Ventilation in a wooden log cabin. How ventilation is done in a Russian bath: general rules and detailed schemes for the device

State norms for ventilation of premises are regulated by SNiP 41-01-2003, the document establishes the minimum frequency of air exchange in rooms, depending on their purpose and features of use. In residential areas, ventilation must perform two tasks - to provide favorable indicators of the percentage of oxygen in the air and to remove exhaust gases.

SNiP 41-01-2003. Heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Download file

For a bath, ventilation tasks become more complicated, it must additionally remove moist air as quickly as possible (fast drying of wooden structures is ensured) and regulate the temperature in the steam room. There are cases when it is necessary to quickly reduce the temperature in the steam room before taking procedures by small children, the elderly or large people. The stove continues to give off heat for a long time, it takes a very long time to wait until the bath cools down on its own. With the help of room ventilation, you can quickly set the desired temperature and maintain it within the specified limits all the time people stay in it.

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What are the types of ventilation and the method of their calculation

Ventilation can only exist when there is an inflow of fresh air and an outflow of used air into the room. Often you can find the concept of "supply" or "exhaust" ventilation. These are not quite correct concepts, there cannot be only supply or only exhaust ventilation, it is always only flow-exhaust. Why are these terms used? Thus, it is emphasized that the supply or exhaust of exhaust air is carried out in a forced way, and, accordingly, the removal or supply of fresh air occurs in a natural way.

Supply and exhaust ventilation

When calculating the parameters of ventilation systems, the initial data take into account the volume and purpose of the premises, the presence of special conditions in them in terms of air indicators, the presence or likelihood of the presence of carbon monoxide or other chemical compounds harmful to health. Based on these data, state regulations establish the frequency of air replacement within an hour, it can vary from 1 ÷ 2 to ten or more.

Next, engineers determine the parameters and location of the channels to ensure the necessary intake and removal of air, taking into account weather conditions and the climatic zone. If natural ventilation cannot provide the required frequency of air changes, then forced systems are used that supply / exhaust air with electric fans. Baths have their own characteristics of each type of ventilation, consider them in more detail.

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General rules for ventilation in the bath

The principles of the ventilation device in the bath largely depend on the architectural features of its design. If the floors have slots for draining water, then supply air can also be supplied through the same slots, there is no need to make a special hole.

Quite often, small windows are installed in the bath - when opened, they “turn” into exhaust holes. In addition, if the furnace firebox is located directly in the steam room, the room can be ventilated even easier - open the firebox and, by changing the position of the damper, adjust the air change rate.

Photo - furnace firebox and open door for ventilation of the room

These are the simplest options for a steam room (by the way, the most efficient and low-cost ones), but there are cases when the furnace firebox is located in another room, there is no window, and the floors are solid without gaps. It is on such a bath that we will focus in our article. Why do you need to do ventilation in the bath?

1. For better mixing of air throughout the volume. Natural convection of air masses is not able to equalize the air temperature along the height, the difference in indicators under the ceiling and near the floor can reach tens of degrees. This negatively affects the comfort of taking water procedures.
2. For the supply of fresh air. If one person is steamed in the steam room, and the residence time does not exceed 20 ÷ 30 minutes, then the oxygen concentration in the air will not have time to drop to critical values. And if several people steam at the same time in the steam room for a long time, then the influx of fresh air becomes mandatory.

Quite often, developers fall into two extremes: in order to save heat, they generally refuse ventilation or make it too strong and unregulated. Both extremes have negative consequences, ventilation should not be neglected, it is cheap, and the positive effect is very impressive. But it should be done correctly, taking into account the features of the premises, the requirements for the temperature in the steam room, the materials for the manufacture of walls and cladding.

In the event of a complete lack of ventilation, the risks of oxygen starvation increase and, if the furnace firebox is located directly in the steam room, carbon monoxide poisoning. In the case of strong unregulated ventilation, the heating time increases significantly, warm air is quickly removed from the room. But that's not all the problems - the rapid removal of warm air automatically causes an equally rapid influx of fresh air - the floors will always be very cold, and this increases the risk of colds.

Uncontrolled ventilation is fraught with cold floors

The influx of fresh air in the steam room is arranged in two places: behind the stove or under the sun loungers.

There are many air movement patterns on the Internet, most of them are made by amateurs, you should not pay attention to them. Follow only two conditions: air inflow at the bottom, exhaust at the top, placement of channels diagonally across the room.

This is quite enough to ensure normal circulation and air mixing. Everything else is reasoning about nothing, they can only confuse inexperienced developers, significantly complicate the ventilation system, make it expensive and unreliable. There are options with two multi-level exhaust valves, with two supply valves, etc. The air outlets are located at different heights.

One under the very ceiling, is used only for complete ventilation of the bath after the completion of water procedures. The second is done 30 ÷ 40 centimeters below the first and is used during washing. Some craftsmen connect them together with internal air ducts, install several control dampers, etc. We assure you that these complications do not have any visible effect on the comfort of staying in the steam room.

A few words should be said about the ventilation ducts in the bath, they are often suggested to be used in steam rooms. In large buildings, ventilation ducts are used to connect several different rooms to a common ventilation system, no matter if it is natural or forced. This is quite justified from both technological and economic points of view.

And what other rooms can be connected to the steam room with ventilation ducts? Weird question. Then why make complex channels under the wall sheathing? Wouldn't it be easier to make ordinary holes in the walls and insert ordinary pieces of pipes and grates with elementary valves into them? Of course, we will talk about a real, effective, simple and cheap way to install ventilation, we will not lay any channels anywhere. This is a universal option, perfect for both "budget" and expensive exclusive pairs.

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Video - Ventilation in the bath

Natural ventilation of the bath

The most accepted option for most baths, minimal in cost and safety, and quite effective. The specific location of the ventilation openings should be taken into account, taking into account the size of the premises, the location of the shelves, the stove and the material of the building. The general rule is that the holes should be located at different heights, as a rule, the inlet (supply) 20 cm from the floor and the outlet (exhaust) 20÷30 cm from the ceiling. When choosing holes, you need to consider where the holes will be located on the outer walls. It is desirable that they do not stand out too much on the facade walls.

The dimensions of the holes are approximately 300÷400 cm2, it is better to make them larger than smaller. In case of too rapid air exchange, leading to a decrease in the temperature in the steam room, the channels should be covered with control dampers. To improve the appearance, it is better to use decorative grilles, they can be purchased at specialized stores or made independently.

We wrote more about this type of ventilation in the article “. We will tell you how to organize natural ventilation, how to calculate and make ventilation holes.

Somewhat complicates the ventilation system, requires the installation of electrical equipment. Another problem is related to the microclimate in the steam room. There, high temperature and humidity are the main enemies of any electrical equipment. Fans must have a reliable protection of the housing from moisture; during connection, the recommendations of the Electrical Installation Code must be strictly observed. And in order to comply, you need to know them.

Forced ventilation - elements

The advantages of forced ventilation - the rate of air change in the room is significantly accelerated, the control parameters are expanded. Natural ventilation is very dependent on weather conditions, in some cases it can become ineffective. Especially if the wind is at right angles to the exhaust vent. Forced ventilation works with the same efficiency in any weather and regardless of the direction and strength of the wind.

How to calculate forced ventilation in the bath and what is it like? How to choose fans? We answered all these questions in the article. In the same place - detailed step-by-step instructions for installing ventilation and advice from professionals.

How to make ventilation in the bath with your own hands

Initial data. The architectural features of the bath do not provide for air to enter through the cracks in the floor, doors, windows or the furnace. It is necessary to make holes for both entry and exit of air. There is no internal and external wall cladding, the bathhouse is built of sawn timber.

Step 1. Decide on the location of the input and output channels.

We have already mentioned that it is better to place the inlet channel near the stove at a distance of about 20 centimeters from the floor level. Exit channel diagonally under the ceiling. This position of the inlet and outlet openings will ensure the distribution of air flows throughout the volume of the room. Also, the inlet air will not cool the flooring. Channels should be easily accessible. There are recommendations to make an exit hole in the ceiling. We are opponents of such a decision, humid air will certainly cause great damage to the entire truss system.

Step 2 Purchase or make your own grates and valves.

They can be of various sizes and geometric shapes: round, square or rectangular. At the same time, take into account the materials of the future cladding of external and internal walls, consider how the decorative grilles will be attached to them.

Important. Be sure to install grilles with adjustable gaps, only they can provide smooth adjustment of the frequency of air changes in the room.

And one more thing - from the outside of the bath, the holes should also be closed. Moreover, the closure should be as airtight as possible, to prevent moisture from rain or snow from getting on the log house crowns.

Step 3 Make holes in the walls.

The most time-consuming operation, you have to work manually. Pre-in the marked places, you need to drill holes around the perimeter. The closer they are to each other, the easier it is to gouge the wood later. When the holes are drilled, take a chisel, a chisel and a hammer in your hands and begin to destroy the timber bridges remaining between the holes. Ventilation holes should be made 1-2 cm around the perimeter more than the inserted pipe. The fact is that then this pipe must be insulated to prevent the appearance of condensate on wooden structures.

Use only a sharp chisel and a chisel - the timber will have to be cut across the fibers, this is quite difficult. If the thickness of the beam is 20 centimeters, then it is better to make half the depth of the hole from the inside of the bath, and the second half from the outside. If you have extensive experience using a gasoline saw, then you can cut a hole. But we immediately warn you that it is very dangerous to work with a gasoline saw in such conditions. You will have to cut with the end of the tire, while grabbing the tree with the lower part of the chain, the saw will be pulled out of your hands. This way of using the saw is strictly prohibited by safety regulations, remember this.

If there is a need to dilute the inlet in the wall and in the bath, then buy a pipe with an elbow. It is advisable to use not round pipes, but rectangular ones, they take up less space under the lining of the inner walls of the steam room.

Be sure to seal the joints of the elbow and pipe with silicone and wrap with adhesive tape for reliability.

Scotch metallized

Step 4 Lay foil or polyethylene film and mineral wool around the perimeter of the holes, the wool layer should be dense, without gaps. It will not be possible to make the edges of the hole absolutely even, carefully make sure that the waterproofing is not damaged by the sharp protrusions of the timber.

Step 5 Insert the pipes into the holes in the log house. They should enter with little effort, quite tightly. In order to increase the reliability of sealing and fastening, be sure to walk around the perimeter of the hole and pipe with foam. Mounting foam eliminates all invisible gaps in thermal insulation between the pipe and the wall and firmly fixes it in the desired position.

We recommend foaming the holes and after wall cladding, the foam will eliminate the gaps between the wall and the vapor barrier. During the expansion of the foam, the vapor barrier will press tightly around the uneven hole, all possible small damages will automatically close.

The pipe to the hood may not be insulated, warm air comes out through it. But we advise, just in case, to do all the operations for her. First, you will lose a little time and money. Secondly, you will make additional and reliable protection against penetration of atmospheric moisture to wooden structures.

When both holes are prepared, you can start upholstering the walls and install decorative grilles with adjustable throughput parameters.

Important. We strongly advise you to ventilate the space between the wall cladding and the aluminum foil during the installation of steam room ventilation. The work is performed according to the above algorithm with one difference. Ventilation should be either permanently closed (during the adoption of water procedures) or permanently open (during the airing of the bath). Using foil as a wall vapor barrier has many benefits. But there is one problem - the difficulty of removing condensate between the skin and insulation. An ordinary hole solves all problems and completely eliminates damage to wood.

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Video - DIY ventilation

How to make a hole in a log house with a crown

If you do not want to make holes for ventilation by hand, you can drill them with a special metal crown. They are sold in stores and are inexpensive. The only problem is that the crown requires a powerful low-speed drill or a hand-held drilling machine; ordinary drills can quickly fail due to a heavy load. Another limitation is that the maximum diameter of crowns is rarely more than 120 mm. But for most baths, small volumes of this size are enough.

Step 1. Choose a drill bit of the appropriate diameter and secure it in the chuck. Mark the drilling site.

Step 2 To lighten the cutting force, be sure to lubricate the bit with machine oil. Lubrication should be repeated periodically. Once the bit is about two-thirds deep, stop drilling, remove the bit and re-lubricate its inner and outer surfaces.

Step 3 Mark the center of the hole with any thin drill. Insert a crown into a shallow hole and start drilling the timber.

Step 4 Drill as long as the bit height allows. Carefully monitor the operation of the electric tool, do not allow heavy loads. Loads are regulated by the force of pressing the crown to the bar.

Step 5. The crown does not work further - take it out and gradually remove the cut wood with a chisel or chisel. It is removed quickly, start gradually chipping holes in the corners. Don't cut the log across the grain with the chisel, only chip it along the grain, it's much easier to do the job.

Repeat the steps until the hole is through. If the timber is so thick that the drill cannot go through it on one side, go to the other. To do this, you need to find the center of the already made hole as accurately as possible. The crown has its own centering drill, but its length may not always be enough to reach the reverse side. You will have to find the center yourself. To do this, install a thin wood drill in the drill, insert it into the existing hole from the center drill of the crown and very carefully make a through hole. The more precisely you drill the center, the easier and faster it will be to work on the other side of the wall.

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Video - How to drill a hole with a crown

Bath ventilation with heating

A rather original way of arranging ventilation, not only fresh air lends itself to the bath, it is immediately heated. This is very important in winter, as it is possible not only to increase the comfort of your stay, but also to speed up the heating of the premises and save firewood.

The air intake is made at the bottom of the bath and is fed into the air intake duct with the help of electric fans.

The stove has a metal chimney, a special screen is installed around the chimney, air from the duct enters the screen channels. The screen performs two functions: it protects the limbs from burns and serves as a radiator for heating the air coming from the duct. The heated air exits the screen into the steam room.

If desired, you can slightly improve the design. Install a tee with a damper on the air duct. This will allow you to take both air from the bathhouse and from the street - the possibilities for regulating the parameters of the microclimate in the room are significantly expanded.

Video - Ventilation in a steam room with heated air

Arranging a sauna is a very interesting process, but troublesome. It is necessary to take into account a good hundred little things, so that it is not only comfortable, but also safe for health. The latter also depends on air exchange - improperly equipped ventilation in the sauna can form a draft or, conversely, lead to too much heating of the room!

The steam room is a key place for ventilation

The most important room of any sauna or bath is, of course, the steam room. And in the steam room, the high temperature largely depends on ventilation, and not only it, but also the quality of rest. What is the use of hot air if it is stale and saturated with damp smells and sweat products?

In addition, one should not forget that any steam room is a place with high humidity, which means an increased danger for all elements (especially wooden ones) to become a breeding ground for mold and fungus. And what sauna can do without electrics now? Even with a minimum of electrical equipment, you need to run a banal light, make a switch - that's the risk of getting an electric shock in high humidity!

In order not to have to constantly think about high humidity, it is better to think about high-quality ventilation once. Thinking, of course, will not be enough - you also need to implement the plan correctly! Since school days, we all know that hot air has one pronounced feature - it always tends to rise up, pushing cold air down. Thanks to this, the natural circulation of air in the atmosphere on a global scale and in each room in particular is ensured. Applied to the steam room, thanks to this law of physics, we get the hottest places on the upper shelves and relatively cool on the lower ones.

According to generally accepted standards, the air in the steam room should be updated at least three times per hour., optimal recommendations - all seven times! Such air exchange can be ensured using conventional supply and exhaust ventilation - hot air, rising to the ceiling, exits through the exhaust vent, as a result of which a slight vacuum is created in the intake duct, and fresh air enters the room. Such a system is applicable to the toilet, but, unlike them, has its own characteristics.

But the task is complicated by the fact that the hottest steam, which is located at the top level of the steam room, should not immediately slip into the hood, otherwise you will be left in a cold sauna, which urgently needs to be heated. If this happens, it means that the hood is equipped incorrectly! Sometimes this is due to the impossibility of the correct arrangement of elements due to the architectural features of the building, in which case it is necessary to consider options for ventilation combined with a mechanical method.

Supply and exhaust ventilation in the sauna - arrangement scheme

To begin with, consider the classics - natural supply and exhaust ventilation. The hood law of this type is the correct location of the inlet and outlet openings. The correct one is when the inlet is located near the stove or under it (if we are talking about the electric version), while the outlet is located on the opposite side. Also, cold fresh air will enter the steam room through a specially left 5-7 cm gap under the door.

The inlet openings must be located strictly below so that the cold air can have time to heat up before it enters the area where people stay.

For proper air circulation, one exhaust opening will not be enough. On the opposite side of the inflow, the first hood is located at a height of about a meter, the second is under the ceiling. Both openings must be connected by an exhaust duct, which leads either to the main ventilation system or to the chimney. If the air duct goes separately, then you need to remember that the higher the pipe rises above the roof level, the more thrust will be in the system - it is important not to overdo it!

So that you can regulate the intensity of air exchange, it is imperative to install shutters on the air outlets. How does such a system work? Let's imagine a standard steam room with a stove-heater at the far wall and a door at the near one. As expected, a gap was left under the door, and the hoods are located on opposite walls: near the stove and at the door.

Before heating the steam room, it must be properly ventilated so that there is fresh air in the room. The doors and outlets are then closed, leaving only the inlet valve open. The steam room will heat up quickly enough, since the hot air will soon have nowhere to go, which means that there will be no air discharge in the inlet.

When the sauna has warmed up, we still leave the upper channel closed, while opening the lower channel a little - thanks to this, air circulation in the steam room will begin, while the upper layers of the warmest air will not leave the room. Cold air will again begin to enter through the supply channel, but due to the proximity of the heater to the resting people, it will get already warmed up, gradually rising up and replacing the stagnant air.

Thanks to this air exchange, the room will have fresh and warm air. Vacationers may not even notice such a change, enjoying the process. Such a system provides economical handling of already heated air, which means you will save on coolant consumption. In addition, problems with mold and fungus will not affect you - thanks to this circulation, all elements will dry properly.

Combined system - when there are no other options

Structural features do not always give us the opportunity to provide ventilation strictly according to the above scheme. For example, a steam room has three adjacent walls with other rooms, and the inlet and outlet must be placed on the same wall. In this case, the correct location must be observed: the supply should be at a distance of 20 cm from the floor, while the outlet should be located at the same distance, only from the ceiling.

Cold air currents, entering the room, will pass through the stove, heat up and rise up, refreshing and warming the room. The disadvantage of this method is that the air circulation is too intense, which must be tightly regulated using valves on the holes.

There is also an option in which the inlet is not located below, under the stove, but above the heater. If the outlet channel is located at a higher level on the opposite wall, we will get a relatively normal movement of air masses. True, it may not be enough, therefore, in such cases, a fan is placed in the outlet to drive air. This will be combined ventilation.

Classic mistakes - what not to do

The most common mistake in the arrangement of supply and exhaust ventilation is the location of the ventilation openings at the same level. As a result, we get a draft below, and hot air at the upper levels will practically not take part in air exchange.

If you make only one hole for the air outlet under the ceiling, even with the correct placement of the inlet and outlet, the mixing of hot and cold air flows will be too fast - the steam room can cool down in a few minutes! Usually, the upper opening is used only in cases where you want to quickly reduce the temperature or completely ventilate the room.

It can be made according to different schemes, but there is no doubt that this structure cannot be dispensed with without it.

The presence of ventilation in the bath depends not only on the correct distribution of heat in the room, but also on the safety of visitors, as well as longevity services of a wooden bath building. In a bath, especially in a steam room, there is always a large amount of water and steam, and wooden surfaces absorb moisture, and periodic drying of the room is simply necessary. However, it will not be effective enough if constant ventilation is not organized in the premises, which significantly reduces the effect of moisture absorption by wood, since the air is in continuous movement.

The principle of operation of ventilation in the bath

The operation of the ventilation system is based on the known laws of physics, and the principle of its arrangement is quite simple and understandable.

• In the bathhouse, two ventilation windows are arranged, one of which provides fresh air, and the second allows hot and waterlogged air to exit.
• From the exact location of the ventilation windows will depend on which area of ​​the room the heated air will flow more intensively, which moves under the pressure of the heavier cold air coming from outside. Therefore, sometimes two outlets are arranged instead of one - this is done in order to be able to direct the flow in the right direction by opening one of them or both at the same time by a certain amount.

Thus, a very important factor is the size of the windows, as well as the ability to adjust the clearance they open. To do this, they install gate valves, which can be completely covered or left open a small gap.

• Another important task is the correct calculation of the total size of the ventilation window, taking into account the area of ​​​​a particular room.

- If you install too large openings, the steam room will either never be able to heat up to the desired temperature, or this will lead to excessive consumption of fuel or energy, or in order to achieve the required temperature, it will take a long time to adjust the distance to which you need to open each of the ventilation windows.

- If the ventilation windows are not large enough, the intensity of air movement will be noticeably reduced, which means that the room may overheat or oversaturate the air with moisture.

So, the soft intake, uniform mixing and removal of air from the room will depend on the size of the ventilation openings, their location and the equipment of the system with additional adjustment elements. That is, it is necessary to provide for all these parameters so that there are no sharp thermal drops in the room for individual parts of the body of a person washing in a bath, for example, when cold air blows from the street down their legs, and at the same time the head is under the influence of very high temperatures.

In any case, there will be a difference in air flow temperatures, and this is normal, but visitors should not feel any discomfort from this. Therefore, the air must be mixed as evenly as possible - this depends on the correct scheme of the ventilation system.

Important nuances of planning the ventilation system in the bath

Before proceeding with the choice of a ventilation system and the most suitable design, you need to understand some of the nuances that apply when installing any of them:

• The ventilation system is laid in the process - the necessary channels are laid and openings are made into which they are embedded or connected. Directly adjustable windows themselves are installed after the decorative sheathing of the room.

For, to to carry out these works without problems, it is necessary to include ventilation in the bath project in order to carry out all further construction work based on it.

• Ventilation openings, ideally, should be the same size. If it is necessary to accelerate the outflow of exhaust air, then the exhaust hole is made a little larger than the inlet, but for safety reasons, in any case, it is forbidden to make it smaller than the latter. Sometimes, as mentioned above, instead of one, two exhaust windows are arranged, not only to adjust the distribution of flows, but also to ensure safety.
• Ventilation windows must necessarily have doors or shutters. It is preferable to install the latter, as they close more tightly, leaving no gaps.

• During the initial heating of the steam room, the gate valves are completely closed until the required temperature is reached.
• Adjustable dampers are also necessary because the flow of cold air depends on the season. So, at a negative winter temperature, cold enters a warm room more intensively. Therefore, during this period, the ventilation windows do not open completely, holding back the flow of cold.
• The cross-sectional area of ​​​​the ventilation window is calculated based on the volume of the bath room. There is a norm that for its one cubic meter a window area of ​​​​24 square meters is required. cm.

• With incorrect calculations, with deviations in one direction or the other, the room will not be sufficiently ventilated or vice versa, it will be too cold.
• Ventilation windows are never located opposite each other and at the same level, since hot air will not have normal circulation and will not cover all the necessary heating areas. Its uniform mixing will not occur, so you need to carefully calculate the correct placement of the ventilation elements.
• The windows for the hood are always located at a height slightly below the ceiling, because the superheated air mass rises up. If an exit is provided for it, it rushes into the exhaust opening, which contributes to the timely cleaning of the air in the room. Only under these conditions will the bath house be beneficial, and a favorable and healing atmosphere can be created in it.

Types of ventilation

In different cases, depending on the design of the building and the total volume of the bath room, one of the types of ventilation is arranged.

natural ventilation

This type of ventilation system is based on the difference in temperature and pressure in the street and indoors. The effectiveness of such ventilation is achieved by the correct placement of the inlet and outlet windows. So, the entrance for external air is located next to, at a height of 250 ÷ 350 mm from the floor, and exhaust windows are usually on the opposite wall of the room, 150 ÷ ​​250 mm below the ceiling.

It is believed that this option is not particularly suitable for a steam room, since the hottest place in this room is its upper area, and the coldest is the floor. It is quite difficult to set up natural ventilation in such conditions, but if you arrange its elements correctly, then even with this distribution of air flows, you can achieve the desired effect.

Forced ventilation

There are special electronic systems for saunas and Russian steam baths, which are trusted to control the temperature and air flow.

The control panel sets the desired temperature and humidity level, which must be maintained in the room, creating a comfortable atmosphere in the bath. Such systems are carried out and connected by specialists, and such services are quite expensive.

Another option for forced ventilation is simpler in design and more affordable. This method of bath ventilation can be called the most widespread, as it will create the right atmosphere, regardless of the weather conditions "overboard".

In this system, in addition to properly located ventilation windows, a device such as an exhaust fan will be needed. The combined version is especially good for baths located inside the house, where ventilation windows are not built into the outer wall, but a long ventilation duct is laid to them from it. In this case, the fan provides the required amount of air inflow and outflow.

The duct exhaust fan must comply with the special conditions of the "bath" operation

It should be noted that special fans are purchased for the bath, which have reinforced waterproofing of the elements of the electrical circuit and the mechanical part. In addition, such devices must withstand high temperatures without losing performance. The working diameter and power of the device are selected depending on the volume of the room.

The required type of ventilation is selected individually for different rooms and types of baths, so when choosing a scheme, you need to carefully think through and calculate everything. Very often it makes sense to provide a combined scheme that combines both the natural circulation of air flows and the possibility, if necessary, to resort to forced circulation.

Video: basic principles and schemes of bath ventilation

Common bath ventilation schemes

The presented diagrams show different options for the relative position of the heater and shelves in the steam room, and the distribution of supply, hot and mixed air flows advising them.

First scheme ( a)

The most used ventilation scheme in the bath is when the window for incoming air is located next to the stove, at a height of 250 ÷ 350 mm from the floor.

During the heating of the stove, cold heavy air coming from the ventilation window moves a light hot stream to the opposite wall, lifting it up to the exhaust opening, which is located at a distance of 150 ÷ ​​250 cm from the ceiling.

Going all the way, from the lower window to the upper, hot and mixed flows cover the entire room, warming the area of ​​​​the upper shelf located under the exhaust window as much as possible. If there is insufficient air movement, a fan is installed in the upper vent.

A regulator in the form of movable shutters can be built into the inlet, which will help both regulate the intensity of the intake of fresh air and set, to a certain extent, the direction of the flow in the right direction.

The second scheme ( b)

Natural intensive blowing is carried out through the lower window, arranged on the opposite wall from the furnace. The movement of air in this case is directed towards the heating device, where the hot flow emanating from it is picked up, rises and rushes to the exhaust hole along a wide arc covering the entire volume of the room.

This scheme is well suited for placing a bath, arranged in a house, and having one external wall. In order not to stretch the ventilation duct to the opposite side of the bath, both windows are installed in the wall facing the street.

The third scheme ( in)

This scheme is suitable for a bath with a leak. The air intake window is located exactly in the same place as in the first scheme, near the stove-heater. The output is organized a little differently.

The air, after warming up the upper area of ​​the steam room, goes down, passes through the slots of the flooring, thereby helping to evaporate the moisture that has collected there, which significantly extends the life of the wooden floor.

The exhaust vent is located in an adjacent room or in an isolated channel that no longer has access to the steam room. It is usually equipped with a fan to ensure stable air circulation along such a complex trajectory.

The scheme cannot be called very popular - it is used infrequently because of its complexity in accurate calculations of the location of the ventilation windows, a rather laborious device with the movement of air flows in its cavity. However, it should be borne in mind that it is very effective, and contributes to the most uniform heating of the steam room and, at the same time, helps to quickly evaporate moisture from the wooden floor structures and dry them out.

The fourth scheme ( G)

The fourth option is designed for a constantly working furnace - only in this case, its blower hole will act as an exhaust hood. The inlet window is located under the shelf installed on the opposite wall from the furnace, at the level of its blower.

Cold air is directed towards the furnace and raises the air heated by it to the ceiling. Cooling down, the air masses are forced down and go into the blower hole.

There are also more complex schemes in which there are two supply and two exhaust ventilation windows with forced air circulation. Such a scheme requires careful adjustment, but allows you to set the required temperature in the room as accurately as possible.

As mentioned above, the ideal option would be to install the ventilation system simultaneously with the construction of the bath. In the event that an already finished room is being converted into a bath, or its arrangement is being made, it is best to choose a room or separate a corner that has two external walls. In this case, there will be no problems with the device of the ventilation system.

If this is not possible and the bath is located in the middle of a private house, then there are two options for ventilating the room - to carry out a ventilation duct that will connect the room to the street, or to bring the ventilation pipe through the ceiling and roof. In this case, the pipe must be closed from above with a protective umbrella, in order to prevent precipitation and fallen leaves from entering the ventilation ducts.

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Ventilation

Video: an example of self-arranging bath ventilation

As you know, ventilation is of great importance for every room, especially when it comes to rooms with high humidity. Bastu ventilation in the bath is installed quite often. When it comes to high temperatures, high humidity and the use of an oven, everything must be organized as correctly as possible, since the issue of safety plays a big role here. Installation of ventilation is one of the main points.

In the bath, most often they try to do without windows. Therefore, with the ventilation of the room can be a big problem. Thus, a lot depends on proper ventilation. In any room where the stove is operating and there is a risk of combustion products in the air, care must be taken to circulate oxygen and carbon dioxide.

From the decay products of combustion in the steam of the bath, you can get burned, so good ventilation is necessary for this room.

Important! From ventilation depends on how comfortable people will feel relaxing in the bath. But it is also a very important point in order to avoid the development of fungus and mold on the walls.

If the moisture from the bath cannot go anywhere, it will begin to settle on the ceiling, on the floor and on the walls. As a result, rotting of wooden elements and the development of microorganisms dangerous to humans will begin in the room. If you use a bath in which a fungus or mold has wound up, this can cause an allergic reaction in a person. It is very difficult to remove fungi and other harmful microorganisms, so you need to create all conditions in order to avoid their active reproduction in the room.

With a lack of ventilation in the bath, condensation can accumulate, which will lead to the appearance of a fungus

Types of ventilation in the bath

Ventilation systems can be divided into several types. The hood can be natural, forced, and the systems themselves can be exhaust, supply or supply and exhaust. Also, ventilation can be local or general.

With natural air exchange, fans or other devices that will drive air are not used. This type of ventilation can be attributed to the usual window. Forced systems provide exhaust air to the street, and instead of it, fresh air with a sufficient oxygen content is supplied to the room.

For natural salvo ventilation in the bath, one window is enough

Considering that there is always a stove in the bath, natural ventilation can also be easily arranged here. The thing is that heating the air will provoke its accelerated movement, so it’s enough just to make two types of holes, namely, supply holes through which fresh air will flow, as well as exhaust ones to remove carbon dioxide. The first must be at the bottom, and the second at the top of the wall or in the ceiling.

Natural ventilation in the bath works due to the difference in the location of the hoods and the air pressure in the bath

But often natural ventilation is not enough. If the weather is absolutely calm outside, then the air circulation in the cooling bath will not be good enough. This will lead to the fact that moisture will begin to stagnate in the room and mold will appear.

For such cases, the bath is equipped with forced ventilation. It differs from the previous version only in the presence of special fans in the holes. They can be turned on when you need to intensively extract carbon dioxide from the bath or, if necessary, eliminate high humidity after using the steam room.

Forced ventilation in the bath works for exhaust due to the draft of the fans

Regardless of which type of system will be used, the exhaust openings must be located above the supply ones.

In order to ensure high-quality ventilation of the bath room, you need to correctly calculate the number and size of exhaust openings. It is believed that a ventilation window of 20 centimeters should be installed per square meter of the room.

Bastu ventilation

For a simple bath, you can use simple ventilation systems. But recently, new and more effective solutions have become very popular, for example, bastu ventilation in the bath, the diagram of which can be found below. Such systems are increasingly appearing in Russian baths and replacing natural and standard forced ventilation.

An example for this type of indoor air convection was the arrangement of Swedish baths. Among Russian masters, the idea quickly took root, since the installation of bastu ventilation in the bath is very simple, and its action is quite effective.

Bastu ventilation in a Swedish bath is an influx of air under, air circulation under the shelves with an outlet at the top near the wall with a shelf

For such a system to work, a pipe is needed. With its help, air is taken from the street and delivered to the room. Also, a damper must be provided in the bastu system, which will allow you to control the process of air mass exchange. This avoids unnecessary heat loss.

For correct operation, the Bastu ventilation device in the bath must include two holes in the wall, from which two pipes will come out. Experts recommend choosing stainless steel, as it is not only durable, but also easy to install. Stainless steel pipes tolerate moisture and high temperatures well, so they are ideal for use in a bath.

To ventilate the bath, it is better to use stainless pipes for the bath.

The bottom pipe should be placed diagonally from the stove about 20 centimeters above the floor. The top is installed so that it is above the oven. Both openings must overlap and also open when necessary.

Thus, if we take, for example, a sauna that requires frequent air changes (several times per hour), bastu ventilation will be a very convenient solution.

As for the classic Russian bath, things are different here. Therefore, the installation of the system, and especially its operation, may differ slightly.

Natural ventilation bastu in the bath has a simplified view

Bastu ventilation in the Russian bath can be attributed to natural options, there are no special devices that would drive air, and the convection of air masses is regulated by valves installed at each pipe.

The bastu ventilation scheme in the Russian bath allows you to activate the ventilation holes when necessary. But it must be borne in mind that, like all other types of natural ventilation, bastu will only work if the stove is functioning or the wind is strong enough outside. This ensures the intake of fresh air. Without it, the furnace cannot work, due to it, traction is provided. But when new air masses appear in the room, the already used ones will be pushed out through the second pipe located above. Warm air with carbon dioxide always collects at the top.

Is it worth it to install basta in a Russian bath?

In a real Russian steam room there is always a lot of steam. There are no extremely high temperatures, so excess heat loss is unacceptable. Experts note that for such conditions, natural ventilation may not be the best solution. But if the bastu is still installed in a Russian bath, you need to use the system correctly.

It is not recommended to open the valves while vaping. So all the steam and heat will quickly leave the room. But the use of ventilation will be useful at the stage when the bath is just warming up. The active operation of the furnace can lead to the release of carbon dioxide, so ventilation is essential here.

It should be noted! The use of bastu-type ventilation in baths during the warm-up phase leads to the fact that kindling slows down significantly. This necessitates the use of more fuel. However, there is also a positive side, namely, that when the ventilation is turned on, the room warms up more evenly.

During the soaring itself, you should not use the ventilation system, but at the end of the procedure, it is worth activating the bastu pipes, as this will make your stay in the bath more comfortable. The air will become lighter as the steam escapes. It will become easier for a person to breathe, which will prepare the body for going outside. This is an excellent completion of the pair procedure.

you can control the ventilation of bastu in the bath due to adjustable ventilation holes

Moreover, if ventilation is activated at the end of the procedure, the air will become dry and excess moisture will disappear. Thus, the walls, floor and ceiling will be free from moisture, which will protect the bath from fungus and mold.

Pros and cons of bastu and natural ventilation

Important! The most important advantage of ventilation in a bastu bath is ease of installation.

There is no need to use any equipment, connect it to the network, etc. Everything is done very simply, and the ventilation functions on the fact that the stove draws fresh air through the lower pipe, which pushes the exhaust through the upper hole.

Work on such systems is simple, and materials are inexpensive. You can save on installation, as it is easy to do it yourself.

An additional plus is that natural ventilation works for a long time. It does not use equipment that can fail, so the system will function properly for many years. It is possible that someday the ventilation will need to be repaired, but, as a rule, it is insignificant and easily carried out on its own.

But bastu and other types of natural ventilation also have disadvantages. First of all, this concerns the fact that the possibilities of using ventilation directly depend on weather conditions and the operation of the furnace. If it is not very windy in summer, then in autumn and winter there are strong winds that cause drafts in the bathhouse. This complicates the use of ventilation.

The disadvantage of natural ventilation in the bath is a draft in strong winds.

Improper installation of the system can cause the air in the room to become unbreathable. There is no way to install filters in bastu, so unpleasant odors, for example, from a chimney, can penetrate into the steam room.

The scheme of the steam room is such that it maintains a constant high temperature, and the air must be moist, saturated with water droplets. But indoors with such climatic conditions, mold will definitely breed, and combustion processes will be disrupted due to the lack of oxygen, not to mention the fact that people inside will have nothing to breathe. Therefore, it is necessary to design ventilation in the bath. We will talk about it in this article.

Do you need a ventilation system

When building a steam room, novice builders try to fit all the rails and lamellas as tightly as possible, thereby ensuring the absence of temperature losses. This is actually true, but if you do not leave natural openings or artificially created bends, then significant smoke is possible if the stove is powered by wood or coal. Any fuel leaves traces of burning. Carbon monoxide in high concentrations will lead to loss of consciousness and the possibility of death, especially if the people in the room are steamed, with unstable pressure, dilated blood vessels.

Required for the following tasks:

• creating the necessary microclimate;
• airing and drying wood so that mold or fungus does not occur;
• the removal of carbon dioxide, there are people in the steam room, so a constant supply of fresh air is needed;
• facilitating the combustion process, for which oxygen is important;
• elimination of unpleasant odors;
• preservation of lamellas and shelves in their original form.

The principle of operation of the ventilation system in the bath

The entire ventilation network can be divided into natural, which is located in the walls, roof and foundation and is laid at the beginning of construction, and forced, which is activated only when using the steam room.

Both types work as follows: the exhaust oxygen is displaced and the space is filled with fresh air. The flow has two ends - inflow and outflow, respectively, you need at least two holes located according to the rule: supply hoods are lower than outflow ones.

Another nuance of the principle of operation - all the gas is taken from where it goes. That is, if the message occurs with the street, then everything should go there. Similarly - if in the next room, which is also possible. If the inlet and outlet are in different temperature conditions, then the flow will not form. However, it is recommended to do the inflow / outflow of air from the street, since even in the dressing room the air will be humid and insufficiently enriched with oxygen.

Proper ventilation in the bath in the steam room

When designing a building, you immediately need to calculate where the mines will go, what diameter they will be. And the holes themselves and the dampers on them are placed directly after facing with lamellas. There are 4 types:

• Finnish - 130mm inflow, 100mm exhaust.
• Swedish - 100mm inflow, 80mm exhaust.
• Russian - 100mm inflow, 100mm exhaust.

The most common solution, alas, is the lack of a ventilation system.

The size of the holes directly depends on what you want to end up with: a Russian steam room or a sauna.

Consider an example calculation. If the steam room is 3 m by 1.5 m with a height of 2.5 m, that is, approximately 10-11 m3, you need a 20 kW stove. In this case, it is better to use a natural type of air exchange - with an air inlet 10 cm from the floor at a distance of 30 cm from the stove, and a diagonal outlet - under the shelves at a height of 80 cm.

At the same time, it should be taken into account: from under the lining, the valve works only in the only closed position or in the open position. It should not be regulated, as it is made airtight, otherwise the steam will leave. Both outlets do not need to have the same radius, but if more efficient and faster circulation is needed, the first one can be made a little larger or two valves can be installed in different places. It is strictly forbidden to make it smaller than the supply device. This is against the safety rules.

It is imperative to make valves on the ventilation openings, which will hermetically adjoin the opening in the closed state - at the time of kindling and heating the steam room. In winter, these doors will be half closed, because the greater the temperature difference, the more air circulates. The hoods should be at the top, and the inflow should be at the bottom. This will allow oxygen to ventilate naturally. The most popular option today: 100 mm - supply, 80 mm - exhaust.

Types of ventilation

Some 5 years ago, no one spoke about the ventilation system in the bath, moreover, many argued that it was not needed in the bath. Enough presence of a window leaf. Times have changed, and now everyone is for ventilation in the bath. There is forced and natural. The chosen option depends on the area of ​​the steam room, climatic conditions, as well as on the desire of the owner.

Natural

It works on the difference in temperature and atmospheric pressure differences inside and outside. This is a very effective and long used method. There is a nuance for arranging such circulation in the steam room. In the most heated room, due to the natural laws of physics, it is difficult to provide uniform heat. Usually the higher, the hotter, and the floors can remain quite cold. The task of the builder is to think over the system so that the draft does not blow on the legs, and unbearable heat does not accumulate on the ceiling. This can be achieved by dividing the flows into two or three extracts.

Forced

This is an electronic control that depends on the temperature regime. You can turn the fresh air supply on and off as desired. It can be controlled using a digital device - how many degrees should be maintained throughout the entire time the procedure is taken, as well as what humidity the system needs to be adjusted to.

Typically, such complexes are created for commercial purposes, therefore they are much more expensive than elements for natural outflow, and installation can only be carried out by specialists.

One of the main disadvantages of using electronic systems is the possibility of leaving the fan on, which can lead to ignition of the wiring and fire.

Combined

When buying an electrical device, pay attention that they have the maximum protection of all wires and electronics from moisture.

How to make ventilation in the bath through special products

These are gratings made in the walls at the floor level (20 cm from it) and the ceiling. In this case, it is necessary to achieve the maximum distance from each other, this can be achieved if they are mounted diagonally, for example, one is installed between the door and the stove, the second - on the opposite wall.

Elements for the device of the circulation system, as well as chimneys and tanks for the Russian steam room can be ordered from Ferrum distributors, which are represented throughout Russia. A wide selection and quality of products will help you build a bath complex with your own hands with Ferrum products. can be viewed on the website.

Where to place the cold air inlet

It is located below. You can create it in the wall, but then it is necessary at the design stage to lay a pipe or shaft that will lead inside. In this case, it should be taken into account that fresh air will come from an adjacent room, and, therefore, it should not go out into the street, but into the same room. There is a minus - usually the shelves are installed opposite the entrance structure, and the circulation is felt by everyone present.

Another option involves the installation of air under the sun loungers. In many ways, this is the optimal location - it does not see through, does not spoil the appearance. But just reaching out to it can be difficult to adjust the position of the damper. In such cases, during the bathing procedure, the upper outflow doors are moved, and then both are opened for ventilation.

And another common and winning option is to place the inflow behind the stove. This simultaneously promotes circulation and heating of coals. But there are a few "buts" - sometimes the stove is installed in the wall, then there is simply no way to organize a damper there. And one more thing - because of the intense heat, plastic doors will melt here and wooden doors can start to ignite, so only metal ones will do.

With the output outflow is easier, it can be mounted:

• in the ceiling, but then you will have to make an additional box for output through the roof, because if the damp steam is in the attic, the wooden rafters will rot;
• in the wall - the best option, it is laid even at the time of the construction of the building.

How to make ventilation in a steam bath: hole sizes

The exact size of the airflow depends on humidity, temperature difference, minimum and maximum values. Experience suggests that the most optimal non-parameters are 10-15 cm, if desired, the outflow diameter can be increased, while flow systems cannot be larger.

In this case, it is necessary to install dampers. It is with their help that you will achieve the required radius when weather conditions change.

It is a common misconception that a person does not have enough oxygen to breathe if the supply is too small. This is not true. For an ordinary person, one cubic meter of air is enough for 1.5 hours.

Floor ventilation device

Why it's important: Wood flooring is affected by a number of factors, with moisture coming in from below, from the ground and foundation, and from above, from steam. Plus, condensation builds up. Such conditions are favorable for the onset of decay and for the spread of fungi and mold.

The most effective is the installation of vents under the floorboards. At the same time, there is no draft and the system can be used in the process of taking bath procedures. Another plus - ventilation occurs as if from the inside. That is, when airing, the upper part of the floor covering dries, and when the hood is running, the lower part dries.

To make this as productive as possible, when draining the steam room, take it to the side so that moisture does not spread under the floorboards.

Ventilation of the foundation of the bath

If you already take care of this when laying the foundation, then you will not have rot and mold in the construction. Air vents with a diameter of 110 mm or more should be installed on all four sides. This will ensure acceptable circulation even if the bath complex is located in the middle of other buildings. It is best to lay these pipes opposite each other.

Ventilation of various auxiliary rooms

The rest of the rooms should also have their own circulation.

Attic

A gable window is not enough, as steam often enters this space and can negatively affect the rafters. It is optimal to arrange the inflow under the roof canopy, and the outflow - on the ridge. So the flows will pass from bottom to top on both sides.

Washing

For the organization of air exchange, forced ventilation is most often used, which directs the flows towards the vestibule.

Ground floor

Owners of private houses can use the basement for a bath. It's possible, but it comes at a cost. Now the integrity of the whole house depends on the safety and efficiency of the circulation system. Already at the design stage of the building, it is necessary to provide for the distance between the walls and the insulation, otherwise condensate from the temperature difference will accumulate on the surface.

It is required to create forced ventilation, since natural ventilation cannot be provided due to the impossibility of installation near the floor (after all, it is underground). We recommend entrusting this issue to professionals.

shower room

Taking into account the fact that in the rest of the rooms there is already an inflow and outflow of oxygen, it is enough to design air from the fans in the ceiling or at the top of the wall so that the unpleasant smells of dampness come out. You should also do if the bath complex has a toilet.

dressing room

Here, you should also take special care of the circulation of air flows, since due to the close proximity to the steam room, a strong temperature difference and condensation on the walls form in the room. Similarly, the intake-outflow option is suitable. You can also arrange windows that allow you to quickly ventilate.

How to arrange ventilation in the bath and steam room - calculation of the scheme

We have already said about the standard value: 1 cubic meter of space requires 24 cubic centimeters of bends. When choosing pipes, they often stop at pipeline pipes - they are inexpensive and effective, but we recommend assembling such a system from Ferrum stainless chimneys, they have a long service life and do not deteriorate from constant interaction with moisture. The standard diameter is 10 centimeters. So, the cross-sectional area is 78.5 cm2. One such box is enough for 3.27 m3 of room volume.

We calculate the number of cubic meters. Suppose that the steam room has dimensions of 2 by 2 m2, the ceilings are also 2 m high. We multiply everything, we get 8 m3. We divide this by 3.27=2.45. Round up to three. As a result, you need to organize 3 boxes with a diameter of 10 cm for the entire steam room.

Ventilation device

There are several solutions:

• The location of the window next to the stove or under it. At least 25-35 cm should remain above the floor. In this case, the flow moves down, then rises along the opposite wall.
• Both holes are on the same surface, which is not recommended, but occurs. Then, be sure to install a fan on the hood. This is true when the steam room has only one wall facing the street, and the rest are adjacent to residential areas.
• The cracks in the flooring, if you have a multi-layered leaky floor, can draw in air, pass it through the space under the covering, and then return it up again. This ensures good ventilation of the floorboards.
• If the inflow is located opposite the stove, then it will work only if the heating is on.

All these types are presented schematically in the picture:

In the article, we talked about how to properly ventilate the bath, showed diagrams and explained the structure of the steam room. Design your bath complex together with high-quality products from Ferrum. On the site you will find chimneys and accessories for arranging a bath. Bathe in pleasure with Ferrum.

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