Do-it-yourself ventilation in a frame house: choosing the best scheme and construction rules

During the construction of a frame house, it is very important to promptly establish adequate air exchange in the premises.Properly arranged ventilation will help create an optimal microclimate inside the building that meets sanitary standards. The system will prevent and eliminate the spread of fungus on finishing and building structures.

You will learn how to install ventilation in a frame house with your own hands from our article. We will tell you all about the types of systems that ensure regular changes of air mass in a confined space. We'll tell you which type is best to choose for installation in a frame-type building.

Our recommendations will be useful to home craftsmen who decide to assemble a ventilation system with their own hands to equip a country house with a reliable and trouble-free system.

Ventilation system design

The tightness of the building, which is an indisputable advantage and ensures the heat and water resistance of the structure, is at the same time an obstacle to the penetration of fresh air inside. It also complicates the outflow of excess moisture and carbon dioxide formed during the life of people living in the house.

Any ventilation system consists of 3 main parts, regardless of the presence or absence of additional devices and mechanisms, these are:

1. Supply channels and/or openings.
2. Exhaust ducts and/or openings.
3. Overflow, overflow grids, holes, gaps.

Supply channels provide fresh air from the street into the house, which is supplied directly to the living quarters. On the street side, a grating is installed on each channel. In case of mechanization, it is replaced by a supply valve equipped with an air filter and sound insulation.

According to the type of organization, ventilation in a frame can be ducted or ductless. According to duct diagrams, air is supplied and discharged through air ducts. In a ductless system, everything happens through vents, gaps and holes

Exhaust ducts serve to remove stagnant “exhaust” air saturated with carbon dioxide, moisture and other volatile components harmful to health. At the same time, the fumes generated in the house where people live are utilized.

A well-designed hood, installed in a frame house, must be in utility and utility rooms such as a kitchen, closet, bathroom, pantry, shower, toilet.

Flow into ventilation system is needed so that the air entering the house can be distributed unhindered throughout all rooms.

The ventilation system includes systems for air supply, exhaust and air flow. Each component plays an important role

If necessary, the main air movement channels are equipped with additional equipment - fans, heat exchangers, air heaters, exhaust devices, and measuring devices.

Fans are installed to achieve the required air exchange. They are selected according to technical specifications after carrying out the necessary calculations, taking into account the volume of the room, the number of people living and other important inputs.

Recuperators serve to increase the temperature of incoming air. Inside recuperator cold air is heated from the wall of the supply channel in contact with the wall of the channel that removes the heated used air from the room.

The use of recuperators significantly increases energy efficiency frame house.

Heaters in ventilation systems are used mainly in northern regions, where winter temperatures often reach -40 degrees

In addition to ventilation of rooms in a frame house, floor ventilation must be installed. To do this, vents are installed in the underground space, and holes with a diameter of 0.04 m2 are cut in the floor itself. Floor ventilation can be carried out either through air ducts or without them.

Ventilation options

Based on the principle of stimulating air movement, all ventilation systems are divided into two types - natural and forced (also mechanical).

The term “natural ventilation” implies that air circulation inside the house occurs naturally, without the involvement of extraneous devices and mechanisms. Air movement with this ventilation method is ensured by different pressures outside and inside the premises.

The inflow and outflow of air in natural ventilation schemes occurs without the participation of mechanical means - fans

In turn, natural ventilation can also be divided into 2 groups - it can be organized or unorganized.

Unorganized ventilation occurs through natural openings and cracks in the walls of the house, floor, foundation, window openings and frames. With the advent of sealed plastic windows and doors, natural air flow is ensured through open vents, windows, and balcony doors.

This type of ventilation does not require installation costs, but does not provide complete ventilation of a frame house and leads to significant heat loss in the cold season.

Installing a fan in the exhaust vent in the kitchen or bathroom transforms natural ventilation into the combined category. Air will flow in as usual and be extracted using a mechanism

Organized natural ventilation is carried out through dedicated channels equipped with inlet valves. An excellent example of organized natural ventilation are multi-storey residential buildings that have been in operation since the Soviet period.

The flow of air into them occurs through the cracks in the windows and vents, the exhaust through the ventilation shaft and the outlets connected to it, located in the kitchen and toilet.

Both organized and unorganized natural ventilation systems depend on the difference in pressure inside and outside the object. However, in an organized type it is also necessary to take into account hydraulic losses at turns of air ducts

In modern frame houses, this method of ventilation is not effective enough due to the increased humidity in the rooms due to the tightness of the building; in addition, it is too dependent on weather conditions and other related factors.

Unlike natural ventilation, forced (mechanical) ventilation is a controlled process that allows you to save heat and regulate the flow of air into the framer.

Forced ventilation can be divided into 3 groups:

1. Exhaust.
2. Supply.
3. Supply and exhaust.

The principle of each type is clear from the name itself.Exhaust forced ventilation is based on the natural supply of fresh air into the building, while the exhaust of used air is carried out using roof or wall fans.

In exhaust systems, air enters naturally and is exhausted using a fan.

Supply forced ventilation is designed according to the reverse principle - air flow inside frame provided by fans built into walls or air ducts. Exhaust air is removed naturally through exhaust vents in kitchens and bathrooms.

The mechanical ventilation method ensures a stable supply and exhaust of air, independent of weather conditions. This system design makes it possible to achieve the most comfortable atmosphere indoors, but requires precise calculations when designing and subsequently setting up the finished system.

A mechanical ventilation system is much more expensive and more complex to construct than a natural one. And during operation, it will require costs for energy supply and maintenance. however, it is absolutely independent of the density and temperature of the air outside

In addition to the above classification, ventilation systems can be divided by design, they can be ducted or non-ducted.

The feasibility of independent construction

Typically, the air exchange system of a frame house is included in the project and installed during the construction process. This method of arranging ventilation is preferable, since all the necessary calculations and drawing on the plan are made by the designer, and the system is constructed by a team working at the construction site.

Duct ventilation ducts are laid in the space between the structural components of the frame.Then they, together with the laid insulation, are sewn up with clapboard, GVLV or OSB

But experience shows that quite often situations arise when in an already built house there is no ventilation system or its capacity is insufficient, resulting in an uncomfortable atmosphere in the premises.

Absence in frame Ventilation can be determined by several pronounced signs:

• residents feel a lack of oxygen;
• odors are difficult to dissipate;
• Fungus appears on the walls.

In such cases, owners of frame houses often decide to install system air vents on one's own. For a person with a wealth of knowledge and skills in construction, and the availability of tools, constructing ventilation in a frame house is a fairly simple task.

To do this, you need to make the necessary calculations, draw up a project, purchase materials and perform installation. But if the owner frame not confident in his abilities and the correctness of the calculation results, it is better for him to hire a team of builders for the work.

Stages of system construction

If the owner of a frame house decides to build a ventilation system on his own, he must adhere to a certain sequence of actions.

Selecting the type of ventilation

The ventilation system is selected depending on how the frame house is planned to be used. If the owner intends to live in it only during the warm season, it will be enough to install natural, organized ventilation.

A gravitational, or natural, ventilation system will not be able to ensure normal air circulation throughout all the rooms of the frame structure in the summer. But this is the simplest and cheapest option to build.

If the frame house is used all year round, natural organized ventilation will not be able to meet the needs of the residents.

In this case, you need to install a forced ventilation system that will be able to supply the required amount of fresh air inside the house, while simultaneously removing exhaust air containing harmful fumes.

Carrying out calculations for design

Sanitary and hygienic standards have been established for people's need for fresh air, according to which the owner of a frame structure must carry out calculations before installing a ventilation system:

• rest or sleep mode 20 m³/h;
• activity without loads 40 m³/h;
• increased activity or physical work 60 m³/h.

Knowing the number of residents of the house and their daily routine, it is easy to calculate the amount of air that should be renewed in a given unit of time.

Also, when calculating air parameters for the premises of a frame house, one should be guided by the following standards:

• SNiP 31-01-2003;
• GOST 30494.

Usually, the calculation of the required amount of air is carried out using both methods - by the number of people and by the multiplicity. The necessary techniques are easy to find on the Internet. For ventilation system design take the larger of the 2 values.

Standards establish the minimum air exchange rate for various rooms of a residential building. In order for the system to provide the required volume of air, calculations are made of the cross-section of air ducts and vents

In addition to calculating the amount of air, you will need to calculate the network resistance air distribution — this indicator is useful when choosing fans.

Features of drafting a project

If the owner of a frame house decides to equip a combined ventilation system, he will need to design window or wall supply valves for air intake. Installing window valves is much more difficult than wall valves, since you will have to cut holes for the valves in the window frame or window sash.

Even if you have the skills to work with glass, installing a window valve will not be easy. It is much easier to cut an opening for the valve in the wall of the room where you plan to direct the air flow from the street. They are usually placed in living rooms.

If you include supply or exhaust valves in the natural ventilation scheme, you will get an inexpensive but effective version of the combined system

In addition to the supply valves, it will be necessary to equip the exhaust air exhaust of their technical rooms. For this purpose, an exhaust duct is designed with access to the roof, and the outer exhaust pipe must be at least 0.5 m higher than the roof ridge. If the house has a chimney from a fireplace or stove, it can also be included in the system as an exhaust duct.

When the owner chooses a forced type of ventilation system, the air duct layout should be as rational as possible to avoid unnecessary heat loss. Air vents should not be too long, this reduces the effectiveness of ventilation.

Fans, heat exchangers and other necessary equipment are selected according to technical specifications, taking into account calculations of the need for fresh air and network resistance air distribution ventilation.

In addition to the air duct system, the owner of a frame house must design floor ventilation, which will prevent the accumulation of condensation and the appearance of mold stains.

All frame structures must be provided with a ventilation system. It is imperative to ensure the flow of fresh air into the basement through vents and its outflow through air ducts or ventilation grilles

When designing ventilation for a frame house, you should definitely take into account some nuances:

1. All ventilation ducts must be made of non-combustible materials with a smooth inner surface so as not to impede the movement of air. Internal irregularities can cause a decrease in traction, resulting in an obstruction of the air mass.
2. When installing ventilation ducts during the arrangement of a frame house, it is undesirable to use metal components, since as a result of the interaction of the metal with the material of the wall panels, the thermal insulation indicators are reduced.
3. Exhaust equipment, especially those that remove air with an unpleasant odor from rooms, should be installed in different rooms with characteristic temperature fluctuations, vapor formation, and high humidity.
4. Transit air vents should not pass through living rooms and kitchens.
5. Ducts in which condensation is expected to settle must be designed to slope and drain.
6. When installing a fan, an air duct with an elbow will significantly reduce the noise level.
7. It is recommended that the exhaust fan be equipped with a valve that will prevent cold air from entering the house when the fan is turned off.

For laying ventilation ducts best fit polymer air ducts, having light weight and having sufficient plasticity to give the air duct the desired direction. Sewage plastic pipes are also often used for this purpose.

In order to be able to calculate the air exchange rate, select and calculate the necessary equipment for the ventilation device, you need a frame house plan and project. It is compiled taking into account all the nuances inherent in this type of building

It is recommended to place ventilation ducts between the elements of the house frame or between beams. In any case, the ventilation duct must have a cross-section of at least 100×100 mm and a length of at least 6 m so that the incoming air moves with the required acceleration.

Installation steps

With high-quality preparation, installation of the ventilation system is carried out without any particular difficulties in several successive steps:

• Supply valves are equipped by drilling holes of the required diameter in the walls and floor.
• A prepared air duct pipe is inserted into each hole, equipped on the outside with a fine grille that prevents debris from entering the channel, and on the inside with a duct fan.
• The joints are sealed with polyurethane foam.
• After the foam has hardened, an air filter and equipment for sound absorption.
• Following the installation of the supply valves, the channel distribution is installed with the sealing of all joints and fastenings. The ventilation unit is most conveniently located in the attic.
• Before sewing the channels into the box and starting interior decorative finishing, it is recommended to check the system. After finishing, repairs and debugging will be problematic.

Installation of the ventilation system must be carried out in strict accordance with the drawn up project.

Checking installed ventilation

After installing ventilation in a frame house, it is necessary to check its performance and, if necessary, carry out additional debugging and adjustment.

There are several ways to check ventilation system:

1. Check all rooms for the presence of foreign odors, mustiness and stuffiness. If all of the above are missing, the system is installed correctly.
2. Inspect technical areas for mold and mildew, especially the bathroom and kitchen. The presence of mold indicates that ventilation does not remove excess moisture in the required volume.
3. Pay attention to the window glass. If ventilation is poor, condensation will accumulate on them.

The draft in the exhaust system is checked by holding a paper napkin in one fold to the grille. If it is pressed against the hood, then everything is working normally. If not, then no pulling occurs. The check is carried out when it is about -5 outside the window.^OWITH.

You should not bring a lighter or match to the ventilation duct in a kitchen with gas equipment. If there was a leak, an explosion could occur. In any case, before testing, you need to open the windows: both for ventilation and to establish gravitational draft.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The video clip will introduce you to the easiest to implement and affordable method of organizing ventilation in a frame frame:

Regardless of what type of ventilation the owner of a frame house decides to install in his home, he must treat it with full responsibility. arrangement.

A properly designed ventilation system will ensure many years of comfortable living for residents, but an error in calculations or construction, or the wrong choice of equipment will bring a lot of inconvenience.

Tell us about how you built a ventilation system in your own frame house. It is possible that you have knowledge of technological subtleties that will be very useful to site visitors. Please leave comments, ask questions, share photos and useful information in the block below.