house can be rectangular. To do this, you need to prepare wooden blocks with the appropriate dimensions. The process of laying them will correspond to the technology presented above. The bars are installed in the formwork. Next, concrete is poured into the mold.
Wooden blocks remain in concrete until the concrete has completely dried. To do this, wait a month. Further blanks will need to be removed. First, with a metal drill, you need to drill two parallel holes along the perimeter of the bar. If the material is thin, you can make one hole in the center. Further, in the basting places, the material is drilled through with a drill on wood.
Next, with the help of a chisel, you need to expand the holes made. Next, using a chisel, you need to knock out part of the wood above the concrete. Two corners of the bar can be removed. Next, with the help of a sledgehammer, the workpiece is knocked out.
How to create vents in a built house?
Foundation ventilation may not be provided for in the plan. In this case, the owners can create holes in the base of the house on their own. There are two approaches that will help correct builders' flaws.
If the house is not yet completed, you can create an additional basement floor. It will be located on the foundation. In the base it will be possible to make the corresponding holes. For the concrete base, the above methodology is applied. If the foundation is brick, it is necessary to put building elements in certain places with an edge.
If there is no opportunity to create a basement, you need to use special drilling equipment. With it, holes are created. Hydro- or pneumatic hammer, diamond-coated drill is best suited for such purposes. This process will require a lot of effort and time. In the resulting holes, you need to insert the frame.
Another way
Foundation ventilation in a residential building can be created using another technique. In this case, the holes will not be created in the foundation, but in the floor of the living quarters. In an unloaded base location, knock out holes. It is best to create similar openings in the floor under the legs of furniture, under the stairs or in the corners. They need to be covered with a strong metal mesh.
If necessary, it is possible to provide for a pipe for the removal of moist air and a basement on the roof. It should be properly designed. To do this, it is recommended to contact professionals. In this case, the building will not be subject to the processes of decay of the ceilings, basement.
The operation of the building will be long. There is no doubt that fungus and mold will not spread inside the basement. It is best to provide for such holes in terms of structure. However, the shortcomings of the builders can be corrected. At the same time, more effort and time will be required.
Having considered the features of arranging the ventilation of the foundation, everyone can, if desired, create the necessary holes independently.