Restoration of ventilation: reasons for the decline in efficiency and restoration of air ducts

3 Checking the operation of the hood

The homeowner can independently check the correct operation of the ventilation system in the room. To do this, the speed of odor removal is monitored, a visual inspection of the ventilation ducts is carried out. The traction test is carried out both with the help of improvised means and with the use of special equipment.

To test traction experimentally, you will need:

• To ensure the flow of air masses into the room, for which a window should be opened in any of the rooms.
• Bring thin paper to the ventilation duct grille (with sufficient traction, the sheet will be held on the ventilation grille without moving or falling, but if it deviates in the opposite direction, there is a reverse draft in the room).

Signs of reduced ventilation efficiency

In multi-apartment and private houses, the quality composition of the air, as a rule, is maintained by the operation of a supply and exhaust ventilation system with natural circulation.

The inflow of fresh air is provided by windows, vents, doors or special valves. Removal of waste masses - through exhaust ducts installed in the kitchen or in the bathroom.

The operation of the ventilation system with natural impulse is based on the principle of traction force, which occurs as a result of wind pressure and temperature difference outside and inside the house.

With sufficient air circulation, few people think about the design of an air exchange complex.

These issues become relevant with the appearance of the first signs of deterioration in ventilation:

• increased humidity and stuffy air;
• the appearance of condensation on the windows, "black dots" on the slopes, mold on the walls, especially in the corner and behind the furniture;
• after airing the room, it becomes very stuffy very quickly - the windows constantly have to be kept in the "micro-ventilation" mode;
• reverse draft with extraneous odors coming from neighbors - the air flow rushes into the apartment, and not into the ventilation duct;
• dust accumulates quickly on furniture;
• kitchen aromas spread throughout the apartment.

In addition to external manifestations, there are indirect signs of a lack of clean air. Households begin to complain of poor health, the appearance of inexplicable drowsiness and fatigue.For comfortable health, the air in the room must contain at least 21% oxygen.

In the absence of ventilation, the concentration of carbon dioxide, harmful substances and dust increases. Oxygen deficiency causes headache and stuffiness

These factors indicate a malfunction of the ventilation system and are the basis for checking the performance of ventilation ducts. It is necessary to establish the cause of the failure in a timely manner and determine the method for restoring ventilation.

Why and how is the air duct polluted?

There are always small particles of debris in the air around us that can enter the ventilation duct. For the exhaust duct, this is:

• dust;
• fat (which is removed through a kitchen hood when cooking);
• chemical compounds formed when using household chemicals (detergents, washing powder) and smoking;
• to a lesser extent - other small particles that can get into the ventilation.

Since the air in the apartment is usually clean, the exhaust ventilation duct becomes polluted relatively more slowly than the supply air.

If we are talking about supply ventilation (coming from the street to the room), then the pollution rate will be significantly higher. The reason is that outdoor air is much dirtier than indoor air (if we are talking about the city).

Air duct contaminated with grease

In addition to dust, it contains:

• pollen;
• harmful compounds from car exhausts, industrial emissions.

In addition, the supply ventilation channels can be clogged with larger debris: leaves, poplar fluff, small insects. Of course, if there is a ventilation grill at the entrance to the duct, then this can be avoided, but air with a mass of impurities will still pass and pollute the system.

What gets dirty the fastest?

The cross section of the air ducts - even in small private buildings - is quite large, so pollution, although it goes on straight sections, is very slow.

Places where small particles have something to “catch” on get dirty much faster:

• bends;
• branching of ventilation ducts;
• diameter differences;
• filters (meaning not the filter element itself, but the areas near it, where the filter housing is built into the ventilation system);
• valve;
• fans;
• heat exchangers, heaters, coolers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers;
• gratings, anemostats, diffusers.

Air duct before and after cleaning

Around these places, dirt accumulates the fastest. Later, when a decent layer of pollution has already formed in the “problem” areas, it begins to expand further along the duct.

Why is air pollution dangerous?

Pollution of ventilation is dangerous for several reasons:

1. The internal section of the ventilation duct is reduced. As a result, less air passes through the duct.
2. Further overgrowth of the air duct with dust is accelerated. If small particles could catch on somewhere, deposits will grow faster and faster in this place.
3. The load on the fans increases, which means that their wear is accelerated.
4. The microclimate in the room worsens: the level of humidity rises, harmful compounds may be present in the air that cannot be quickly removed, the room becomes hotter and stuffier. As a result, it harms both the human body and the room itself (the risk of fungus and mold increases).
5. The risk of reproduction of pathogens, for which a dirty environment is favorable, increases.The most common consequence in humans is an exacerbation of allergies.

If we are talking about ventilation not in an apartment or house, but at some industrial facility, then the deposition of dust in the air duct is also a fire hazard. After all, dust flares up easily, which means that in the event of a fire, the air duct can easily become one of the ways the fire spreads through the building.

Such a fire can become especially dangerous at facilities where some combustible substances are present in the working area (which means they will also be deposited in the ventilation system). At the same time, keep in mind that dust can flare up not only from an open fire: a spark that has arisen due to a static charge that has accumulated in the air duct can also become a cause.

Ventilation Cleaning Laws

Due to the importance of solving the issue of ventilation cleanliness, a number of laws, GOSTs and regulations have been developed that regulate the timing, frequency and procedure for cleaning ventilation systems as clearly as possible. Federal Law No. 52 of March 30, 1999 “On the Sanitary and Epidemiological Welfare of the Population” is considered fundamental.

Federal Law No. 52 of March 30, 1999 “On the sanitary and epidemiological welfare of the population” is considered fundamental.

It was noted that in houses where ventilation systems are not regularly cleaned, there are 3 times more cases of SARS than in houses where the system is cleaned in accordance with established standards.

Articles of the Federal Law N 52, concerning ventilation systems, regulate the following:

• All citizens (both individuals and individual entrepreneurs and legal entities) are entitled to receive information on compliance with the norms and rules established by law that apply to ventilation systems. The law also obliges them to contribute and take part in carrying out work in order to implement these norms.
• A range of requirements has been legally defined, the fulfillment of which is mandatory to maintain sanitary and epidemiological standards in buildings of all types where there is a congestion of people.
• The measures and activities that should be carried out in order to maintain a healthy atmosphere in the room are determined.
• The procedure for regulating and monitoring compliance with the cleanliness of ventilation systems by the state has been outlined.
• It provides for the onset of civil liability for violation of sanitary and epidemiological legislation and causing harm as a result of this.

The second most important document is the Government Decree No. 390, issued on April 25, 2012 “On the fire regime”.

In the rules of this document, articles on ventilation systems prescribe the following to the heads of organizations, owners and tenants of premises:

• use ventilation systems only for their intended purpose, forbidding them to be dismantled or used for storage inside any product, thereby disrupting their normal functioning;
• clean ventilation with the use of flammable or combustible liquids;
• ensure proper ventilation and cleaning in accordance with established standards.

A separate article (Article 48) defines a number of prohibitions that affect the operation of air ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Ventilation is necessary to systematically change the air that is in the room. Poor ventilation in enclosed spaces reduces the amount of oxygen and increases the concentration of carbon dioxide. This leads to drowsiness, dizziness and possible headaches in people who are indoors.

In particular, it is forbidden to cover the channels, openings or grilles of the hood in any way; to make unauthorized connection to the air ducts of gas heating devices; clean air ducts from dust, grease and debris by burning.

The Decree defines the period for cleaning ventilation systems and the procedure for its implementation:

• cleaning of ventilation systems must be carried out in a fire and explosion-proof way;
• the head of the organization determines the procedure and terms for cleaning filters, ventilation systems, filters and air ducts, but it should not be more than one year;
• the results of the work done must be documented.

These two documents discuss the general provisions and requirements for maintaining cleanliness and timely cleaning of ventilation systems. A more in-depth and specific set of rules and regulations is presented in the Order of the Federal State Institution Center for State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance No. 107 dated August 12, 2004. They will be discussed in the next part of the article.

Ways to eliminate ventilation defects

The method of restoring the operability of the ventilation system depends on the reason for the decrease in its efficiency. Some troubleshooting methods are self-implemented.However, a number of issues require the involvement of professionals and the use of special equipment.

Self cleaning duct

Cleaning the general house ventilation line, to which the side branches are connected, is the task of public utilities. They are required to carry out preventive checks and maintenance of the ventilation system twice a year.

It is forbidden for residents to carry out any manipulations with the central engineering systems. The maximum that the owner of the apartment can do is to clean the ventilation duct from the side of his housing.

The first step is to remove the grate, clean it and rinse under running water. It is permissible to use neutral detergents to wash the ventilation grille. No chemicals should be used inside the canal.

Remove accumulated dirt and greasy crusts formed around the perimeter of the hole with a sharp knife or brush off with a stiff brush. Vacuum the channel, wipe the air duct as much as possible and replace the cover

To clean the ventilation duct deeper, a flexible steel cable with a ruff for servicing chimneys is suitable. Insert the structure into the opening of the air duct and scrape off the dirt from the walls with a brush. Remove debris from the canal with a vacuum cleaner.

Care must be taken while working. Ventilation shafts may contain wasp nests, other insects or animals. If the measures taken did not improve the exhaust draft, then the main shaft is clogged

To clean it, you need to invite a special service

If the measures taken did not improve the exhaust draft, then the main shaft is clogged. To clean it, you need to invite a special service.

Ventilation riser recovery technology

Spontaneous alteration involving the ventilation duct will sooner or later have to be corrected. Understanding the structure of the duct, its restoration will not cause any particular difficulties.

Ventilation "sleeves" have a round or square section. Initially, their walls are made of concrete. During reconstruction, satellite channels can be made from a corrugated pipe or delimited with a foam block

In the estimate of the upcoming work, it is necessary to lay the cost of:

• material for fencing the ventilation duct (foam block, drywall, gypsum blocks or OSB sheets with fire protection);
• corrugated pipes for ventilation ducts coming from the kitchen and bathroom;
• cement-sand mortar or ready-made adhesive composition for laying a foam block;
• plaster and finishing of the box.

To restore the kitchen duct, gypsum boards or foam blocks are best suited. Building materials have the necessary strength, impermeability and fire resistance. In addition, the plates provide sufficient sound insulation.

Restoration of the ventilation riser is carried out in several stages.

Stage 1. Preparation of the premises. The kitchen should be emptied as much as possible - take out furniture, dishes, light household appliances. Cover built-in wardrobes, cabinets, equipment and floors with polyethylene.

Stage 2. Opening access to the mine. On the wall and on the floor, make markings according to the dimensions of the future box. Dismantle tiles, concrete screed and open the air duct.

The dismantling of the floor is carried out carefully so that construction debris does not clog the ventilation ducts. As a result of the work, a mine and two satellite channels are opened

Stage 3. Restoration of side walls and partitions.The side and front sides of the duct are laid out, corresponding to the previously dismantled structure. Fellow channels are separated from each other and from the common shaft by foam blocks. At the same time, the cross-sectional area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe "sleeves" necessary for the free passage of air is preserved.

The restored box fully meets the requirements of natural ventilation - air flows coincide with the directions provided for in the project documentation of the house

Stage 4. Checking ventilation and obtaining documents. To assess the effectiveness of the ventilation system, it is better to invite a specialist. In any case, he will be required to conclude on receiving an act of acceptance of work performed.

Stage 5. Decorative design. If the air circulation does not raise questions from the supervisory authorities and there are no complaints from the side of the neighbors, then you can safely take on the finishing of the box.

An alternative way is to use a corrugated pipe. New satellite channels from below are connected to the old ones with the help of concrete pouring and are additionally fixed on a plasterboard partition that separates the "sleeves" from the common shaft

Our advantages :

Certificate of Conformity No. ROSS RU. 31222.04ZHOYU0

(You can learn more about our Certificates in the "About the Company" section)

Patent for the right to apply patent systems in the form of entrepreneurial repair of housing and other buildings	We have a building certificate that meets the new requirements of 2020 with a listing of a series of residential buildings in the city of Moscow and the Moscow region for the restoration of ventilation ducts, as well as the inspection of ventilation shafts in order to identify structural violations of ventilation ducts in apartments.

The price of a standard L-shaped restoration using gypsum foam blocks (the use of chipboard and drywall is excluded by sanitary and fire regulations) 9 700 rubles* Column — RUB 10,900*Complete restoration of the ventilation duct — RUB 16,300* We work under the contract!

• The price includes: opening the flooring (tiles, laminate, parquet), concrete screed.
• The cutting height (up to the ventilation window) does not affect the price!
• We work efficiently and quickly
• The cost of materials and their delivery are included in the cost of work
• Standard duct restoration takes 1.5 - 2 hours
• The teams are staffed strictly by two masters, which guarantees high-quality work within the specified time frame.
• Brigades are staffed only by Muscovites
• Warranty Certificate

Discounts for pensioners, participants of the Great Patriotic War, large families (300 rubles)

* additional fee:

• for brickwork,
• for metal sheets
• for armature,
• for concrete screed over 10 cm

Please note that our prices are final and strictly fixed. You will not be surprised by the increase in price in the process of restoring the ventilation duct, except for non-standard cases.

You will not be surprised by the increase in prices in the process of restoring the ventilation duct, except for non-standard cases.

The frame of the ventilation box is built with foam blocks 50 mm thick (an inner wall separating the common shaft from the satellite channels, a partition separating the sanitary unit channel from the kitchen channel).

The thickness of the walls and partitions is observed according to the project.

If necessary, voids between pipes and walls are sealed with refractory foam intended for chimneys, stoves, fireplaces, etc.

Attention: We do not reduce ventilation ducts. This is a direct violation of the law!

This is a direct violation of the law!

IMPORTANT: In order not to be deceived when ordering a service from another company,
check final price!
(considering: height, width of the cut-out part of the box and removal of the flooring)

Foam blocks are a modern, efficient and most importantly environmentally friendly safe material. Foam blocks in terms of soundproofing and thermal characteristics are superior to materials such as brick, concrete and stone. They are absolutely non-flammable, and therefore suitable for restoring the ventilation duct in your apartment. It has an environmental factor of 2, which puts it on a par with wood. It does not emit harmful substances and is absolutely non-toxic.

Finishing foam blocks after the restoration of the ventilation duct. It can be produced with various materials (lining, tiles, decorative stones, etc.)

Not only safety, but also the health, and even the life of everyone living in an apartment or house, depends on the performance of the ventilation located in the kitchen. Forgetting this simple truth, some residents of apartment buildings are trying to increase the useful area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe kitchen.When rebuilding a standard ventilation duct and violating the ventilation of the upper and lower apartments, it must be remembered that these actions are not only illegal, but also entail a lot of trouble

General description of the ventilation duct, methods and restoration of the duct

The device of ventilation ducts.

A standard ventilation duct usually consists of two parts. The main element is the ventilation shaft. It is a channel that runs through the entire building from the basement to the attic. The usual dimensions for a ventilation shaft are 30x60 cm. In addition to the shaft, the ventilation duct also includes two satellite channels - air ducts.

Thanks to them, air containing various harmful impurities is taken from the room. One of the channels is designed to take exhaust air from the kitchen, the other - from the bathroom. When air taken from the kitchen and bathroom enters the ventilation shaft, the air masses are mixed and removed from the room.

Air ducts are usually made of galvanized pipes with a diameter of 125 mm or corrugated aluminum pipes with a diameter of 130 mm. The walls of the ventilation duct are usually plaster or concrete. For safety reasons, a partition made of non-combustible material is installed between the shaft and the channels.

During the reconstruction of the ventilation duct, its volume is reduced, which creates many difficulties for the neighbors. This happens because the air flows from the kitchen and bathroom, rising, meet an unforeseen obstacle in their path and, under the influence of the resulting pressure, return to the apartment below.

Types of installation of the hood, depending on the location of the exhaust pipe.

Air duct restoration, i.e. Bringing it back to its original state is a bit of a hassle. Therefore, they should be handled by professionals. Yes, and in the case of the sale of the apartment, if necessary, it will be possible to present documents confirming that the restoration was carried out by qualified specialists who guarantee their work.

Before carrying out the restoration of the air duct, it is necessary to remove household appliances from the kitchen in order to avoid damage to them. You can also do with kitchen furniture. It is better to cover the furniture and other items left in the kitchen, as well as the floors with plastic wrap.

Subsequently, these precautions will reduce the problems associated with cleaning.

Then proceed to the dismantling work. In order to open access to the ventilation shaft and channels, it is necessary to remove partitions and walls. You may have to remove some of the flooring and some of the tiles from the walls. Then the restoration of the duct will be better.

Air duct installation.

After access to the mine is opened, the ventilation ducts and walls of the ventilation duct are restored.

Various materials are used for this. To restore the channels, corrugated aluminum or galvanized pipes are used. For the installation of the walls of the box, materials are used that have properties such as increased fire resistance, a good level of thermal insulation and sound insulation, ease of finishing and processing. Foam blocks or gypsum blocks are very well suited for these requirements.

4 Do-it-yourself duct cleaning

Most often, problems with ventilation in the apartment are noted due to contamination of the air ducts.Cleaning the common house highway, to which the air ducts from each apartment are connected, is a certain difficulty, so this work should be done exclusively by public utilities. According to the current regulations, it is necessary to carry out preventive checks and maintenance of the mine twice a year. Residents are prohibited from performing any manipulations with the air ducts. The maximum that they can do is to clean the ventilation duct from the side of the apartment, removing the existing pollution and cobwebs.

For such an air duct service, you will need to remove the grate, rinse it under running water, and the channel can be cleaned with a steel cable with a ruff. All that remains to be done is to remove the remaining debris from the channel with a vacuum cleaner. It is strictly forbidden to use any chemicals for maintenance of ventilation. If the measures taken did not improve the exhaust draft, this indicates a clogging of the main shaft. To clean it, you should contact the appropriate services, which are required to maintain engineering communications in working condition.

Prevention is the key to the safe operation of ventilation equipment

Any equipment and any engineering system needs preventive maintenance and maintenance. The enterprises draw up schedules for preventive maintenance (PPR) of equipment. Schedules are compiled on the basis of regulatory documents governing the maintenance of each type of equipment. According to these schedules, inspection, revision, cleaning, replacement of parts and other types of preventive maintenance are performed.The enterprises maintain logs of preventive maintenance and inspections of equipment, which reflect the results of inspections and measures to eliminate the established deviations in the operation of the equipment. Logging allows you to track the status of systems and mechanisms and timely prevent emergencies at the enterprise. Prevention allows you to extend the life of the safe operation of the equipment.

Signs of ventilation problems due to a defective duct

Clogged ventilation system

When ventilation is not working properly, it becomes apparent pretty quickly. Here are some of the main signs that indicate that it is time to take action:

• stale air;
• high humidity, condensation on the windows, mold on the walls;
• the occurrence of a reverse draft effect when air is drawn in from neighbors;
• a decrease in the strength of the air current towards the ventilation vents;
• unpleasant odors from the hozblok spread throughout the apartment and are not removed.

If the above effects are observed, then it is time ventilation duct checks. This work is usually carried out by the owners of the apartment.

The purpose of the test is one - to determine whether it is necessary to restore ventilation.

Consider what could be the reasons for the malfunction of the ventilation system in a standard apartment:

• ventilation shaft: it can be partially or completely blocked both for natural reasons and due to the activities of the owners of the apartments, for example, when redeveloping the kitchen;
• clogging of the apartment part of the air ducts;
• the tightness of the premises in the apartment, which may be due to the presence of plastic windows. This is done everywhere. Old windows are replaced with new, plastic ones.As a result, the flow of fresh air from the street deteriorates, since the provided ventilation gap in the design of these windows is very small. To improve air exchange, the owners should take appropriate measures by modifying the apartment ventilation scheme;
• influence on the entire system of apartment ventilation of environmental parameters. It becomes noticeable on hot days in summer and during frosty periods in winter. Natural ventilation works mainly due to the temperature difference in the apartment and on the street.

  It is usually warmer inside living spaces than outside the window, so fresh air enters and sinks to the floor, while warm exhaust air is forced out through a common ventilation shaft. If on a summer day the temperature of the atmospheric air is higher than in the apartment, the opposite effect is obtained: the rooms become hot and stuffy.

  In winter, in frost, the influx of cold air can increase so much that it blows out all the heat from the premises. For this case, there are also methods to improve the ventilation scheme.

The most common of the considered probable causes of improper ventilation is a malfunction of the ventilation duct.

Types of duct contaminants

Exhaust and supply air ducts and ventilation ducts are the main parts of the ventilation system that require careful maintenance.

Gradually, various contaminants settle on their surfaces, which significantly affect the functioning of the entire exhaust complex.

Even a slight decrease in the working diameter of the duct due to dirt can cause a drop in the draft level in ventilation. When the exhaust is reduced, the air in the room immediately becomes more humid and heavy.

Methods for cleaning household ventilation pipes largely depend on the types of pollutants that have filled the air ducts.

The main ones remain:

• ordinary dust and dirt penetrating into the room and mine from the street;
• rust and other deposits, which over time can concentrate on metal surfaces due to increased levels of humidity;
• fungi and mold;
• plaque from water, which is formed due to the movement of moist air masses or the formation of condensate during a change in air temperature;
• fatty deposits, the source of which is the heat treatment of food products;
• colonies of microorganisms growing in a favorable moist environment.

In specialized facilities, such as laboratories or manufacturing plants, particles of reagents or chemicals may settle on the inside of the ventilation units, which, due to their nature, require a special approach to neutralization and removal.

A separate and rather complex subspecies of pollutants are deposits after a fire or a flood. Combustion products require immediate removal from the mine and air ducts, since the inhalation of these substances is very detrimental to human health.

The consequences of the flood are no less insidious: the abundance of moist air and condensation contribute to the growth of fungal colonies inside the ventilation system. Spores easily move through the air ducts, penetrating into the living quarters, after which the development of mold continues directly in the apartment - on the walls, ceiling of living rooms.

A fungus on the wall can be a consequence of a long-standing flood, even among neighbors several floors away.Mold spores from the air duct can enter the apartment during air circulation and, once in a suitable environment, settle even in a room that was not affected by the flood

Exhaust ducts get dirty more slowly than supply ducts. In the latter, in addition to street dust, allergens are retained, for example, flower pollen, chemical compounds from exhaust gases or emissions from industrial enterprises.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

How to clean the ventilation duct from dust and dirt with your own hands:

How to eliminate noise and vibration in the exhaust fan: detailed disassembly instructions instrument and parts lubrication:

Analysis of one of the typical fan malfunctions: what to do if the fuse is blown:

Faults are easier to prevent than to fix. Therefore, it is worth testing the ventilation in the bathroom annually, keeping the ventilation grilles clean, and periodically cleaning the accessible areas at the inlet of the ventilation duct. It is also advisable to take measures to improve the circulation of air masses - ventilate the premises, install window or wall valves.

If the ventilation stops working, try to determine the cause of the problem and use one of the appropriate methods to repair and optimize the system. In case of serious breakdowns, contact the specialists of the management companies.

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