House ventilation in an apartment building. Disruption of the natural ventilation systems of multi-storey residential buildings. the "famous" problem of the last floors

Ventilation of residential buildings is one of the key points in providing a comfortable air environment for people. Poor air circulation in a home can not only negatively affect the health of residents, but also require spending on additional exhaust systems. Existing air ducts are also one of the main points of ensuring fire safety. In this material we will explain how ventilation works in an apartment building and what measures can increase its efficiency.

Purpose of general house ventilation

The air in a residential apartment is always susceptible to pollution. Smoke from cooking, fumes from the bathroom, unpleasant odors and dust - all this ends up in the air and creates unfavorable living conditions for people. Stagnant air can even lead to the development of diseases such as asthma and allergies. That is why every apartment building must be equipped with a general ventilation system.

Functions of ventilation in a residential area:

• ensure the penetration of clean air into apartments;
• remove dust and other impurities harmful to health along with the exhaust air;
• regulate humidity in residential and utility rooms.

The majority of the urban population of our country lives in panel houses built during Soviet times, while others are moving to new buildings. Ensuring ventilation of residential buildings is a mandatory requirement during the construction of houses. However, the level of ventilation in multi-apartment residential buildings remains quite low. It is customary to save on air duct systems during construction.

At the moment, you can find the following types of ventilation in residential buildings:

• with natural inflow and exhaust;
• with forced air movement through ventilation units.

In modern luxury homes, heating and ventilation systems comply with the latest standards and are created using special equipment and materials. For ventilation of multi-storey panel-type residential buildings, natural air exchange is used. The same applies to Soviet-era brick residential buildings, as well as modern budget-class buildings. Air must flow through the openings between the doors and the floor, as well as special valves on plastic windows.

Ventilation in a panel house works as follows. Air is discharged upward through vertical ventilation shafts, thanks to natural draft. It is pulled outside the house through a pipe located in the roof or attic. When air enters an apartment through open windows or doors, it rushes to those located in the kitchen and bathroom - where purification from smoke and moisture is most needed. Thus, stagnant air is discharged into the pipe, and clean air enters the room through the windows.

If you stop the flow of fresh air, ventilation will not work effectively. Residents of apartments in apartment buildings often forget about natural ventilation of the room when installing additional exhaust systems. Here is a list of typical mistakes during repairs that stop air circulation:

• installation of blind double-glazed windows made of metal-plastic;
• eliminating the gap between the door leaf and the floors when replacing interior doors;
• installation of axial fans in the toilet (affects the ventilation of neighboring apartments).

When decorating living rooms, it is worth remembering to create natural paths for ventilation. You can install plastic windows with special valves that will automatically supply air from the street.

Interior doors should be selected in size so that they do not stand close to the floor. When installing additional fans, you can configure them for supply.

Ventilation schemes for residential buildings

Depending on the construction plans, ventilation may have a completely different design. In this section we will try to figure out how ventilation works in a panel house using diagrams and talk about the degree of effectiveness of one or another type of ventilation.

The most successful ventilation scheme in a panel house is individual, when each apartment has a separate duct with access to the roof.

In this case, the ventilation shafts are not connected to each other, the air quality improves, and polluted air from neighboring apartments does not enter the house. Another variation of this ventilation scheme in a Khrushchev building is that from each apartment separate channels lead to the roof, where they are connected into a single pipe that carries air masses to the street.

Unfortunately, quite often the simplest, but ineffective method of ventilation is used, in which air from all apartments enters a single large shaft - the same way ventilation is arranged in a Khrushchev-era building. This allows you to save space and costs during the construction of a building, but has a lot of unpleasant consequences:

• the entry of dust and unpleasant odors from other apartments - residents of the upper floors, where the air rises naturally, are especially susceptible to this;
• rapid contamination of the common ventilation pipe;
• lack of sound insulation.

There are several other ways to exhaust air through ventilation shafts - with horizontal ducts in the attic and pipe outlets into the attic without a chimney. In the first case, horizontal air ducts reduce air draft, and in the second, the attic becomes dirty due to the lack of outlet to the street. The ventilation scheme in Khrushchev and other Soviet-type buildings, although budget-friendly, is inconvenient for residents.

Schematic diagrams of some natural ventilation systems in residential buildings: (a) - without prefabricated ducts; (b) - with vertical collecting channels; (c) - with horizontal prefabricated channels in the attic; (d) - with a warm attic

Fortunately, there is a modern ventilation system that automatically extracts and supplies air. Its design includes a fan that forces air into the shaft. It is usually located in the basement of a building. An exhaust ventilation system of the same power is placed on the roof of the house, which forcefully removes polluted air masses from the air duct. This is the simplest ventilation scheme in an apartment building. It can also be arranged using energy-saving equipment - recuperators. The task of the recuperator is to remove heat (or cold) from the exhaust air and transfer it to the supply air.

Ventilation shafts, as a rule, come from the basement of a multi-story building, additionally providing its protection from dampness and fumes. Ventilation of the basement is provided using natural draft, and in modern houses air supply units are also installed here. To remove damp air from the basement, common ventilation shafts are used, with openings on each floor and in each apartment.

Ventilation of the basement, the place where the natural ventilation system begins, is one of the main conditions for its proper operation. To do this, vent holes are made in the basement walls, through which fresh air enters the basement. It not only reduces humidity at the base of the house, but also creates draft in the common house shaft.

The shape of the holes can be simple - round or square. They must be placed at a sufficient distance above the ground so that water and dirt from the street do not get inside. The optimal distance from the ground is at least 20 cm. The holes should be placed evenly around the perimeter of the basement; if there are several rooms in it, it is necessary to organize several vents in each. The vents must not be closed, otherwise the entire principle of operation of the ventilation of an apartment building will be disrupted. To prevent animals from entering the basement, the openings are covered with a metal mesh.

Calculation of apartment ventilation

Natural or artificial ventilation of a residential building is calculated by specialists during the construction of the building, and the residents of the building receive apartments with a “default” ventilation system. It will not be possible to change the design of the ventilation system in a Khrushchev-era building; this will require serious intervention in the structure of the building. However, using various devices you can improve air circulation in your apartment. For this it is necessary.

If you are not satisfied with the ventilation in your apartment, you can install additional hoods in the kitchen and fans on grilles in the bathroom. In this case, you should remember the basic rule - the amount of air exhausted should not exceed the amount entering the apartment. In this case, the ventilation systems will work as efficiently as possible. Some models of hoods and fans can operate on air flow - they are worth installing if the room is not sufficiently ventilated through windows and doors.

Particular attention should be paid to the power of exhaust devices; for small apartments, a capacity of 50 to 100 m³ of air per hour will be sufficient. To accurately determine what load will be optimal for the device, you can measure the amount of air mass in the room. To do this, the area of ​​the apartment is summed up and multiplied three times. The resulting volumes of air must completely pass through the fans within an hour.

You can organize additional air flow using air conditioners, hoods and fans. Together, these devices will perform the main tasks of room ventilation:

• a kitchen hood will cleanse the room of unpleasant odors, grease and smoke, filling it with clean air;
• fan in the bathroom - remove moist air;
• air conditioner - cools and dehumidifies the air in the room.

These devices will ensure good circulation of air masses in different rooms and regulate their cleanliness - they are simply irreplaceable in the bathroom and kitchen.

The amount of supply air can exceed the volume of exhaust air by 15–20%, but not vice versa.

Home ventilation care

Often, ventilation does not work due to a clogged air duct or outlet grille. You can do it yourself within your apartment by removing the grate and cleaning the pipe walls with a brush, broom or vacuum cleaner. Particular attention must be paid to the mesh covering the entrance to the mine - it acts as a filter on which all contaminants remain.

Complete is carried out by a special service at the request of residents.

First, the performance of the exhaust ducts is diagnosed and a work plan is drawn up. To check the cleanliness of mines, a video camera on a cable is often used - it allows you to determine where dirt accumulates and where the pipe is deformed.

After this, cleaning of the air duct begins. Professionals use weights, pneumatic brushes, weighted brushes and other tools. Ordinary residents should not engage in such work - this can damage the integrity of the pipe.

Natural ventilation in a multi-storey building is not very effective compared to mechanical ventilation, but it requires cleaning less often. A team of specialists should be called once every few years if there are clear signs of air duct contamination. Automatic ventilation systems experience greater loads and require more thorough cleaning. The maintenance of such systems is often carried out by the companies that install them.

Monitoring the performance and increasing the efficiency of home ventilation is one of the key points in creating a healthy microclimate in your home. By taking a number of measures to improve the ventilation of your home, you will rid yourself of dust, unpleasant odors, and kitchen or bathroom products in the air.

Organized natural ventilation in a residential building is air exchange that occurs due to the difference in air density inside the building and outside, through specially designed exhaust and supply openings.

For ventilation of premises in a residential apartment building, a natural ventilation system is provided. Let's figure out how it works and how it works.

Natural ventilation device

In each entrance from the first floor to the last there is a common ventilation duct that runs vertically from below, upward with access either to the attic or directly to the roof (depending on the project). Satellite ducts are connected to the main ventilation duct, the beginning of which is usually located in the bathroom, kitchen and toilet.

Through these satellite channels, the “exhaust” air leaves the apartments, enters the common ventilation shaft, passes through it and is discharged into the atmosphere.

It seems that everything is extremely simple and such a mechanism should work flawlessly. But there are many things that can interfere with the normal operation of ventilation.

The most important thing in the operation of natural ventilation is that sufficient air must enter the apartment. According to the projects, according to SNiP, this air should enter through the “leaks” of window openings, as well as by opening the vents.

Excerpt from SNiP 2.08.01-89 (minimum air exchange parameters for an apartment).

But we all understand that modern windows, when closed, do not allow sound, much less air, to pass through. It turns out that you need to keep the windows open all the time, which naturally is not possible for a number of reasons.

Causes of disruption of natural ventilation

• Re-equipment of ventilation ducts

It happens that ventilation stops working due to active neighbors who could simply break the ventilation duct to expand the living space. In this case, the ventilation will stop working for all residents whose apartments are located below.

• Debris in the ventilation duct

It often happens that something gets into the ventilation shaft and simply does not allow the air to move freely. If this happens, then you need to contact the appropriate structure; it is prohibited to climb into the ventilation duct yourself.

• Incorrect connection of exhaust hoods

Another common problem is connecting high-power kitchen hoods (hoods) to a satellite channel that is not intended for this purpose. And when such an exhaust hood is turned on, an air plug forms in the common ventilation duct, which disrupts the operation of the entire system.

• Seasonality

Unfortunately, the operation of the natural ventilation system is also influenced by the temperature regime; in the cold season it works better, and in the summer, when the temperature outside rises, it works less well. Add to this several negative aspects described above, and the work of the entire system comes to naught.

And of course, there are mistakes during construction made by the contractor for one reason or another... Only the installation of supply and exhaust ventilation equipment will help here.

Natural ventilation works all year round 24 hours a day. Therefore, a round-the-clock air flow into the room is necessary. If it is not there, then in winter, when the windows are closed, condensation may form, increasing humidity, even leading to the formation of mold. To avoid this, install supply valves, this will improve ventilation in the room and get rid of excess moisture.

To organize good air exchange in the apartment all year round. A ventilator will need to be installed. Thanks to this device, you will not have to open the windows, and fresh and clean air will always flow into your apartment.

During the construction of a multi-story building, many important engineering issues must be taken into account. One of these issues is air conditioning. Ventilation of an apartment building is a complex air circulation scheme. Therefore, the correct operation of this system depends on the design of this system. Air conditioning in combination with heating creates a microclimate in your homes, on which your health and good mood depend. The main sources of indoor air pollution are: stove, washing machine and bathroom. As a result, a large amount of harmful vapors and gases are formed in the air, which have a detrimental effect on the human body.

To know if your ventilation system is working correctly, you need to pay attention to the following signs:

• fogging of glass in windows;
• condensation on glass and walls;
• dampness in the corners of the room;
• the appearance of fungus.

Important! High humidity and fungus can lead to respiratory diseases.

There is the easiest and most effective way to check your hood. You just need to go up to it and attach a small piece of paper. When operating correctly, paper will begin to be drawn into the air valve.

Features of ventilation in a multi-storey building

These features are as follows:

• the air should move in such a way as to remove unpleasant odors from the rooms, kitchen and bathroom;
• for each building its own exhaust system is specifically calculated;
• some buildings are equipped with exhaust fans, so additional sound insulation must be provided in such houses;
• Air conditioning in multi-storey buildings must be controlled to reduce air heating costs.

Types of ventilation system design

Natural ventilation is of the following types:

• individual - each apartment has its own exhaust duct leading to the roof. But now this method of ventilation is not popular;
• the exhaust ducts of all apartments are connected by one horizontal duct facing the roof;
• ventilation communications of the entire house lead to one room, from which the air is removed to the outside using special equipment.

In order to better understand how ventilation works in an apartment building, let’s look at what types of air movement there are:

• natural;
• combined;
• mechanical.

The natural method involves the penetration of fresh air into the apartment through the windows, and the exit through the ventilation ducts due to the difference in pressure and temperature.

The combined method involves the creation of an artificial air flow and its natural release, or vice versa.

The mechanical method or forced ventilation provides air conditioning of the room using supply and exhaust equipment. This type of ventilation is used in almost all modern buildings and structures.

Ventilation of houses

The simplest method of ventilation in an apartment building is a supply and exhaust ventilation system. According to this system, air enters the room through the windows and exits through ventilation ducts, located mainly in the bathroom and kitchen, which, in turn, are connected by one common air duct. In this way, ventilation has been established in almost all old multi-story buildings. This is not surprising; the system is simple and inexpensive, but not entirely effective.

But in modern multi-storey buildings it has become fashionable to use a new ventilation system, and it is more efficient. The principle of operation of ventilation in an apartment building is carried out mechanically. The roof of such a house is provided with supply and exhaust fans. These devices work like clockwork; there is no need to take into account atmospheric pressure and the design features of the building. This method of ventilating a room has become the most effective and popular, but forced ventilation has two disadvantages: the high cost of the structure and dependence on electricity. However, when you want to breathe fresh and clean air at home, no one thinks about these shortcomings.

Interesting! A mechanical ventilation system creates an optimal microclimate for your home.

Existing ventilation schemes

To understand how ventilation works in an apartment building, a diagram is simply necessary. In such a house, one common prefabricated exhaust duct is constructed, to which the exhaust ducts of each floor are connected. The air exchange organization scheme provides for two types of ventilation - mixing or squeezing out air.

Room conditioning using the air stirring method is suitable for homes that do not allow air to pass through. These are buildings made of brick and concrete. Ventilation in these houses is done through small vents. Air currents mix fresh and dirty air and exit through these openings. Only a properly designed ventilation system will allow it to be operated effectively.

Advice! For ventilation to work effectively, supply and exhaust devices must be installed in each room and connected to the central unit.

Ventilation system project

The design of the ventilation of an apartment building must be done before the construction of the building begins for more efficient operation of this system. True, if the building has already been built, you can try to establish efficient operation of the air conditioning system. An exhaust system is a complex engineering structure, the installation of which requires special skills and special equipment. This project helps regulate the air volume of each room. Therefore, designing ventilation requires taking into account the characteristics of each floor of the building. The most important thing in this project is the choice of reliable equipment that can work without failures and overloads for a long time.

During design, the following points must be considered:

• technical, architectural and construction aspects. Equipment must be selected taking into account all fire safety requirements;
• the exhaust system should not spoil the facade and interior of the building;
• air circulation in the room must meet all sanitary standards;
• the price of the selected equipment should not affect its quality. From an economic point of view, no one wants to throw a lot of money at this project, so everyone tries to choose a cheaper option, but in this case, the main thing is not to overdo it.

Main design stages:

• It all starts with calculating the volume of air exchange in your premises;
• according to them and all the nuances of your project, a scheme is developed that includes aerodynamic and acoustic calculations: air cross-sections in the exhaust ducts and the noise level of all special equipment;
Stone stove for baths and home

According to sanitation standards, every residential building is required to have a ventilation system, the purpose of which is to remove dirty, “exhaust” air from non-residential premises (toilet, bathroom, kitchen). Due to improper ventilation, windows sweat, dampness and mold appear on the walls. If it functions correctly, such unpleasant phenomena should not occur. The consequences of malfunctioning ventilation can be very disastrous: If you have a growing baby, he may develop asthma or other dangerous diseases.

To measure the efficiency of the ventilation system, take a medium sheet of paper (10x10 cm), open a window in the room and hold the piece of paper to the ventilation grille. If there is a swaying of the leaf, everything is fine. Otherwise there is a malfunction.

Purpose

The purpose of the ventilation system in a multi-storey building is to exchange atmospheric masses with the removal of excess moisture, dust, generated heat and harmful substances from the premises to create a favorable microclimate in the rooms and purify the air. In panel, brick, and modern low-budget residential buildings, a natural ventilation system is used.

System design in multi-storey buildings

There are 2 types ventilation systems in multi-apartment buildings:

• natural;
• forced.

The natural ventilation system is different in that the exchange of air in apartments occurs due to changes in temperature and pressure. The principle of operation is that polluted air exits through ventilation ducts and shafts to the street. And the clean one gets inside through vents, doors, windows on the external wall, sometimes this requires the installation of special supply valves.

It is possible to lay separate ventilation shafts for each of the apartments located in the house, but this option is cost-effective only for low-rise buildings. In high-rise buildings such a design is unrealistic. When constructing multi-storey residential and non-residential buildings, two common schemes are used.

1. The exits of all shafts are located in the attic, and a common horizontal channel is installed there. This channel has one exit, laid in the most convenient place.
2. From individual apartments, polluted air is discharged through horizontal channels into common (for entrances) vertical shafts (risers), which deliver it through the roof to the street.

The differences are clear from the description. The second type is characterized by the idea of ​​a private straight shaft for the upper floors, since the height of the horizontal channel of at least 2 m is required to generate draft.

All ventilation ducts and shafts must have high-quality thermal insulation, otherwise condensation will inevitably form in the attic, followed by mold and undue destruction of materials.

The horizontal box in the attic has its own requirements: its cross-section must be of sufficient size to prevent the formation of backdraft.

Old-style houses are equipped with a natural ventilation system. It has a significant advantage - it does not require electrical power. But there are also disadvantages - its effectiveness depends on the cleanliness and absence of obstacles in the mines and canals.

More and more often, instead of wooden frames, plastic and metal-plastic windows are being installed everywhere. Their undoubted advantages - tightness and sound insulation - work as a minus for ventilation systems, since the natural ventilation system provides for the exhaust of air through cracks in windows and vents. In such situations, a second type is designed - a forced ventilation system.

It is characterized by the use of various devices to artificially create air flows. It is installed in cases of lack of natural ventilation or unfavorable environmental conditions.

The disadvantage of the forced system is its high cost, which is the cost of additional equipment, electricity consumed and required maintenance. Pros - high efficiency of air mass exchange, the ability to heat or cool the air, clean it from dust, etc. Typically, its design includes a fan in the basement and an exhaust unit on the roof of the house.

They also use recuperators – energy-saving equipment. Their job is to transfer heat (cold) from exhaust air to fresh air.

Mechanical ventilation systems are divided into 3 types:

• supply;
• exhaust;
• mixed.

The first type is characterized by an artificial influx of clean air, and the waste is removed through windows and doors (in a natural way). This system consists of a supply system, a heater, a cooler, and filters. The power of these systems varies widely; depending on it, they are divided into household, semi-industrial and industrial. According to the type of design, supply systems can be monoblock or stacked. Each type has its own pros and cons.

Monoblock systems are mounted in soundproofed compartments, making them less noisy and more suitable for installation in residential areas. Prefabricated structures consist of individual elements and can serve various objects - trading floors, offices, apartments. But their installation requires precise calculations, and they are large in size.

For an exhaust system, the situation is the opposite: the influx of fresh air occurs naturally, and the emission of contaminated air occurs mechanically. This requires installation of an exhaust system.

With a mixed ventilation system, both inflow and outflow are produced by electrical appliances. It is considered the most effective design, as it combines the advantages of the two previous types. Supply and exhaust systems provide, in addition to air exchange, also air purification, maintaining the required temperature and moisture content. The efficiency of the system is not affected by weather conditions or seasons. The main thing is to design a balanced system, where the influx of clean air is balanced by the outflow of exhaust air.

The advantage of mixed ventilation is its efficiency, which is ensured by heating fresh air and recovering heat from the outgoing contaminated flow. For weather-sensitive people and hypertensive people, an important advantage is the system’s ability to regulate the level of atmospheric pressure in the room.

When choosing a ventilation system, the following factors are taken into account:

• height and number of floors of the building;
• location of the building;
• environmental noise level;
• degree of street air pollution.

Ventilation of basement rooms is one of the factors ensuring the proper operation of the entire ventilation system. For natural circulation of air masses in the basement, special holes are made in its walls. This achieves not only a reduction in humidity at the bottom of the house, but also the creation of draft in the mines.

Sewer ventilation is an important component of the system for providing premises with fresh air. There are several design solutions for sewer ventilation.

1. Direct, in which the sewer risers on the top floor are brought up and do not remain closed. A clean flow of air flows through the upper parts of the risers, simultaneously preventing suction in the siphons.
2. Parallel, when the ventilation riser is constructed parallel to the sewer riser, they are connected to each other by bends along their entire length. It is considered more effective compared to the first type.
3. In the case of building buildings of 9 or more floors, the best option is a system using mixers.

What to do with reverse draft in apartments?

The effect of “reverse draft” is that the air in the apartment is not cleaned, but, on the contrary, becomes clogged with pollutants from the street or neighbors.

There may be several reasons for this situation.

1. The outlet pipe of the ventilation system, located on the roof, is incorrectly oriented relative to the air flows, which prevents their circulation.
2. Accumulation of steam or cooled air in the ventilation ducts.
3. Mechanical barriers - debris, soot, snow or ice plugs, sometimes bird nests.
4. Large rooms may have their own flows and drafts, which poses a risk of disrupting the flow of polluted air.
5. The operation of fans, air conditioners, split systems, even kitchen hoods interferes with natural ventilation.

Responsible specialists are required to diagnose the system to determine the causes of reverse thrust.

1. First of all, technical documentation is examined. Based on this study, conclusions are drawn about the literacy of the design development according to the accepted standards, and then the operating conditions of the system are checked.
2. It is necessary to check the correct installation of ventilation ducts and their compliance with sanitary and technical standards.
3. Inspect the ventilation system for clogging, permeability, operability of the channels, and eliminate any damage found.
4. Then the specialists begin to inspect the system for blockages in the ventilation channels. The volumes of passing air are calculated to compare them with the design values.

The appearance of reverse draft may be due to a drop in atmospheric pressure or a change in the wind vector. In such cases, open windows will help. If the cause of poor operation of the ventilation system has not been identified, install a deflector.

It is necessary to regularly clean the ventilation shafts, this must be done because they are often clogged. If the cause of the reverse draft is drafts in the apartment, it is advised to redesign the premises and install tight doors.

What regulatory documents are needed during inspection?

Ventilation systems must meet all requirements established in accordance with SNiP 41-01-2003. “Heating, ventilation and air conditioning” and SNiP 2.04.05-91 “Heating, ventilation and air conditioning”. When checking the operation of the ventilation system, you also need project documentation of the house indicating all elements of the ventilation system - it is examined for compliance with the above standards.

Frequency of examination

Diagnostics of the condition of chimneys and ventilation ducts produced in the following situations:

• commissioning of an apartment building before gasification and heating connection;
• redevelopment of apartments or repair of ventilation ducts;
• prevention, it should be carried out every quarter and 7 days before and after the drinking season;
• identifying poor traction or lack thereof;
• in all cases related to gas equipment, when called through the emergency dispatch service.

A study of the suitability for use of chimneys, according to the standards, must be carried out:

• for those made of brick - quarterly;
• for those constructed from asbestos cement, clay, heat-resistant concrete - annually;
• heating and cooking stoves - in the spring, before and during the heating season;
• heating boilers and furnaces – annually.

For ventilation ducts and rooms with gas installations and appliances, the frequency of such inspection is established at least twice a year.

Who is responsible?

Management companies are responsible for the normal operation and condition of the ventilation of an apartment building. Maintenance of housing and communal services (this includes ventilation systems) is included in their responsibilities.

Problems during operation and their elimination

Often in old buildings equipped with a natural ventilation system, a situation arises when the vector of movement of air masses in the exhaust ducts changes (overturning). As a result, cold street air blows into warm apartments, the walls of the ducts cool, condensation and frost appear, and then icing is possible.

The reason is an imbalance between the influx of fresh air and the exhaust of exhaust air due to improper design of the ventilation system, redevelopment of premises or installation of sealed window frames. Installing supply valves is not enough to solve this problem. But it is possible to eliminate it.

The composition of the air and the health of the residents there will depend on how ventilation is installed in multi-storey buildings.

Many people want to make their stay more comfortable and cozy. But the opposite happens. Without thinking about the consequences or out of ignorance, they disrupt air exchange, which leads to negative consequences. The purpose of this article is to explain how the ventilation system functions in an apartment building, what factors disrupt its operation and what problems this leads to.

Selection criteria, types and elements of ventilation in an apartment building

The presence of certain elements will directly depend only on the type of system. But, regardless of the chosen option, it will contain the following mandatory components:

• air channels;
• ventilation shaft;

Regardless of the type, it will definitely be a supply and exhaust system. Accordingly, it is necessary to ensure not only the exhaust, but also the arrival in the same volume.

Depending on the type of impulse to initiate cravings, such systems are usually divided into:

• natural - traction appears due to the difference in temperature and pressure outside and indoors;
• combined - exhaust or injection is carried out electromechanically;
• forced - draft and injection occurs with the help of special fans and other devices.

If natural ventilation of residential buildings is used in a multi-storey building, the presence of a ventilation shaft is mandatory.

Diagram of a typical communal ventilation shaft

The requirements for its arrangement are simple and the same for all buildings:

• tightness;
• throughput corresponds to the designed volume;
• compliance with sanitary and hygienic standards;
• fire safety.

Also, depending on the air exchange pattern, the system can be mixing or displacement. The first method is typical for impenetrable walls with a vapor barrier. The influx comes through ventilation holes and various cracks. Due to the relatively high initial speed, fresh street air mixes with polluted air. If the flow is not organized correctly, it will be difficult to extract air contaminated with impurities in this way.

To select the type of ventilation, it is necessary to take into account all factors, such as:

• number of floors;
• location relative to other structures;
• level of external noise;
• environmental pollution.

For houses with intra-block location and noise levels up to 51 dBA, it is recommended to install natural ventilation. If the building is located in a particularly polluted place, or the noise level is more than 51 dBA, it is necessary to use an air supply system and it is advisable to carry out filtration.

Arrangement of ventilation elements in a high-rise building

The location of air intake from the street is installed in certain places, depending on how the ventilation in the apartment building is arranged. If heating of the drawn air is not provided in the system under consideration, it must be brought as close as possible to the ceiling of the room. This will ensure that it is completely mixed with the warmer air in the room.

In order for the penetrating air to be heated under the influence of heating devices installed in the apartment, the input is carried out near these devices.

When heating occurs directly in the blowers, the supply is equipped at the bottom of the room.

Regardless of the type of system, inflow occurs only in living rooms, and exhaust in the kitchen and bathroom. The hole for the hood is installed at a height of at least 2 meters from the floor. The ventilation scheme in a multi-storey building assumes that there is no movement of air from sanitary and additional premises to living rooms.

It is recommended to provide separate ventilation ducts for different rooms with natural exhaust of polluted air, excluding single-level assemblies. If such a possibility is not available in an apartment building, it is necessary to provide for the supply of separate pipes into one vertical shaft.

They join such a shaft mainly once every two floors. Ventilation on the top floor is provided separately; it is not recommended to connect it to the shaft.

Features of arrangement and functioning in panel houses

If we talk about this common type of house, then the air exchange there is arranged according to a natural principle. The system is set up in exactly the same way in old brick houses, as well as in low-budget new buildings. Street air is sucked in through cracks and leaks in old frames or through special holes provided in modern plastic ones.

The drainage in them occurs due to the presence of a constant draft present inside the ventilation shaft-channel, which rises above the ridge of the roof or goes into the attic. Street air, entering living spaces through windows, thanks to the draft in the duct, tends to the exhaust vent in the bathroom or kitchen hood. It turns out that the air, passing through all the rooms of the apartment, gradually displaces the polluted air into the street.

The order of operation of ventilation using the example of a typical project

The most common panel project is a nine-story building. The principle of operation of the hood is the same. Air from the street, through windows and cracks, enters the apartment. The exhaust occurs through satellite ventilation ducts in the kitchen or bathroom. One, or less often several, channels from the hood are connected to the main pipe. These channels are connected to the main shaft through two floors. These shafts are quite bulky and take up a lot of space. A large-panel house will most likely be equipped with such a system.

Such a scheme for a house of 9 floors assumes the presence of a warm attic. The outlet from the 8th and 9th floors goes directly into the atmosphere, bypassing the common channel. The scheme for a 9-storey building was designed based on the complete absence of wind and an outside air temperature of +5.

Despite the fact that natural ventilation in such houses is not very effective, it requires almost no maintenance, and blockages rarely occur. There have been cases where ventilation ducts became clogged with building materials during the construction of a house. Such a surprise subsequently affected the quality of the hood. Most often, cleaning the mine is required once every 5-6 years.

During repairs, many people block the air flow in some place. They unknowingly think that this will not affect the hood, but the process of air renewal in the apartment becomes difficult or stops completely.

The most common actions leading to interference and disruption of natural ventilation:

• installation of sealed plastic windows;
• interior doors with seal;
• installation of various fans in the hood.

In order not to disrupt the operation of the natural ventilation draft, it is forbidden to obstruct the inflow and outflow of air. For plastic windows, it is necessary to install inlet openings or arrange an external inlet separately. Doors between rooms are equipped with bars at the bottom. The cross-section of the exhaust duct should not be blocked by fans.

Possible options for arranging ventilation in high-rise buildings

Modern ventilation in a panel house is equipped with single exhaust pipes. From the sanitary facilities, each floor has its own pipe going to the roof. In this option, there is no possibility of penetration of foreign odors and the entire system functions evenly and reliably.

Another good option is when all vertical channels flow into a common horizontal collection manifold, which is located in the attic. The air from it exits to the street through one common pipe.

The most unstable method is when a small satellite channel from each apartment enters a common ventilation shaft. This ventilation scheme in a panel house is significantly cheaper to install and increases living space, but constantly brings a lot of problems to residents. The most common one is the flow of various odors from one apartment to another.

The best ventilation option is electromechanical forced air supply and exhaust systems. They are used in modern new buildings, except low-budget ones. The supply installation of such a system is located in the basement or on the side of the main building. It supplies filtered and heated or cooled air to all rooms and spaces. On the roof, in turn, there is an electric exhaust fan with exactly the same design power as the supply fan. It is designed to remove contaminated mixtures from apartments through hoods.

This is one of the primitive schemes of the device. A more complex one, which can be equipped in a modern high-rise building, is equipped using new energy-saving technologies. For example, recuperators are devices that allow you to take heat or cold from the exhaust air and give it to the supply air.

The consequence of installing modern sealed windows and doors is the unsatisfactory performance of ventilation elements and its non-compliance with SNiP recommendations. Few people are ready to keep the windows slightly open at any time of the year to bring in the required amount of air, even in cold weather. In the absence of efficient operation of the hood, the humidity indicator increases, the saturation of the air with carbon dioxide increases, and the oxygen saturation decreases. In such a room microclimate, when air humidity is higher than normal, mold and various fungi multiply well. This is very harmful to the human body and is not aesthetically pleasing.

The way out of the situation is quite simple. You need to get one. It will eliminate the problems of air renewal, and the use of a recuperation system allows you to maintain a comfortable microclimate and fresh air with minimal energy consumption.