How to install a supply valve in a wall with your own hands: step-by-step instructions for carrying out the work
Wanting to insulate a house, people sometimes turn it into a thermos.Once any gaps are eliminated and airtight materials are installed, the flow of clean air from the street is blocked. As a result, natural ventilation ceases to fulfill its functions.
Lack of fresh air has a bad effect on the health of household members, don’t you agree? To improve air exchange, you can install a supply valve in the wall with your own hands, having first studied the installation instructions.
All the necessary information is presented in our article. We will tell you how a wall inlet is designed, provide tips on choosing a unit, and also describe the step-by-step technology for its installation.
The content of the article:
Purpose of the supply valve
Wall air vents are designed to bring clean, fresh outdoor air into a room. These devices cannot be compared with open windows, which let in not only fresh air streams, but also all the noise and dust from the street.
The valve, equipped with a soundproofing layer, allows only streams of clean air into the room.
If we compare the wall inlet with window ventilation valve, then it is more profitable. This is expressed in the fact that it does not reduce the light transmission characteristics of windows and works at any temperature, even low ones. In addition, it functions autonomously and effectively protects against condensation. Installation takes only a few hours.
These devices became popular after old wooden windows began to be replaced en masse with plastic ones. New window blocks have significantly improved the insulation characteristics, but a small amount of fresh air began to flow into the room. Insufficient ventilation created a problem such as high humidity.
Heat in tandem with moisture creates excellent conditions for the proliferation of mold and fungi. First, their colonies appear in hidden places - under wallpaper, tiles and other finishing materials.
When colonies of microorganisms have multiplied and become visible, fight mold It’s becoming more and more difficult - you have to destroy the old finish and replace it with a new one.
Features of the wall valve design
The design of the valve is extremely simple.
Its main elements are:
- Air duct - plastic pipe. Through it, air from the yard enters the room. Its length should be greater than the thickness of the wall.
- Inner housing in the form of a cylinder. Most often it is made from plastic. The case diameter ranges from 6-13.3 cm.
- Filter - a layer of foamed polyethylene. It is located inside the housing and is designed to direct the air stream into the room.
- Protective cover. It is located at the entrance and is a barrier to the penetration of various debris into the room.
During frosts, the outside of the pipe may become covered with ice. The loss of condensate and its freezing leads to the formation of an ice crust and a decrease in the diameter of the supply valve.
To prevent this process, install a rotary cover. Since condensate flows down through the holes in it, an ice crust does not form.
The air ducts of individual products are equipped with polyfoam insulation and sound insulation. It reduces the noise level and protects the wall around the housing from freezing.
The wall valve can have a manual or automatic adjustment system. The second is equipped with a hygroregulation sensor, which determines the level of humidity inside the room. When this indicator is exceeded, the damper opens slightly, and air masses enter inside in a larger volume.
The degree of opening of the channel can be seen on the scale located on the valve head. The adjustment is carried out smoothly until the ventilation passage is completely closed.
Manufacturers equip some more complex supply valves with a recuperator to heat the air mass. Sometimes the kit includes a remote control that controls the heater and fan.
Parameters for selecting wall inlets
Each valve model has its own characteristics. They are distinguished by the cross-section of the air duct and the presence of such an option as complete closure of the device. The design of some provides for the possibility of installing sound insulation, while in others there is no such possibility.
The operation of some mechanisms is manually adjusted, but there are also models with automatic adjustment. Models of supply valves of different designs have different diameters, therefore they provide the house with clean air in different volumes. The length of the supply valves varies, as well as the material from which they are made.
The inside of the head is inserted into the channel and secured to the wall using screws through a gasket for sealing. The wall ventilator requires periodic maintenance.
The outer grille is cleaned of dirt at least once a year. The filter in the head is cleaned once a quarter. At least once every 6 months it is necessary to clean the pipe in the wall using a vacuum cleaner.
When choosing a supply valve, you need to check for what temperature range it is intended. Otherwise, if this condition is violated, it simply will not be able to function fully.
There are two types of valves: for air infiltration and for fresh air ventilation. They have the same function - supplying the building with fresh air.
The infiltration valve operates autonomously and does not need to be monitored. It is almost invisible and effectively warms the air. It can be installed either during the construction of a building or in the wall of a house where people have lived for a long time.
Where to install the inlet valve
There are three main options for installing a supply valve:
- Above the heat source. In this case, the outside air enters the room already heated, and its convection is also stimulated.
- At a height of 2/3 from the window, which is about two meters from the floor, and at a distance of 0.3 m from the window slope. The air mass will be directed to the ceiling, where it will mix with warm room air.
- In places with high dampness. This could be a corner of the house that has already begun to become moldy.
Wall ventilators are installed not only in the walls of private houses, but are also used to improve supply ventilation in the apartment. They are often placed on the lower floors of apartment buildings - the best place would be the space between the window sill and the radiator.
These devices are in demand in children's institutions, where fresh air is especially important. With the help of this design, they provide an optimal microclimate in premises for keeping animals and birds.
It is a mistake to think that by installing one valve you will solve the problem of lack of clean air. This is only possible if its design includes a device for forced ventilation. When this is not the case, air exchange occurs as a result of the pressure difference between indoors and outdoors.
One wall valve with a pressure drop within 10 Pa, which is observed under normal conditions, provides a flow of up to 30 mᶾ/h. This is the norm for one person.
With a greater pressure difference, the volume of air entering the room also increases. Therefore, to achieve the desired effect, you will have to install another valve additionally or forced ventilation.
They also produce supply valves that are built into ventilation shafts. This is usually done in the bathroom, bathroom, kitchen. Before installing them, the traction should be tested. To do this, check the presence of air flow with the window open, using a lit match brought to the hole.
These manual testing methods may not work during hot weather. Air heated by the summer sun becomes heavier than during cool weather. Because of this, the pressure in the ventilation duct will decrease and even with a satisfactorily operating system, the flame or sheet of paper will not be attracted.
More information about methods for checking apartment ventilation is written in this article.
In addition, it is worth considering the following rules:
- If the flow of the supply valve is quite large, and its design does not provide for adjustment, you cannot install two such devices opposite each other. In winter, when ventilation operates most actively due to the inequality of pressures inside and outside, drafts will appear.
- The valve cover must fit freely in the space between the window sill and the heating device. If the radiator is semi-warm, then the air entering through the wide valve without adjustment will not have time to warm up and the temperature in the room will drop. And if the volume of incoming air is insufficient, you will have to think about additional ventilation.
When choosing where to install the valve on the facade, you need to take into account where this wall is directed. It is better when the air intake occurs not from the side of the street, where there is active traffic of vehicles, but from the yard.
How to install the valve yourself
The most difficult part of installing a supply valve is creating a through hole in the wall. If it is provided for by the project, then the work ahead is not at all difficult.When the house is built and there are no plans to install supply valves within its walls, you will have to do it yourself or invite a specialist.
Permission for this work is not required, because Standards allow making single vents with a cross-section of up to 30 cm in a load-bearing wall without any approval. There are two ways to cut a hole in the wall.
Drilling a hole the first way
Most often, a hammer drill is used to drill a hole. First, a contour is marked on the wall, adding a tolerance to the diameter of the cylinder so that the body passes through the hole freely. Since the thickness of the load-bearing wall usually ranges from 40 to 100 cm, the length of the valve is selected within the same limits.
The next step is to drill a series of small holes from 10 to 12 mm along the outer outline of the contour. The distance between these holes is about 10 mm. Next, the remaining material is knocked out between the holes using a hammer and chisel.
It will not be possible to obtain an ideally shaped hole in this way; in addition, chips and cracks on the wall are possible.
Second method of drilling a hole
You can get a hole faster and more efficiently using diamond drilling.
The drilling rig used in this case, supplemented with a diamond core drill, replacing the drill, is equipped with:
- powerful engine;
- drilling drive;
- a set of diamond bits with different diameters;
- stand guide fixed on the frame.
Due to the fact that water automatically flows into the drilling zone to cool the tool, dust is also washed away. The hole in the wall will have precise dimensions and an absolutely smooth surface inside.
A step-by-step description of the diamond drilling process looks like this:
- Mark the location for installing the drill rod. To do this, lay a segment on the wall equal to the distance between the base anchor and the crown.
- Drill a technological hole using a hammer drill.
- The frame is fixed by first driving the anchor into the technological hole. To prevent the frame from damaging the wall, place a piece of soft material under it.
- Fix a film length to the floor and a width of about 300 mm under the place intended for installing the rubber cuff. This will prevent coolant from contaminating the wall.
- The cuffs are inserted into the body of the drilling machine, where a special place is provided for this. Next, connect the hose for the outflow of coolant, placing it on the pipe and securing it securely with a clamp.
- The drill machine is assembled sequentially. Finally, a diamond crown of the appropriate diameter is put on. To supply water, connect a hose to the installation handle.
- After reaching the operating pressure by pumping the pump using a hand pump, wait until the installation reaches full speed and begin drilling. At this time, the coolant irrigates the drilling site, not only cooling the tool, but also removing dirt.
When the wall thickness exceeds 50 cm, the length of the crown may not be enough to drill through it in one go. Therefore, at the first stage, a concrete rod is knocked out of the crown, and then an extension is mounted and the process continues.
Having completed drilling, the installation is dismantled in the reverse sequence. Wet concrete dust under the cuff is removed with a damp cloth.
Installation of the supply valve
Having prepared the hole, proceed to the actual installation of the valve. To do this, the infiltration channel is driven into the designated place outside, flush with the wall.
The pipe is first wrapped with insulation. Inside the room, the pipe should protrude slightly. The remaining free space in the hole is foamed, and thermal insulation is inserted into the pipe. It will also protect against noise.
The next step is to install the grill. The seat on the grille and on the outer wall is covered with silicone, then it is inserted into the air duct. Next, install the inside of the valve, having previously applied silicone to the seats. By attaching the filter washer to the inner wall, the process of installing the inflow valve is completed.
Popular models of supply valves
The inlet valve is especially popular among consumers "Domovent". Its labyrinthine shape allows for coarse filtration of air masses with subsequent direction of the jet to the heating device. It is equipped with mechanical air supply adjustment and a filter that does not require periodic replacement.
The model is also in demand KPV 125, produced by a domestic manufacturer. Since its length varies between 400-1000 mm, you can always choose a suitable housing for installation in the wall.From the outside, this ventilation duct is closed by a round-section cast aluminum grille with a mosquito net located next to the grille.
The same valves are produced in Finland, but their cost is half that of domestic ones. Products from China are also on sale and they are cheaper than those produced in Russia. Italian valves have good characteristics KIV Quardo. They are equipped with a square-shaped head, which distinguishes them from their Finnish counterparts.
The rectangular duct has wall valves SVK-75. An improved version of the supply valve is the breather "Tion O2". It has a rectangular shape, small dimensions and is heated, so it can operate at low outside temperatures.
If drilling a wall cannot be carried out for certain reasons, then the microclimate in the room can be improved using forced air conditioner.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Good choice of product for wall installation:
Video about the usefulness of a heat recovery vent valve:
If your home has a problem with clean air flow, a wall-mounted ventilation valve is the best solution. There are many different wall inlet valves on the market. It is not difficult to choose a model suitable for a specific room.
Do you have experience restoring supply ventilation? Or maybe you installed the wall valve yourself? Please share information with our readers. You can leave comments and ask questions in the form below.
We don't have any window or wall valves in our apartment, but I'm planning to improve natural ventilation and have encountered some difficulties. Before installing such a ventilation device in my home, I want to clarify questions about the disadvantages of a wall valve. Why is it installed only on the lower floors of an apartment building? For example, the fourth floor is already considered medium, so only a window valve will do?
It is installed not only on the lower floors. I have a 5th floor, two years ago I installed a supply valve without any problems, everything works. True, he didn’t do it himself, but called in specialists. The wall was drilled from the inside and installed.
There are disadvantages everywhere, but fresh air for the body is more important than any disadvantages. If the valve does not work properly, you will have to add a duct fan. And if the noise bothers you, you will have to power it through a daily timer (the price for both of these things is 1000 rubles).
At the initial stage of building my own house, I didn’t take care of this, so I had to do it already built. As it turned out, it was not at all difficult; we did it with a friend, bought the most suitable materials at a hardware store, and looked up detailed instructions on the Internet. We installed 5 valves in 3 days, the air in the house became much cleaner, it’s pleasant to breathe, they are located above the radiators.
I want to make a supply valve in the apartment, but my friend dissuades me. He says that the temperature in his apartment dropped by 3-4 degrees after its installation. Is it possible to somehow avoid this?
If this is a private house where you pay for heating, then the economic efficiency of the recuperator may be justified. In an apartment, it’s enough to add one or two sections to the radiators and solve the heating problem))
Don’t listen to your friend, there will be no drop in the temperature in the room by as much as 3-4 degrees. This can happen if you install a supply valve in a wall with various violations. In addition, there are models where you yourself regulate the air flow, and it is also possible to block it completely; in such cases, there can be no loss of heat. The maximum is a decrease in temperature by 1 degree, and then only when the supply valve is opened fully, but after some time the temperature in the house or apartment will return to normal.
If you follow all the recommendations given in this article, then there should be no problems after installing the supply valve into the wall.
Are there any models of supply valves with Heppa filters?
Hello, we live in a private house, gas heating, plastic windows. There is no ventilation of any kind. In winter there is very high humidity, all the glass on the windows is wet. Please advise what we should do.