Often, planning to make repairs in the apartment on their own, the owners pay great attention to the design and decoration of the room, forgetting about the organization of ventilation. But this is the most important moment for maintaining repairs and comfortable living.
Especially in the kitchen and in the bathroom there is an increased humidity, which can spoil both furniture and chrome details, as well as the mood of the owners. The ventilation system of the room is designed to fight not only with fumes and odors, but also with the formation of moisture on the walls of the room, which eventually leads to the formation of mold, and subsequently fungus.
The zealous owner, before starting the repair, tries to study the types of ventilation fans, and use the tips on choosing and installing devices that supply fresh air to the room.
Housing Requirements
The normal climate inside the living room contributes to comfortable living and better health for all family members. Therefore, a ventilation system should be arranged in the rooms, which effectively cleans the air of odor, dust, chemicals in an enclosed space. To improve the operation of the system, a ventilation exhaust fan is installed.
The basic requirements that the microclimate of a residential building must meet must be known to every apartment owner:
- the room must receive fresh air, free from dust and with a minimum content of harmful substances;
- the oxygen content in the air should exceed 20%, but carbon dioxide should be present no more than 0.2%;
- clean air must enter the room at a speed of not more than 0.12 m / s;
- optimal night temperature - 18-20 ℃, daytime - 19-23 ℃;
- humidity is about 50%.
Of course, there are many other requirements and factors, but they are more about production facilities.
Fan selection
Modern manufacturers offer a wide range of different fans for the ventilation system in both domestic and industrial applications. Therefore, every person who sets out to purchase a device faces certain difficulties. The ventilation fans that are commercially available differ from each other in some operational characteristics. Therefore, in order to understand this sea of models, the following factors must be taken into account:
- if you have an old duct, you need to determine the place of installation of the fan;
- it is necessary to take into account the diameter of the purchased device, which mainly have nozzles of 100, 125, 150 mm, relative to the diameter of the channels of the exhaust system;
- depending on the area of the room, the exhaust ventilation fan is selected for power;
- for a bathroom it is better to choose a silent model;
- The ventilation fan for the bathroom must be with increased protection against moisture.
Types of fans
You can classify fans in many ways:
- according to the location of the device are divided into consignment notes (mounted on the wall) or ventilation duct fans (mounted inside the channel);
- at the place of attachment there are ceiling (mounted on the ceiling), wall (installed on the surface of the room walls), roof (located in the attics of low-rise buildings);
- by the principle of action - centrifugal or paddle;
- according to the method of switching on, ventilation fans are divided into mechanical or automatic.
Axial devices
Such fans are considered the most common in domestic conditions. Structurally, axial fans are an electric motor inserted in a cylindrical housing. A wheel with blades is mounted on the motor shaft. Rotating, the blades capture air. To increase the aerodynamic properties, a special collector is installed at the inlet, which makes the hood the most productive.
The efficiency of the axial ventilation fan is quite high, but its performance decreases with increasing air resistance. That is why this system is not recommended for use on the first floors of multi-apartment buildings.
Installation of a ventilation fan is easy to do. It is mounted in the ventilation hole, which is most often located on the wall.
Radial fans
The housing of such a device has a spiral shape, inside of which there is a wheel in the form of a blade. Air entering between the blades moves to the wheel due to centrifugal force. Then the air mixture enters the casing and the ventilation hole.
Radial ventilation fans are the most economical and silent, as well as cope with the resistance of the air column. If it is possible to adjust the inclination of the blades, then it is possible to achieve minimal noise and consumption of electric energy.
Centrifugal fixtures
Centrifugal fans are much more expensive than axial devices (2.5 times). They are mainly used in enterprises, therefore they are called industrial ventilation fans. The case of such a device is very similar to a snail and has a spiral shape. The performance of this type of fan depends on the configuration of the blades and their size.
Such models have great traction and can create a lot of pressure. They are rarely used in everyday life, since the dimensions of the centrifugal ventilation fan are very large. They are mainly used for installation on the first floors of multi-storey buildings.
Duct fans
Installation of ventilation fans of this type is carried out directly in the duct system. Manufacturers offer several options for devices that can be installed in channels of both rectangular and circular cross-section.
The waterproof housing of the channel fixture allows it to be operated in rooms with high humidity. In everyday life they are very effective for ventilating large bathrooms (more than 15 m 2 ), as they have high performance and power.
Additional exhaust system functions
Modern technologies to create ease of use make it possible to equip many ventilation fans with additional functionality:
- Intelligent devices are equipped with special humidity sensors, which can be mounted separately from the device, or can be built directly into the housing. The fan will turn on automatically when the indicator that is set in advance is exceeded. Of course, such devices cost more than a simple device, but the ease of use is worth it.
- A very convenient function is the presence of an off timer, which turns off the device after a specified time after turning off the power, according to the selected mode.
- To prevent odors from entering other rooms, the fan can be equipped with a check valve. However, the presence of a non-return valve slightly affects the ventilation of the room, so sometimes you have to keep the device constantly on.
- The built-in LED lamp allows you to use the ventilation device as a lamp.
- There are fans with a clock, which is also very convenient for those who like to soak in the warm bath.
Fan Parameters
The main technical parameters of the ventilation fan, which you should pay attention to when purchasing the device, are:
- The rate of air exchange, which indicates the amount of air that is replaced in a certain period of time. Usually, the manufacturer indicates this characteristic in the instructions of the device, and it is tied to a specific area of the ventilated room. For example, in a separate bathroom, the shift is eight, and in the combined - 10. To get the result, this index is multiplied by the area of the room and then eight if more than three people live, or six if less than three inhabitants. The resulting indicator is used when choosing a fan of optimal power.
- The noise parameter indicates the noise level that occurs when the fan is operating. Suppose the noise level is up to 40 dB, but it is considered the most comfortable - 20-25 dB.
- The power consumption of the device is also an important characteristic. The cost of operating the fan depends on this parameter. The lower the power consumption, the cheaper the use of the device.
Preparing for fan installation
Preliminary work for mounting the fan consists mainly in preparing the outlet of the ventilation system, since the device is installed at the entrance to the common shaft.
If the acquired fan is larger in diameter than the channel opening, then the inlet channel will have to be expanded. For these purposes, a chisel is used if you perform the operation manually, but it is better to use a perforator in shock mode.
When, on the contrary, the hole is larger than the diameter of the fan, it is necessary to use a transitional plastic pipe or corrugated material. The pipe is inserted into the channel and filled with mounting foam around the perimeter. If desired, you can putty visible parts, but usually all the nuances are closed by the front panel of the fan.
If there is no common ventilation system in the room, then you need to think over and prepare the place for installing the outdoor duct. Most often, it is suspended in the upper corner of the room.
Fan installation
After preparatory work, you can proceed directly to the installation of the fan. The technological process of equipment installation is not particularly difficult, so you can do all the work yourself, which will save a little money.
Of course, it is desirable to carry out the installation of a ventilating device during the repair, but modern finishing materials make it possible to carry out work after its completion.
The main stages of installation work:
- First, you need to connect the wires of the device to the distribution box of the home electrical network. In this case, do not forget to turn off the power to avoid electric shock.
- Remove the top fan decorative panel.
- Apply adhesive to the side walls around the perimeter of the device.
- Install the fan in the ventilation hole, pressing it firmly against the wall.
- Screw the grate of the device with screws.
- Connect the supply wire to the device terminals.
- Install the decorative panel. To prevent insects from entering the room, you can put a mosquito net under the panel.
Some appliances are equipped with a cord to turn on, but this is inconvenient. Therefore, experts recommend installing a separate switch at the entrance to the room.
During operation of the fan, it is recommended to remove dust from the surface of the device, as well as to clean the entire mechanism once a year.
The equipment of a working ventilation system will create conditions for a comfortable stay of a person in a living room, as well as preserve his health. It is the installation of a ventilation fan that greatly improves the efficiency of such a system.