The ventilation system in Khrushchev is a sore point for hundreds of thousands of residents of panel five-story buildings. The scheme that has cope with the air exchange of residential premises for 20 to 30 years in the last decade is clearly malfunctioning. What is the problem? How is ventilation in Khrushchev arranged and is it possible to restore air movement in an apartment in an inexpensive way?
How ventilation works in Khrushchev
All houses built in the 60s have a natural ventilation system. This means that under the influence of the difference in pressure and temperature, air is drawn out of the room. The resulting vacuum is filled with fresh air from the street. Outflow is provided from the most "dirty" rooms: kitchens and bathrooms. And the influx into the living rooms. The effectiveness of the scheme depends entirely on weather conditions and some other factors, which we will consider further.
The system is implemented in the most economical way: in each riser there is a ventilation shaft. It is assembled from concrete blocks, its exit is located above the roof. Ventilation outlets of kitchens go exactly to this shaft. Some bathrooms have a private mine. Sometimes the air is removed from the toilets and showers through a ventilation duct connected to a mine unified with the kitchen.
For the successful operation of ventilation in Khrushchev, the following conditions are necessary:
- good draft in the ventilation shaft;
- fresh air in the apartment.
Few apartment owners in old five-story buildings boast good ventilation work.
Signs of weak air exchange:
- the apartment smells of neighbors' food;
- Windows “cry”;
- heavy stale air.
The reasons for the lack of traction in Khrushchev
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Option for additional ventilation from the streetWeather: the absence of a difference in temperature and pressure outside and inside the apartments. This is a normal situation in the summer, when it is warm outside, and in Khrushchev, natural ventilation is completely inactive;
- In Khrushchev, ventilation shafts are destroyed. Mines are concrete boxes with holes mounted on top of each other. If we take into account the duration of the "life" of these houses, then it will not surprise the appearance of cracks at the joints between the blocks. Possibly low-quality fastening blocks. All this significantly reduces traction;
- Clogged ventilation shafts in Khrushchev. It never occurs to anyone that they need to be cleaned. In fact, the inner walls of the mines are covered with black "cobwebs" of dust, soot and dirt. In some places, it all lumps together and completely clogs the shaft clearance. Ventilation outlets coming from each room are also very clogged;
- The ventilation scheme in Khrushchev is broken. For example, the neighbors decided to increase the area of the kitchen due to the ventilation shaft. They completely destroy the box, block up all vents and the entire riser is left without ventilation. Unfortunately, this is an irreversible situation; usually nobody is going to restore ventilation ducts;
- No air inflow. For this reason, in recent years, the problem of poor operation of ventilation systems in the Khrushchevs has become so acute. The initial design involved the flow of air through numerous slots in the window frames.Today, most owners prefer to install sealed plastic windows, completely eliminating the penetration of air from outside. The more prudent ones equip the windows with supply valves or equip a special device for the flow of air into the wall. But even such measures do not always save the situation: modern interior doors fit tight enough, the ventilation device in Khrushchev implies free movement of air masses from the street, through living quarters to the bathroom, and from the kitchen directly to ventilation ducts.
Checking the operation of ventilation in Khrushchev
First you need to check the operation of the ventilation scheme in Khrushchev. A piece of paper 10 x 10 centimeters in size is taken and applied to the fence in the kitchen or in the bathroom.
If the leaflet is held as if glued, there is traction.
Another method using the flame of a match or candle: light a match and bring it to the grate (carefully so that the plastic net does not catch fire if it is installed). With good traction, the flame is literally drawn into the ventilation duct. If it’s bad, it is directed strictly upward; if it’s bad, it tilts away from the grill. This method is dangerous because combustible and explosive gas can accumulate in the ventilation duct.
Before restoring the ventilation device in Khrushchev, it is necessary to find out: the reason for the violation of air exchange is the lack of inflow or poor traction.
Again, you need a piece of paper. You should open all the windows and doors to the apartment and conduct a test with a leaf a second time. If the result is positive, the problem is lack of traction. Otherwise, clean the ventilation shaft.
When there are several mines, we put a piece of paper on the grate in the kitchen, then in the bathroom and toilet. By the "behavior" of the leaf it is immediately noticeable where the air flow is the weakest.
Cleaning the ventilation system in Khrushchek
According to the legislation, residents of houses do not have the right to change the ventilation device in Khrushchev and carry out any work in the communications serving the entire building. Therefore, the entire ventilation shaft in Khrushchev can not be cleaned independently.
But you can remove the grate from the outlet of the ventilation duct and wash it in soapy water. Using a vacuum cleaner or a broom, sweep out any dirt that can be taken out. Attach a toilet brush to the long cable and push it as high as possible along the channel. The work is dirty and unpleasant. Sometimes in the mines they arrange nests of wasps and cockroaches, you should be prepared to meet with any nasty things. If the cable rests against an obstacle, it is necessary to replace it with a hard stick or rod.
We provide air circulation around the apartment
Having cleaned and studied the exhaust ventilation device in Khrushchev, it's time to tackle the problem of air movement inside the apartment itself.
In order to allow air flow between the rooms without hindrance, it is necessary to remove the thresholds of interior doors. A gap of 3 cm wide is sufficient. Some owners prefer to drill holes in the bottom of the door with a diameter of 0.8 - 1.5 cm in three rows. You can cover them with a decorative grill.
The holes in the bathroom, bathtub and bedrooms can be made with a slope inward so that you can not peek outside.
Small steel mesh in several rows remarkably muffles sounds, so the presence of holes will be imperceptible.
We provide infiltration by infiltration
The problem of the lack of fresh air in rooms with plastic windows can be solved with the help of an infiltration system. For this, the window sash is not fully pressed; a small gap of 1 - 2 millimeters remains. It turns out to be quite enough to ensure the flow of air into the natural ventilation system of Khrushchev.
Cons of the method: if there is severe frost on the street, in a few days the gap will grow with hoarfrost and ice. The seal quickly deteriorates.With such a ventilation device in Khrushchev as infiltration, condensation accumulates on the glass, mold may appear.
We provide inflow with the valve
You can upgrade the ventilation scheme in an apartment in Khrushchev with the help of supply valves. Window valves (or supply air adjustable slots) and wall valves are produced.
The first are installed directly on the window sash. Provides a small flow of air without cooling the room. It is possible to adjust the intensity of ventilation.
Wall valves are made angled with flexible corrugated wall and straight. Direct valves are often equipped with an air labyrinth that works according to the throttle effect. They are indispensable in rooms with a large crowd of people. The outer part of the valve is quite bulky, as it houses filters and humidifiers.
Angle valves cost less, they can be installed with a slope outward so that precipitation and dust do not penetrate into the duct.
To install the wall valve, you will have to make a hole in the wall with a diameter of 50 - 100 mm. The best place is for a heating radiator.
There are many varieties of supply valves: with air filters, with humidity sensors. The simplest models are equipped with a manually closing valve.
How to be the owners of old windows?
The gaps between the sash and the frame are mercilessly sealed with tape or paper. And this is a big mistake!
Such windows need to be insulated with strips of foam rubber with an adhesive base. Choose the most porous material you find. The secret is that under the influence of the temperature difference outside the air moves inward, passing through all these pores. Inside the foam rubber, a throttle effect is created, due to which the air is heated during friction against the surface of the foam cells. That is, passing through thick loose foam rubber, the air warms up. The stronger the wind, the more noticeable this effect.
Additional exhaust system in Khrushchev
If all the above measures have not improved the microclimate in the apartment, you will have to resort to forced ventilation of the Khrushchev. How and which devices make up the system?
These are exhaust fans, which are installed at the entrance of a ventilation shaft in a toilet, bathroom or kitchen.
- In the bathroom and toilet, to save electricity, the fan is often powered from a light switch;
- In the kitchen, an extra hood with a fan is mounted above the stove. But the ventilation grill leading to the shaft should not overlap. You will have to make an additional ventilation duct or use a special grill that provides an opening for the exhaust pipe.
