What is supply ventilation and how to arrange it correctly

Ventilation is the most important factor when designing residential premises. Supply ventilation is responsible for maintaining a healthy microclimate in a house or apartment - a system that replenishes clean air.

Agree, it is impossible to stay in the stuffiness for a long time. Lack of fresh air negatively affects the level of comfort and general well-being of people. Therefore, it is important to take care of sufficient air exchange and arrange effective supply ventilation.

We will tell you which type of ventilation unit is best to give preference, and provide step-by-step instructions for installing a compact monoblock.

The principle of operation of supply type ventilation

Good air exchange in a living space is essential. It is not always possible to organize effective ventilation of the house naturally. In such a situation, supply ventilation is considered one of the best options for residential premises.

Excessive sealing is a characteristic feature of modern apartments. Plastic windows are installed everywhere, which, unlike wooden ones, do not allow air masses to pass through at all. This also applies to entrance doors, which, when closed, block cold, dust, noise, and fresh air.

Will help partially solve the problem air conditioner with forced air function fresh air or window valve. However, they only provide flow to one room.

Artificial, otherwise mechanical, supply ventilation is a system of means by which the required amount of fresh air is forced into the room. In this case, the air flow is heated to a comfortable temperature and filtered to remove possible contaminants.

The simplest version of a supply air ventilation unit can be made with your own hands, but its operating efficiency will be lower than that of an industrially produced model

Installation of supply ventilation systems

A supply fan is a necessary but insufficient element of a ventilation system with artificial stimulation of the movement of air masses.

If such a device is built into a wall or, for example, into a window, it will provide the necessary air flow, but the quality of such air will be very far from the desired one. The externally supplied flow does not always have an acceptable temperature.

This photo clearly shows the main elements of the air handling unit: filter, heater, fan and thermostat. The air flow coming from the street must be heated to an acceptable temperature

According to regulations, the temperature of the air moved into the room must be at least 18°C. To form the required parameters, you will need a heating device.

In addition, it is necessary to protect the home from dirt and dust, which can penetrate inside along with intensely incoming air masses. Therefore, such systems are necessarily equipped with filters.

Another important element is the automatic control system. Without such control, the device may overheat, which will lead to breakdowns, fires or other troubles.

Finally, a system for suppressing noise, both coming from the street and emitted by the device, is also necessary.

Thus, any supply ventilation must be equipped with the following elements:

• fan;
• heater;
• filter;
• automatic control system;
• sound absorption system.

Of course, such a device can be made in various versions. For example, for large buildings the ventilation system is implemented in the form of a separate room - a ventilation chamber.

These are the so-called stacked ventilation systems. To create them, individual elements are selected and installed in a designated room.

If the traditional supply unit is supplemented with a compressor, then on hot days it will be able to supply cooled air to the room

Types of installations for private homes

Perhaps only an engineer with the appropriate qualifications can independently assemble such a device, since design and installation, as well as setting up the operation of such units requires special knowledge.

In addition, this is a rather bulky structure, which is not suitable for private households.Other ventilation options are available for private housing construction - monoblock air-intake units and duct ventilation systems.

The air coming from the street brings into the house not only cold, but also a lot of contaminants, to remove which filters are needed

Type #1 - monoblock equipment version

For apartments, office structures, low-rise private houses, compact warehouses and even small production workshops, air supply units made in the form of a monoblock design are used.

This is a compact unit, in the body of which all the necessary elements are already assembled and installed. Compared to a typesetting system, the supply monoblock takes up very little space.

Such devices are distinguished by good sound insulation; they are installed on the balcony, or, if this is not possible, right in the room. Installation and setup of the air supply units is extremely simplified; you just need to install it and turn it on.

Owners of such units note that despite all the efforts of manufacturers to reduce noise levels, this problem has not yet been completely solved.

Compact supply ventilation units take up very little space, and their installation is very simple. You can place such a unit on a balcony or indoors

The noise effect may vary depending on the model. In this regard, individual air conditioners produce as much noise as a household air conditioner.

By the way, such a device, with options for outside air intake, may well replace an individual control unit. Such installations did not perform particularly well in areas with harsh climates.

When the outside air temperature drops below 10 degrees below zero, PUs with a recuperator (air heating device) can become covered with a layer of ice.

It should be understood that an individual supply unit with a capacity of about 100 cubic meters. m per hour, designed to serve only one room, and not a whole house or apartment.

Therefore, for normal ventilation of the entire living space, you will have to purchase as many individual air handling units as there are rooms that need ventilation.

On the one hand, this is convenient, since it eliminates the need to carry out large-scale work on laying ventilation ducts throughout the house. On the other hand, the question of costs for implementing such a ventilation system arises, because individual PUs are not cheap.

The choice of location for the supply monoblock depends on where the air ducts connected to it are planned to be laid. If the channels will be laid at the top, an option with installation above the balcony door is suitable

If the problem of room ventilation arose after the completion of construction and finishing of the premises, it is quite possible that the cost of several such installations will be less than remodeling the entire building.

If the ventilation ducts were designed during the construction stage, it will be cheaper and easier to implement a duct ventilation system.

Installation and assembly of a compact ventilation system can be done without any problems with your own hands. Let's consider the process of installing ventilation with a breather - a device that cleans and heats air before supplying it to the room.

Using similar technology install a wall inlet valve. The ventilation device is suitable for an apartment or private house.

Type #2 - duct ventilation systems

The channel option is air duct complex, which pass through all rooms. Supply devices similar to monoblocks are located at the entrance to the system.

The air masses processed by the installation move through the channels and enter the room through the supply ventilation grilles.

Exhaust ventilation ducts and corresponding grilles are designed to remove exhaust air.

During forced ventilation, air enters the room through ventilation grilles.They have a laconic design and do not spoil the interior of the room

Thus, for ventilation of the entire apartment or at home only one installation of appropriate power is needed.

The air ducts of the supply ventilation system are usually placed in the space under the ceiling so as not to spoil the interior with unnecessary details. But ventilation grates should be placed directly on the ceiling or wall of the room.

Selecting the performance of duct installations:

• 200-350 cc m/hour — one- and two-room apartments;
• 350-500 cc m/hour — three-room apartments and large residential apartments;
• 2000-3000 cubic meters/hour - offices or cottages.

The exact performance is calculated using special formulas.

This diagram clearly shows the structure of a duct ventilation system and identifies its main elements: fan, silencer, heater, ventilation grilles, etc.

It should be understood that the maximum power of the installation declared by the manufacturer will not be realized in practice. The actual performance of the PU depends on the network resistance level.

You can determine the real efficiency of the device, taking into account the characteristics of a particular duct system, using the ventilation characteristic graph. It is usually contained in the technical data sheet of the product.

The priority is to lay ventilation ducts under the ceiling, so that in the future they can be hidden behind suspended ceiling structures. This method is acceptable for private buildings with high ceiling heights

An important indicator when calculating ventilation systems is static pressure. The value depends on the total length of the ventilation ducts, as well as on the number of filters that are installed additionally.

For apartments, installations with static pressure in the range of 400-500 Pa are used.

Components and parameters of the ventilation unit

Let us examine in more detail the components of ventilation equipment, without which it will not be possible to create an optimal microclimate in the room. And let’s look at their main characteristics and important parameters of the installation itself.

No. 1 - device for heating air

As already mentioned, the air coming from outside must be heated in winter. For an apartment, a heater with a power of 3-5 kW is usually sufficient.

For a house or cottage you will have to perform a number of special calculations. This takes into account the outside air temperature, as well as the power of the installation itself.

In this case, it is important to correlate the load on the power supply network of an apartment or house with the actual state of the network. If the load on the electrical network is excessive, it can lead to a serious accident.

Technical specifications of the electrical installation as well as the power of the heater are necessarily indicated in the accompanying documents and in the operating instructions. It is important to find out all the necessary parameters before purchasing equipment

In such cases, some home owners prefer to choose an air handling unit with a less powerful heater.

This solution is fraught with the following problems: when severe cold occurs, the air will not have time to warm up to the required temperature, and a cold stream will flow into the rooms.

It is not difficult to prevent this phenomenon - you just need to reduce the number of fan revolutions.

Air masses will flow more slowly, but will still have time to warm up. Performing such adjustment manually is extremely inconvenient.

If you have to buy a control unit with a low-power heater, you should make sure that the device is equipped with automatic control of the fan speed depending on the outside air temperature.

No. 2 - acoustic power of equipment

When figuring out what ducted supply ventilation is, you should take into account information that determines the noise effect from the operation of the device.

There are three indicators of PU acoustic power:

• at the entrance;
• at the exit;
• on the body.

The “input” noise characterizes the sound effect that the installation will produce at the beginning of the system. It usually does not affect the comfort of the home too much. It is much more important to pay attention to the noise “at the output”, i.e. in places where ventilation grilles are installed.

If this figure is too high, during installation you will have to include an additional element in the system - a noise absorber. To obtain a sufficient effect, the length of this element must be at least 90 cm.

The supply unit of the ventilation or air conditioning system is installed outside the building, in this case the noise from the operation of the fan and heater will not disturb the residents of the house

Noise “on the body” indicates the acoustic effect in the immediate vicinity of the air handling unit, which is installed and connected to the system and noise absorption devices. This indicator is not very important if the control panel is installed outside the building.

But if this is not possible, and the device is planned to be placed directly in the building, preference should be given to a device with a minimum acoustic power value “on the body”.

In addition to acoustic pressure, which is designated in technical documentation as LwA, Manufacturers use the concept of sound pressure level (denoted as LpA).

These two concepts should not be confused, especially when comparing the characteristics of different models. It is better to focus on LwA, since data on LpA are usually somewhat lower.

No. 3 - automatic control systems

Automation is simply necessary for the normal operation of the ventilation unit. Even the simplest options are equipped with devices for automatically regulating the temperature of the discharge air and the fan speed.

The status of the device and current settings are reflected on the display with the control panel.

Automatic control of the supply ventilation system significantly improves its operation and saves resources. Some models are equipped with a remote control

More “advanced” automation allows you to set settings for different periods of time. For example, you can reduce the temperature and fan speed at night, when everyone is sleeping and the need for fresh air is not so high.

Separately, you can set the mode for daytime on weekdays, when no one is at home.

For convenient control of the air handling unit, it is recommended to choose a device with the following characteristics:

• the number of fan speeds is at least five;
• availability of real time clock;
• saving and launching settings in the event of a power outage;
• monitoring the level of filter contamination;
• possibility of remote control, for example, using a smartphone;
• message about the presence and nature of malfunctions.

Indication of the filter status is not required, but is highly desirable. In the absence of this option, cleaning or changing the filtration elements is performed after a certain time recommended by the manufacturer.

But operating conditions vary, and as a result, contamination may occur earlier or later than the specified period. Monitoring the condition of the filters will allow you to change them in time or extend their service life.

Selecting a location and installation features

Before installing duct ventilation, you should draw up a system design. It should indicate the installation location of the control unit itself, the location of air ducts, ventilation grilles, etc.

It is important to take into account the direction of air flow. The place where fresh air masses enter should be living spaces, such as a living room, office, bedroom, etc.

As a result, unpleasant odors from the bathroom or kitchen will not enter the living rooms, but will be immediately removed through the exhaust grilles. Air flows can intersect with each other, be reflected from the surface of furniture, etc.

It is better to think through these points in advance so that the trajectory of the air flow is as efficient as possible.

In winter, the heating temperature of the air coming from the street must be correlated with the amount of heat in the room. If the house is well heated, air heating can be left at a minimum level.

But if for some reason the power of the heating system is not enough, the forced air should be heated more strongly.

This diagram shows the correct movement of air masses during ventilation: fresh air enters the living spaces, and exhaust air flows are removed through grilles in the kitchen and bathroom

When choosing an air supply unit, you should decide on the purchase and installation of additional fine filters. Typically, such devices are equipped with G4 class filters, which are capable of trapping relatively large contaminants.

If there is a need or desire to get rid of fine dust, you will need another filter unit, for example, class F7. It is installed in the system after the air supply installation.

Each supply ventilation unit has a coarse filter. Filter replacement is carried out through the inspection hatch, which must be freely accessible.

If the supply ventilation unit is not equipped with fine filters, they must be purchased separately.

Even if the home owners for some reason refused to install such elements, it is still recommended to provide space in the system in case such installation is needed in the future.

The control unit must be installed in such a way that it is accessible for regular maintenance and periodic repairs.

Particular attention should be paid to the location of the inspection hatch through which filters are replaced. The hatch should open freely, leaving enough space for manipulating the filter elements.

When installing supply ventilation, you will need a special tool and a diamond drill for drilling the wall. Hole sizes can reach 200 mm

When installing the PU, it is necessary to drill the outer wall. A hammer drill is usually not suitable for such work; work is performed with a diamond drill with constant cooling with water.

To avoid damaging the interior decoration of the room, it is better to drill from the outside.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

This video clearly demonstrates the design and operating principle of supply ventilation, as well as its difference from natural ventilation of rooms:

Here you can see a review of the Eco-Fresh air handling unit:

Supply ventilation is a great way to provide your home with fresh air and create a favorable microclimate in it. All the efforts and costs of creating such a system will be fully repaid, since the health of all residents of the house depends on proper ventilation.

Share with readers your experience in improving the efficiency of supply ventilation. Please leave comments on the article and ask questions that interest you. The feedback form is located below.