Periodic inspection of ventilation is an urgent problem that faces almost every inhabitant of modern high-rise buildings. For construction and contracting organizations, in turn, this is a strictly regulated process.
Insufficient control of the state of the air exchange system makes itself felt quite quickly by such manifestations as:
- noise;
- stagnation of air in the room;
- the appearance of foreign odors;
- excessive moisture level;
- fogging of windows;
- the appearance of mold.
They reduce comfort, and sometimes directly affect the deterioration of health and the violation of the integrity of building structures.
When at least one of the signs appears, you need to think about measures to restore the normal functioning of the system. Most likely, repairs will be required, if not the entire system, then its individual units. The scale of the repair can only be assessed as a result of competent diagnostics.
Diagnosing problems
Self-examination of ventilation systems involves the use of physical markers. First of all, this applies to the simplest natural household air ducts, not complicated by electronics and high-tech solutions.
Regular diagnostics with subsequent maintenance implies a frequency of at least 2 times a year, and ideally once a quarter, and allows you to prevent sudden:
- blockages of the system itself or filters;
- depressurization of individual units;
- breakage.
The natural air exchange system is based on the inflow of fresh air masses from the street through window openings and doors. The outflow is organized by a single ventilation system.
Inspection
To understand that there is insufficient air exchange in the apartment, it is necessary to inspect the control points:
- Window. There is always condensation on the surface of the glasses in winter, and in the summer they check the slopes for traces of mold.
- Corners, walls behind massive interior objects standing close to each other: wardrobes, sofas are checked for the appearance or traces of mold.
- In bathrooms, ceilings are inspected for condensation and floors and corners for mold.
Using markers
The presence of free flows of air masses is also determined by markers:
- air flow is provided by window openings. Sealing them with modern plastic systems completely isolates the apartment from fresh air when the windows are closed. If ordinary windows are installed in the house, then the inflow can be felt with the back of a wet palm directly at the surface of the window. The feeling of a draft indicates the health of the system;
- the outflow is checked in the same way at the ventilation grill: in the bathroom and in the kitchen. Normal operation will make you feel the movement of air on a wet surface of the hand; if the system is clogged and malfunctioned, it will be absent.
The outflow or inflow of air can also be checked by attaching several strips of soft paper (a toilet, single napkin or newspaper is suitable) to the top edge of the grill or window opening, each measuring approximately 2.5x6.5 cm. The force of movement of air masses is determined by the intensity of the vibrations of the strips. If there are no fluctuations, there are problems.
It should be borne in mind that the intensity of the ventilation system is higher in winter, since its operation is based on the temperature difference between the external environment and inside the room.
In the summer, a ventilation survey in this way may not yield results.
Stagnation of air, long-term preservation and spread of traces of cooking, penetration of unpleasant odors from a garbage chute or sewage into the room will serve as an unconditional marker.
In addition, the presence of noise, even during normal operation of the system, indicates a potential danger of malfunctions and requires elimination and repair.
Causes of malfunctions
One of the most common problems with air exchange is old houses that are not designed for the installation of sealed plastic windows. In this case, the room is isolated, the natural air flow is disturbed.
In modern buildings, the inflow is hampered when the filters are dirty and the mechanisms for forcing the air flow into the room break down.
Air mass outflow problems are mainly associated with blockages, depressurization and breakdowns. It also interferes with normal circulation:
- equipping the dwelling with hoods, the power of which is incomparable with the design load of the air duct shaft;
- installation of climatic equipment, which contributes to a sharper temperature difference between the external environment and the room.
Noise in the apartment from the ventilation duct occurs as a result of:
- vibrations of individual units, especially air distributors;
- mistakes made in calculations and design;
- errors in the installation of equipment and the choice of materials.
Self-elimination of malfunctions and contamination is possible provided:
- availability of free access to the main nodes of the system;
- lack of high-tech equipment in the equipment;
- small length of duct channels.
The use of supply valves equipped with filters or the simplest fans makes it possible to cope with the violation in their functionality on their own.
It is better to entrust professionals with the maintenance of long complex air communications in industrial conditions, in multi-storey buildings equipped with high-tech equipment.
Troubleshooting methods
If, as a result of the examination, problems were found, then, depending on their cause, they can be completely solved without the involvement of specialists and expensive repairs.
Ensuring the required volume of air mass inflow
It is possible to provide the necessary inflow in case of sealing the room with plastic windows or in case of insufficient air supply through ordinary windows and doors by installing supply valves.
To do this, a valve is cut into the wall or into the window block, providing the necessary flow of air masses into the room.
Problems with the outflow of exhaust air masses from the premises
It is quite difficult to ensure a normal outflow on the scale of an individual dwelling in a multi-storey building. Even with free access to the system, the problem can be far beyond the visual inspection area.
In any case, when repairing, it must be remembered that the intensity of movement of air masses depends not only on the size of the section of the exhaust duct, but also on the flow rate.
To achieve free movement of the exhaust air after detecting a blockage, it must be eliminated. For this, the grating is dismantled, and, using a vacuum cleaner or a broom, the accessible part of the mine is freed from contamination.
Clean ducts also do not guarantee normal exhaust air removal. To improve the operation of the system during repairs, an exhaust fan is mounted in the lattice. However, its effectiveness is directly related to the operation of the central compressor, the integrity and cleanliness of the mine of the entire house.
The presence of noise
Soundproofing ventilation may well be carried out independently, provided there is free access to the duct. Of course, mistakes in the design and installation of the entire ventilation system of a multi-storey building cannot be fixed. However, in case of vibration, insufficient fixation of individual units and the box itself in the apartment, soundproof materials can be used:
- organic fiber or slabs;
- specialized polymer panels;
- mineral sheets or slabs.
The most convenient and plastic canvases are based on rubber, most often they are additionally equipped with a self-adhesive surface, which greatly facilitates the repair process.
With self-sound insulation, you must first of all adhere to:
- prepare the outer surface for the installation of the selected material: clean, disinfect, if necessary replace or repair individual units;
- make sure that the soundproofing material has a continuous coating, without gaps;
- carefully strengthen all insufficiently fixed nodes, adapters, corners, box drops.
If the source of the noise is out of reach, and no obvious problems have been identified in the examined channel, duct mufflers are installed.
If the apartment has a free flow and outflow of air, soundproofing has been carried out, further repairs and cleaning must be carried out in a comprehensive manner throughout the house. In this case, you can additionally disinfect the entire system and achieve the most efficient air exchange system.
