How to get rid of smell in ventilation: the best options to block the unpleasant smell from neighbors
Residents of apartment buildings often encounter a situation where an unpleasant odor appears from the ventilation.Instead of purification, supplying a fresh portion of air and removing waste air, the system becomes a cause of discomfort. Have you also encountered a similar problem - are you bothered by unpleasant odors from the ventilation and you don’t know how to deal with them?
We will help you solve the problem - in this material we will talk in detail about how to get rid of the smell in the ventilation, what preventive measures to take to ensure its uninterrupted operation. We will also supplement the article with thematic photos and useful video tips.
The content of the article:
Causes of unpleasant odors
Foreign odors can be detected by residents when moving into a new apartment or quite suddenly, after a long stay in the apartment without problems with the air exchange system. Let's figure out why the smell appeared from the ventilation and what to do in such a situation to get rid of the discomfort.
Reason #1 - errors in calculation and installation
When organizing ventilation in the kitchen, toilet, bathroom, it is important to properly think through the system of supply and exhaust ducts. The optimal solution in many cases is to create forced air movement using a fan.
We recommend that you read the rules creating effective ventilation in the apartment.
In apartment buildings, an air exchange system is created during the construction phase. Technological errors made during the design and construction of a building can lead to violation of the mine tightness - similar problems are often found in new buildings.
In old houses, the cause of depressurization is partial collapse of the channel, improperly carried out repairs and construction work. Therefore, major repairs and reconstruction of the ventilation system should be entrusted to professionals in order to avoid errors in design and installation.
Otherwise, incorrect installation and errors in calculations will result in incorrect operation of the system, the appearance of foreign odors, and the formation mold.
Reason #2 - blockages in the ventilation shaft
In old multi-storey buildings, residents are more likely to encounter problems with the appearance of an unpleasant odor, since the systems are combined with chimneys and air ducts, and are partially clogged and destroyed.
Some of the reasons for the appearance of smell from ventilation are:
- Formation of blockages — unimpeded air movement becomes impossible due to the accumulation of dust, grease on the walls of the ventilation, and the ingress of various types of debris. Often, blockages are formed as a result of the accumulation of construction waste in the shaft.
- Partial destruction of air channels — collapsed walls form plugs that impede air movement. As a result, the correct operation of ventilation is disrupted.
To ensure free air movement, it is important that there are no obstructions in the ventilation shaft.
According to the regulations, management companies are required to audit ventilation annually, and in houses connected to the gas supply system - every six months. If malfunctions are detected, the house must be disconnected from gas until air exchange is restored and cleaned using professional equipment.
An unpleasant odor may also appear as a result mass proliferation of fungus, mold in the ventilation shaft. Such problems are associated with insufficient heating of utilities in cold weather. To eliminate it, you need to contact the management company responsible for maintaining the house.
With proper care ventilation shaft There are no problems associated with fungal growth or other manifestations of unsanitary conditions.
Independent maintenance of the ventilation system in an apartment building is prohibited, since the safety of residents depends on the quality of the work. All actions regarding changes to the air duct must be agreed upon with the management company.
Reason #3 - violation of the system design
As a result of an investigation into the reasons for the sudden appearance of an unpleasant odor, it turns out that the neighbors decided to destroy the air duct to increase the usable area of housing, or in general connected to another channel, disrupting the operation of the entire system.
In some cases, homeowners are surprised to note that the overall there is no mine at all. Therefore, it is not surprising that there is an unpleasant odor coming from the neighbors through the ventilation system. Such errors during design and construction cannot happen, since the technical documentation will not be approved.
The lack of general building ventilation is often associated with the presence illegal redevelopment. One of the neighbors expanded their living space using a ventilation duct, blocking the shaft from top to bottom. As a result of such intervention, there is no possibility of unhindered air evacuation and foreign odors spread throughout the apartments.
To eliminate the cause of incorrect operation, it is necessary to go to the neighbors’ apartment and clarify the availability of redevelopment. If the violators do not agree to restore the ventilation shaft voluntarily, it is worth contacting the permitting authorities and initiating proceedings. As a result, the neighbors will have to return the structure to its original condition and pay a fine for violation.
Reason #4 - ice formation in the ventilation duct
Another problem that residents of an apartment building may encounter is ice in the air duct. It appears as a result of temperature changes. The resulting condensate freezes in layers, gradually closing the space for air circulation.
Reason #5 - insufficient fresh air flow
If the ventilation system is working properly, but there is an unpleasant smell in the apartment, you should check whether there is enough fresh air entering the apartment.
More recently, there were no difficulties with fresh air ventilation. Over time, small gaps appeared in the wooden frames, so a sufficient amount of fresh air entered the apartment through them, even when the doors were tightly closed.
Today everyone is trying to isolate themselves from street noise and ensure the tightness of window structures. In order to obtain a sufficient supply of fresh air in such conditions, you can simply ventilate the apartment periodically, regardless of the time of year, install supply valve on the wall or window.
Since not everyone wants to open windows in winter, the main burden of air exchange falls on ventilation. First you need to determine the presence of traction by attaching a piece of thin paper or newspaper to the grille. If the paper sticks to the grille or deviates towards it, then the air duct is working correctly. If the paper remains motionless or deviates towards the user, then there is a problem.
If the experiment fails, you must open the window and repeat the procedure. If the paper deviates towards the grille, it means that the ventilation operation can be easily corrected by periodic ventilation.
When the paper tilts towards the user during testing, this effect is called backdraft. This means that not only are exhaust gases not removed from the apartment, but also unpleasant odors and dust from outside are attracted.
There can be many reasons for this, ranging from blockage of channels with steam, cold air, to the presence of ice, debris, or partial destruction. Forced ventilation installed by neighbors can also interfere with the natural movement of air.
It is extremely important to regularly check ventilation and takes care of its performance.
Reason #6 - the neighbors have a powerful hood
When designing apartment buildings, it is assumed that all residents will be satisfied with natural air exchange. When a powerful system with fans is installed in one of the apartments, the air flows are shifted. As a result, unpleasant odors enter neighboring apartments.
This is due to the fact that the ventilation system is not designed for high intensity movement of air masses. It is possible to increase the ventilation power only in situations where each apartment is connected to an individual duct, which is not implemented in all houses.
The issue can be resolved in two ways:
- ask your neighbors to replace the equipment or turn it on less often;
- install forced ventilation - this way you will create even more problems for the other residents, but you will get rid of unpleasant odors in your apartment.
You can involve specialists in resolving the issue of incorrect operation of the hood.
How to block the smell from neighbors?
The appearance of an unpleasant odor from the air exchange system can be due to various reasons. Professionals recommend finding out and eliminating them, rather than dealing with the consequences.For example, when a hood is installed near the entrance to a room, moist air is blocked. As a result, unpleasant odors and mold may appear.
When figuring out how to quickly stop the smell from the ventilation system, it is important to understand that the measures must be comprehensive, otherwise you will soon have to deal with the problem again.
No. 1 - installation of a supply valve
After installing plastic windows, the natural flow of air into the apartment is practically excluded. As a result, the rate of gas exchange sharply decreases, waste products are not removed, and the microclimate in the apartment worsens. Installation of the supply valve on the window or into the wall will help partially solve the problem.
The user can choose the simplest device or purchase an automatic system. It will not only provide air supply to the room, but also heat it up. If there is a supply valve, you will not need to open the windows every day. In this case, the amount of air entering the room will be quite sufficient.
A wide variety of models and a flexible pricing policy will help you choose a supply valve that meets the customer’s needs and budget.
No. 2 - installing a fan in the bathroom
The smell from the bathroom ventilation is easily eliminated after installation exhaust fan.
Manufacturers offer three device options:
- centrifugal;
- axial;
- centrifugal-axial.
Fans have design features and differ in power. Their installation is relevant when the dimensions of the ventilation pipe exceed 3 meters.
When choosing a suitable model, you should not settle for overly powerful options. At a high intensity of air intake, a rarefaction effect may occur, which negatively affects health
No. 3 - installing a hood in the kitchen
A hood will help cut off odors from neighbors and remove unpleasant odors that arise during cooking. Modern models not only differ in their range of functions, they have an excellent appearance.
To equip your kitchen, you first need to decide on the type of device:
- hanging - the most common option, fixed above the gas stove in the space between the kitchen cabinets;
- island — mounted to the ceiling, can be located anywhere in the kitchen;
- corner — located in the corner, occupies a minimum of space;
- wall-mounted — installed on the wall next to the stove, can become the highlight of the interior;
- built-in — mounted in a closet, does not spoil the interior, is almost invisible.
We recommend that you read the detailed recommendations for selection and installation of hoods in the kitchen.
Most hoods take in exhaust air and release it into the ventilation system. Experts consider this solution to be the most effective and safe.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
Recommendations for eliminating unpleasant odors from ventilation are demonstrated in the video below:
Unpleasant odors may appear due to faulty ventilation or improper actions of neighbors.To really get rid of discomfort, you can use very simple but effective methods, which we discussed in detail above.
If independent attempts to cut out the unpleasant odor from the ventilation are unsuccessful, it is better to contact a specialist. When you turn to professionals, you don’t have to guess about the cause of unpleasant odors. Our technicians will diagnose the system, determine the type of malfunction, and give recommendations for solving the problem..
Have you successfully dealt with annoying odors from your neighbors on your own? Found a non-standard solution to the problem? Share your experience with other readers in the block below.
