Ventilation in a room without windows: dressing room, pantry, bedroom

It happens that in a building there is a “dead” room without windows. This situation can also be observed in apartments, for example, after redevelopment or on the first floors with access to a busy street (which is why they are covered with bricks). They are also made in private homes: these are boiler rooms, storerooms, garages, and basements.

Even more often, such rooms are found in non-residential buildings: in warehouses, in office premises, in shopping centers. Sometimes they are used as a dressing room or storage room. No matter how “unnecessary” such a room may seem, it is necessary to install a ventilation system in it.

Why is ventilation needed and its types?

In areas where clothes and shoes are stored, it is imperative to organize good air exchange. Skin particles remain on things and shoes, skin secretions remain, and dust accumulates. All this is an excellent environment for the development of microorganisms. Therefore, good ventilation in the dressing room is a prerequisite for maintaining the normal state of things and the absence of a musty smell.

In dressing rooms, as in any other rooms, ventilation can be natural or forced. Natural ventilation works through physical processes - cold air enters from below, heats up and rises to the top. Therefore, if you make a supply hole at the bottom and an exhaust hole at the top, air movement will be ensured at a certain speed.

The principle of organizing ventilation of a house or apartment. Wardrobe ventilation is part of this system

If there are ventilation ducts near the dressing room, it makes sense to make a branch to the exhaust vent. This will solve many problems.

But the natural ventilation of a dressing room cannot always provide a sufficient air exchange rate. To increase it, fans are installed. They can be installed in both supply and exhaust openings. Most often, a forced hood is installed, and air flows naturally through ventilation gaps or holes. This allows you to not spend too much money, but still ensure a normal atmosphere in the room.

Three and a half reasons for the need for ventilation

Often wardrobes are parts of bedrooms, children's rooms, halls or corridors separated by a partition. In this case, such a space does not require the presence of a window, opening which could provide ventilation.

With another approach, niches, alcoves, arches or special storage rooms help keep clothes in order - places that, if necessary, can easily be converted into small dressing rooms. However, since often such options also do not require the presence of windows, the need to extend ventilation lines becomes clear. The need is caused by the following:

• during operation in a confined space, its own microclimate will be formed with elevated temperatures and humidity, and these are the conditions that are optimal for the development of colonies of unwanted microorganisms (fungus or mold);
• during wear and storage, wardrobe items and shoes acquire a specific smell (this is especially typical for fur products, which have a natural smell and on which perfume sticks well), well-organized ventilation of the dressing room can cope with even the most persistent odors;
• increased humidity due to the absence or insufficient level of air circulation will cause prolonged drying and damage to wet clothes that end up in the wardrobe.

During operation, the dressing room develops its own microclimate with elevated temperatures and humidity, which contributes to the development of fungus and mold

Experts advise allocating about 3.5–5 m2 of free space for organizing such a room. And if you succeed in following this recommendation, then you should install a mirror inside the wardrobe, put a chair or a small cabinet, and install lighting.

All this will become amenities that allow you not only to store textiles, but also to change clothes. With this approach, the mustiness of the air will clearly be unnecessary for the person located there, and therefore the need to install supply and exhaust is additionally actualized.

How to check whether a room without a window is ventilated?

Most often, in houses, especially apartment buildings, the developer provides a natural ventilation system. It is designed as follows: air exchange occurs through vertically located channels that run from the roof of the house to the basement. Using special outlets, unventilated areas of apartments are connected to the ventilation system. For many reasons, the ventilation in a room may not work.

In order to check the functionality of the ventilation system, you need to set fire to a rolled-up sheet of newspaper and bring it to the grille. It should be kept at a distance of 2 cm; if the paper is pressed against the grille, then the ventilation is working correctly and nothing interferes with the air circulation. If smoke goes into the room or the sheet is not pressed under the influence of the air flow, then there is no hood.

Tip: When checking how the system functions, do not use open flame. The newsprint should smoke but not burn. An open fire can be dangerous, as combustible and various flammable substances can form in a clogged exhaust pipe.

Kitchen hoods

The hood is an important element of ventilation in the kitchen. Today, the hood is a fashion accessory. It rids the kitchen atmosphere of moisture, unpleasant odors, gas and grease fumes.

Today, kitchen hoods perform not only practical, but also aesthetic functions.

Based on the principle of operation, there are two types of hoods:

1. Active. They are connected to a common house ventilation shaft or lead directly to the street.
2. Passive. Serves as a filter. They absorb air from the kitchen, clean it of impurities and release it back. They are not connected to ventilation.

Hoods vary in power. If the kitchen is large and food is prepared frequently and in large quantities, you need to purchase powerful equipment. The hood is powered by power. You can turn it on and off yourself and adjust the traction.

The role of air circulation systems

Ventilation in a room without windows plays a big role. Even if a room is used infrequently, carbon dioxide accumulates in it. If more than one person is constantly in the room, heat is generated at the rate of 60 W per hour, it creates excess moisture, which, in the absence of natural or artificial ventilation, will settle on the walls. As a result, it will be very stuffy inside, fungus will form on the walls, the spores of which are dangerous to breathe.

Clean ventilation ducts may not always provide the required amount of fresh airflow, even if the room has a window. The fact is that solid plastic products reliably insulate the room. There are positive aspects to this, but there are also disadvantages, for example, the room does not ventilate itself. With the help of special equipment, the problem can be solved: the system will forcefully ventilate the room.

Calculating air flow is very important

It is better to entrust the work to competent specialists who are well versed in the selection and installation of ventilation equipment. But even if you are going to do all the work yourself, you should entrust them with the calculations.

Remember that you need to ensure an influx of fresh air purified from all kinds of impurities,

but at the same time not to disturb the silence, for which high-quality fans are selected in specialized stores. You can consult in advance with specialists who will carefully study the features of the apartment and tell you how to make ventilation in a room without windows so that it effectively performs its assigned functions.

Arrangement of forced ventilation

Knowing how to make ventilation in a room without windows or with solid structures, you can do the work yourself. To do this, you will need two fans with approximately the same power. In addition, you will need to purchase a heater and filter; One device will be enough to operate the system.

In order to have somewhere to get air from, ventilation channels are punched in the walls. Pipes will be inserted there: to make holes for them, you will need to use a hammer drill.

Results and conclusions

The microclimate in the apartment and the well-being of everyone who lives in it depend on the ventilation in each room. Ventilation is most needed in rooms without a window, where there is always a high risk of air stagnation and mold development.

Using a modern range of equipment for organizing air exchange, you can easily organize normal ventilation with your own hands.

The variety of devices designed to solve this problem allows you to create an effective ventilation system without high financial costs.

Air exchange requirements for rooms without windows

According to documents SP 60.13330.2012 and SP 54.13330.2016, for a residential space with an area of ​​less than 20 m2, regardless of the number of people, the required air exchange is 3 m3/h per 1 m2 of area. Thus, full ventilation in a dressing room with an area of ​​8 m2 requires an air exchange of 24 m3/h.

For the bathroom, the standards are somewhat different. Regular air exchange should be 25 m3/h for separate and combined bathrooms and toilets.

If a closed room is a bedroom or other room in which people are constantly and the area of ​​which is more than 20 m2, there must be at least 30 cubic meters of air per person per hour.

Ventilation in a windowless room in an apartment is possible using two methods:

1. If the room has an external wall, then fresh air is supplied directly from the street.
2. If not a single wall of the room faces the street, then the flow of air into the room without a window must be organized through another room with good ventilation.

Third stage: ensuring circulation

Let's say there is natural exhaust. Before taking on rather complex work to ensure air flow, let’s check whether the air circulation in the room has deteriorated? And we will improve it if necessary.

Checking the ventilation in the apartment for proper circulation is done with the same unchanged piece of paper at the vent, but we leave the entrance doors and windows closed. But we open all the doors between the rooms wide open. Has the piece of paper reached normal? It's a matter of circulation.

You can improve air exchange between rooms without breaking through walls or installing supply valves there (see below). To do this, it is enough to provide a gap of 3-4 cm between the bottom of the door and the floor.

If you don’t like it that way, then at the bottom of the door you can drill 2-3 rows of holes with a diameter of 8-15 mm, and put decorative overlays with a fine mesh on them on both sides. The mesh will muffle the sounds. In the parents' bedroom, in the bathroom and in the toilet, it is better to drill holes with an inclination from the outside inwards. If your beloved child in adolescence wants to take a peek, let him look at the floor.

How to design such vents is a matter of taste, but you need to install a steel, fine-mesh, stainless mesh. You can use 2-4 layers with a gap of 2-3 mm. This will provide even better sound insulation.

Ventilation of a blind room without a window with an external wall

The easiest way to organize a flow of fresh air is with the help of supply devices - a wall valve or a breather.

Wall valves generally have low performance and are only suitable for small spaces. The breather organizes air supply for five people. Its three filters purify dirty air from dust, allergens and harmful gases. The Breezer is compatible with the MagicAir smart microclimate system, so it is convenient to control it from a smartphone.

The exhaust air will tend to another room where there is exhaust ventilation, for example, a bathroom.

Supply duct multi-systems

Duct ventilation is a complex of air ducts laid in all rooms. The heart of the system is the supply equipment located at the inlet.

The design and operation of ventilation is determined by the type of ventilation unit. Let us outline the features of the two most economical and effective methods of organizing air supply: ventilation with recovery and the use of VAV units.

The principle of operation of the complex with recovery

The recuperator is a component of the air handling unit. The heat exchanger can significantly reduce energy consumption by providing heat transfer from heated exhaust air to cold incoming air flows.

For the operation of the recuperator, in addition to the supply air duct, the installation of exhaust ducts is required, which affects the cost of the system. The efficiency of some heat exchangers reaches 95%

Two types of heat exchangers are installed in ventilation systems: plate and rotor.

Plate recuperators. Structurally, they are a cassette installed in the air duct. Air flows are “cut” by a block of plates. Warm air passes from one side of the plate, and cold air from the other. As a result of heat exchange, condensate forms and must be removed.

Features of operation of plate recuperators:

• fresh supply and exhaust air do not mix;
• the likelihood of freezing in winter;
• Condensation does not accumulate in recuperators made of vapor-permeable thin films.

However, the service life of such equipment is limited to ten years.

Rotary recuperators. The principle of heat redistribution is based on the rotation of a drum through which versatile air jets move. Gradually, rotating in the drum unit, the exhaust air “shares” heat with the rotor sector. When the heated section of the rotor enters the cold supply flow, the air heats up and the rotor cools.

Rotary heat exchangers are characterized by their compact size and high energy efficiency. The disadvantage of the device is partial mixing of dirty and fresh air. In cold weather, turning off rotary models is undesirable

Details about the design and operating principle of climate control units with heat recovery are written in this article, which we recommend that you read.

VAV system – ventilation according to needs

Variable Air Volume (VAV) installation is an efficient ventilation system that provides air flow and heating with minimal energy consumption. The complex allows you to adjust the parameters and ventilation mode for each room separately.

A standard ventilation system supplies air without taking into account the time of day, the purpose of the room or the number of residents. The performance of the VAV system is selected by the user based on specific operating conditions.

Example of VAV ventilation operation. Let’s assume that a complex with a maximum productivity of 300 cubic meters per hour serves two rooms: a bedroom and a living room. If in winter there was not enough heater power to heat the air flow to a comfortable temperature, then in the case of conventional ventilation the total performance would have to be reduced. As a result, both rooms would become stuffy.

The operation of the VAV system can be adjusted to supply air to the living room during the day, and to the bedroom at night. Each room has a separate ventilation switch

Adjusting the performance allows you to save up to 25-50% energy compared to traditional ventilation.

In addition to reducing energy bills, a VAV system has other benefits:

• no freezing of equipment;
• “exhaust” is discharged through the existing ventilation ducts, so there is no need to equip a network of exhaust air ducts;
• low cost of operation.

The disadvantage of VAV ventilation is the high price of the equipment and difficulties in assembling and adjusting the functionality of the complex. Design and installation must be carried out by specialists.

Ventilation in a blind room without an external wall

Leaving the door to the room open to allow fresh air from another room to enter is the simplest solution, but not always ideal. For example, if a windowless room serves as a workshop, you will need to lock the door to protect children and pets from fragile parts or dangerous tools. In such a situation, doors with bars at the bottom or ventilation holes in the wall will help.

If it is not possible to organize ventilation of each room, then the volume of air entering the ventilated rooms should be sufficient for the volume of all rooms.

When ventilation is organized during the process of redevelopment or repair, one of the walls of the room without windows is not completed, that is, 10–20 cm are left between the top point of the wall and the ceiling. The air movement to the hood will be directed through this hole.

If your home has a ventilation system, you can try running a separate line of ducts to the room. This option is more relevant for those premises in which finishing work is still underway; otherwise, laying additional air ducts in the ventilation system may ruin the repair.

What are the options?

Practice shows that simply temporarily opening the door is not enough to ensure a sufficient level of ventilation. The situation is somewhat simplified if the dressing room is a walk-through room and has two doors.

However, in both cases, in order to avoid the appearance of a musty atmosphere and excess humidity, users will have to keep the doors constantly open. This is especially inconvenient when there are children or pets in the house. In general, we can say that the type of ventilation system for dressing areas depends on the presence or absence of windows in them.

Window opening in the dressing room - trump card or inconvenience

On the one hand, this arrangement greatly simplifies the task of ensuring normal air exchange. However, there are also difficulties here. Wooden frames are able to pass a certain amount of air, so even when they are closed, a certain level of gas exchange is maintained.

Having a window in the dressing room has its advantages and disadvantages

Nowadays, wood profiles in window openings are less common than plastic ones. Meanwhile, modern window systems are often equipped with micro-ventilation modes; it is very convenient to use them inside utility rooms. However, if such a design is not provided for in the existing window, then the installation of a special ventilator will be required. The task of this element is to draw in air from outside. The movement of the air mass and exhaust will occur in the direction of the opening of the ventilation line through door slots or specially mounted openings.

The same thing happens if a supply valve is installed in a window; it will be responsible for the supply of oxygen, and the movement of air towards the hood will occur due to the draft from the main channel, covered by a ventilation grille (most often in the kitchen).

Note! To separate the dressing room from the common living space, either standard hinged interior doors or sliding options, somewhat reminiscent of wardrobe doors, are often used. Both solutions do not involve closing the opening too tightly, and therefore, from the point of view of ventilation, are quite suitable for a dressing room.

Closed circuit ventilation

Installation of natural ventilation in dressing rooms without windows can be done in different ways. Ideally, behind the wall of this block there is an exhaust duct that opens into the volume. Provided the device is properly installed, as well as free access to its neck, this element of ventilation communications will remove air entering indirectly or directly.

In the first option, the inflow will flow through the loose profiles of window and door openings, moving according to the laws of physics towards the exhaust opening of the ventilation system. As it moves, the air will mix with the smallest particles of dust, as well as steam and household gaseous substances, carrying these foreign elements outside the home.

The second option becomes possible only for those dressing rooms, one of the walls of which borders the street. At the same time, to create a normal gas exchange system, wall valves are cut into it to ensure air flow. The outflow occurs through an embedded exhaust duct. If for some reason this design does not exist, and the dressing room itself is “sandwiched” between the residential parts of the apartment, then ventilation occurs through holes in the walls adjacent to the ventilated rooms.

It is not always possible to fully ensure the proper temperature and humidity characteristics using natural gas exchange mechanisms. In addition, if there is no exhaust arm or a corner location of the dressing room without a window, ventilation of this type will simply not work.

The diagram of the movement of air masses will look like this. The inflow enters through cracks in walls, window and door openings, after which it moves in the direction of the kitchen hood vents or in the direction of the ventilation outlets of the plumbing cabin.

According to the laws of physics, air masses will move along the simplest trajectory, skirting areas without equipped hoods. Therefore, a dressing room that is not equipped with an exhaust arm will accumulate moisture over time, which will cause premature failure of the items stored here.

Forced supply and exhaust ventilation in the house will not allow moisture to accumulate in the dressing room

The way out of this situation will be to install forced supply and exhaust ventilation throughout the house with the obligatory organization of the outlet of the exhaust circuit into the wall of the dressing room. To ensure sufficient draft, you can install a fan at the entrance, the performance of which is selected in accordance with the needs of the dressing room.

When setting up a room for storing home textiles, style items or shoes in a country house, cottage or apartment, do not forget to connect all communications there. Ensure timely and complete ventilation of the dressing room and your clothes will always smell nice and last a long time.

Ventilation in a blind bedroom without a window

Ventilation in a bedroom without a window requires a particularly careful approach: the air quality determines how easily you will wake up in the morning. In just an hour, two people in a bedroom manage to “inhale” a level of carbon dioxide that is three times higher than the norm! It is precisely because of the high concentration of CO2 that in the morning we are overcome by a feeling of weakness and lack of sleep.

In this case, natural ventilation in a room without windows is unlikely to provide the necessary air exchange - we recommend using a breather so that there is always enough fresh air. The CO2 sensor of the MagicAir monitoring system will help you track the level of carbon dioxide in the room.

How much air do you need to provide?

It is important to calculate the required volume of air masses required for the room. In calculations you need to rely on the following nuances:

• how many people and how often will be in such a room;
• what exactly will the room be used for (if for relaxation and quiet time, then you can get by with an influx of 30 m³/h per person, if complex physical work is performed, then 60);
• what conditions are typical for the room (for example, if it is a basement, then the likelihood of dampness inside is higher than in an above-ground room);
• whether harmful hazardous substances will be released (for example, if a workshop is being built in a windowless room where painting work will be carried out).

For most cases, a simple calculation can be done. It follows from this that about 30 cubic meters of air per hour are required per person in the room. This is the minimum value, but in general it is advisable to raise it to 32-35 cubic meters of air per hour.

How to make ventilation in a dressing room without windows

Mostly, dressing rooms are located in small rooms without windows. In this case, there is no hope for air flow through the cracks. We need to make holes. Inflow can be provided through:

• gap between the bottom edge of the door and the floor;
• special door design for dressing rooms (with slots or inserted ventilation grilles);
• holes in the walls, which are located at a height of no more than 20-30 cm from the floor (possibly lower, just above the baseboards);
• technological gaps left during the construction of partitions;
• in private houses - through a ventilation hole in the floor (from the lower floor or from the basement, if there is normal humidity there).

  There are adjustable grilles

The dimensions of the supply openings depend on the volume of the room and the speed of movement of air masses. According to the standards in dressing rooms for storing things, it is necessary to ensure a one-time air exchange. For example, what if your dressing room has dimensions of 1.5 * 2.0 * 2.8 (width, length, height), then its volume (found by multiplying all numbers) is 8.4 cubic meters. In an hour, to maintain normal air, 8.4 cubic meters of air. This way, dressing room ventilation will prevent the appearance of foreign odors.

If ventilation works normally in the apartment, for these purposes it is enough to make an inlet opening measuring 100*100 mm. Section - round, square, rectangular - it doesn't matter. The main thing is that its area remains the same or more. In general, this parameter is calculated or found from a table. But the tables indicate much larger volumes.

Table of dependence of air exchange on the size of ventilation ducts and exchange rate

But the ventilation of the dressing room will work normally provided that there is an exhaust duct. This could be a similar lattice in the wall. It should be located on the wall opposite the supply hole, closer to the ceiling. Moreover, we must strive to space these holes as far as possible - so that the air flow covers as large an area as possible.

If the supply opening is made in the door, and the doors are in the middle of the width of the room, then it is worth installing two exhaust grilles - on the right and on the left, 15-25 cm away from the corners.

Where should the exhaust vents go? At best - into the ventilation duct. A possible option is to go outside, if one or more walls of the dressing room face the street. In this case, you can take the supply duct to the street, and the exhaust duct to the ventilation or any of the adjacent rooms.

Diameter of ventilation channels

It is not enough to punch a through hole of any size: proceed on the basis that 1 m2 of hole should have a diameter of 1.5 cm; if the room is 20 meters, then you need to punch a hole with a diameter of 20 cm.

For ventilation to work effectively and not interfere, the hole should be located slightly above floor level. The air duct should extend 40 mm outwards. It should be directed upward: this ensures optimal supply and exhaust of polluted air from the room. To prevent dirt from entering the air duct, it is protected by a special roof and mesh.

Ventilation in a room without a window is made in the form of an air duct with perforations on the walls, which can be placed vertically or horizontally. This device is necessary for uniform distribution of air in the room. To ensure the exhaust of used air, it is necessary to install a hood. Installed at the top of the wall at a distance of about 50 cm from the ceiling. In private houses, the exhaust pipe must be at least 30 cm above the roof. In an apartment it can be placed along the wall at the same height. In both cases, the pipe should be directed upward.

Ventilation in a windowless room will be more effective if the exhaust pipe is also equipped with a condensate separator and grille. This will prevent it from clogging with various impurities.

To effectively suck air into the duct, you must use a fan of sufficient power. Outside air enters the room, first passing through a filter.

How to do it?

In many ways, the solution to this problem depends on whether this room borders the street or not. If it borders, then it will be much easier to install a ventilation system, and this will not require the installation of air ducts. If it does not border, then the task becomes more complicated, and will depend on how far the room is from the street.

Another main rule: in “dirty” rooms an exhaust hood is always installed, and in “clean” rooms a supply air supply is installed. “Dirty” includes the kitchen, bathrooms, and rooms where harmful substances are released into the air.

Below we will look at some of the simplest situations and methods for solving them.

If it's a kitchen

A prerequisite for organizing a ventilation system is the presence of a ventilation shaft in it. It will act as an exhaust system and stale air will be removed through it. The second option is to exhaust air through a kitchen hood (which is vented either into the ventilation shaft or directly outside, through a wall or through an air duct).

The air flow will be carried out from other rooms: either through the cracks under the doors, or through the transfer grilles (if there are no cracks).

In this case, it is necessary to check the draft of the ventilation shaft. To do this, you need to take a strip of thin paper and bring it to the ventilation grill.

If the piece of paper is attracted, the ventilation shaft is working normally. If not, or attracts very weakly, the ventilation shaft either does not work at all or works poorly (possibly due to the fact that it is clogged and needs to be cleaned). If for some reason cleaning is not possible now, it makes sense to install a forced exhaust fan in the wall, with output directly to the street.

The power of the fan must completely ensure the removal of air in a volume equal to the number of people living, multiplied by 30. For example, if 3 people live in an apartment, then the fan must remove at least 90 cubic meters of air per hour.

If this is a room that borders the street through at least 1 wall

If this is a “dirty” room, then a hole is made in the street wall and a fan is inserted into it. It will draw air out, and the influx will come from other rooms (through transfer grilles or through cracks under the doors).

Arrangement of fresh air ventilation in the apartment

If this is a “clean” room, then an inflow is made through the street wall using any of the methods below:

• through the supply wall valve;
• through the air handling unit;
• through the hole with the installed fan.

Air removal will be carried out through another room from which the hood is made.

If this is a room that does not border the street

Often in such cases we are talking about a storage room (if it is an apartment or a house), which is often located in the “depths” of the home.

In this case, you can arrange the ventilation system in one of the following ways:

1. If a room without windows is located between another room where there is an inflow, and another room in which there is an exhaust hood. You can make holes in the walls between them by covering them with bars (or installing a fan in one or both holes). This option is suitable if you need little air (if the room is small), and if clean air will come from the room from which there will be inflow.
2. If the building (apartment, house) has an air duct system (either supply or exhaust, or one or the other). In this case, a separate line of air ducts is laid to a room without windows. If the ventilation duct serves only one purpose (for example, it only removes air), then the inflow also needs to be arranged separately. This can be done, for example, from the next room, through a hole.
3. If the room is too large, or the exhaust/ventilation shaft opening is far away, it would be better to lay an air duct for both supply and exhaust. Moreover, in this case it is necessary to install a fan on both systems.

Installation of ventilation in a room without windows (video)

If the room is located below ground level

We are talking about the basement. If at least a small part of the room is above ground level, an inflow can be made through the wall in this place. The exhaust is done through the building's exhaust system (ventilation shaft or simply an exhaust hood). If there is no ventilation shaft, then air is removed through a hole (with or without a fan) in the wall, which is opposite the inflow point.

If the room is located completely below ground level, in this case both supply and exhaust are organized through air ducts with fans. Pipes are laid from the surface, through the walls, opposite each other (supply on one wall, exhaust on the other). Fans are inserted into the pipes: one supplies air inside, the second blows it outside.

In a room located below ground level

Many basements have a section that is located above ground level, usually reserved for the stairs. This place can be equipped with an artificial air flow system mounted into the wall.

To eliminate air stagnation, simply connect to a ventilation shaft or exhaust ducts. You can also create another hole in the wall with a fan, opposite the point through which the inflow will occur.

When the entire room is located below ground level, the only option left is to use ductwork with a fan. To do this, it is necessary to lay pipes going out to the first floor, securing them to the walls.

One will be responsible for the inflow, the other, located on the opposite wall, will be responsible for the outflow. A fan is installed in each of the pipes, which will direct air in the appropriate direction, depending on the purpose of the pipe (inflow or outlet).

Natural ventilation in a dark room

If the layout of the apartment was initially designed in such a way that there are rooms without windows, then the walls must have ventilation ducts for natural ventilation, which look like small holes in the wall under the ceiling, covered with bars.

If there are no such holes in the wall or the draft is disrupted, then the air in the room becomes stuffy. Natural ventilation in such rooms can be easily improved by installing a fan on the air duct opening or by installing special forced-type air supply devices if there are no air ducts in the wall.

The movement of air masses can also be improved by cross-ventilating the entire apartment. But through ventilation during the cold period is fraught with the formation of condensation on windows and walls.

Is a fan needed?

As has already been said, the natural ventilation of the dressing room does not always provide sufficient air movement speed and a musty smell still appears. This usually happens in the summer, when it is too hot outside and natural air movement is minimal or the draft generally reverses (air masses move in the opposite direction). In such cases, fans are installed on the exhaust openings. Their power is selected depending on the volume, but as a rule, the lowest power ones are sufficient - 10-50 cubic meters per hour. In this case, the main selection criterion is quiet operation. After all, many dressing rooms open onto bedrooms or other living spaces.

Fans may vary. You can even use computer coolers

Many people find it intimidating to install fans—they have to run almost 24/7. In general, not necessarily. It is quite enough if it turns on for 15-20-30 minutes every hour. This mode is provided by timers, controllers and other similar devices. All that is required is to select the operating mode and set the appropriate settings.

Yes, this is an additional expense, but the forced ventilation of the dressing room works constantly and does not depend on the vagaries of the weather.

Do-it-yourself supply ventilation in a dead room

Sometimes the natural ventilation of an apartment is not enough to ensure normal air exchange in all rooms, especially where there are no windows. Therefore, for a normal microclimate in rooms without windows, forced ventilation is used.

In a room without windows, forced-air ventilation is most often installed.

The supply ventilation system consists of a hole in the wall and a valve with a plug. Sometimes the supply ventilation in the bedroom is additionally equipped with fans, heaters and filters for air purification.

Most people do not know how to make ventilation in a room without windows with their own hands, but installing ventilation does not require special knowledge or effort. To organize ventilation you will need:

1. A device for making large-diameter holes in a wall or a hammer drill with a special attachment.
2. A piece of plastic pipe of suitable diameter.
3. Plug and mesh.
4. Insulation.

A hole is made in the wall into which insulation is placed. A piece of plastic pipe of suitable diameter is inserted into the hole on top of the insulation. The voids between the insulation and the pipe are filled with polyurethane foam.

On the street side, the pipe is covered with a mesh to prevent street debris from entering the valve. In the room, the hole is closed with a specialized plug with the ability to regulate the air flow.

In a room without windows, this type of ventilation helps to provide a comfortable microclimate, but in winter it will require additional costs to heat the room.

If the owner wants to save on heating the room in winter, he should purchase a ready-made structure that allows the room to be ventilated at any time of the year without additional energy costs. Such ready-made structures can also be installed independently.

Kinds

There are two main principles of operation of ventilation systems in apartment buildings: natural and forced. Regardless of the type used, it is easy to design and create it yourself; moreover, in a number of special situations it may be necessary to use a combined technique.

Natural

The essence of air circulation in an apartment in a natural way comes down to the independent entry and exit of air from the room. This process is carried out due to the difference in temperature between the fresh air that has just arrived and the exhaust air.

Almost all multi-apartment residential buildings are equipped with a system of ventilation shafts, the main task of which is to ensure that exhaust air from the premises exits to the outside.

Grilles leading to these channels are usually located in the kitchen and bathroom. Their end is on the roof of the building. In this case, each apartment is equipped with a separate air duct, which is connected to a common duct system.

The process of natural air circulation is carried out as follows: cold flows, which have more weight than hot ones, enter the room, thereby forcing warm volumes to rise upward, to the ventilation grilles. This simple procedure ensures natural ventilation of the room.

Forced

Additional forced ventilation works through specialized mechanisms. It is used when natural ventilation of the room is not enough to provide comfortable conditions for human life. There are three main types of forced ventilation systems:

• supply air - works by providing additional flows of fresh air, which brings the temperature difference to an indicator sufficient to displace waste masses into the ventilation duct system;
• exhaust - works by increasing the outflow of exhaust air masses;
• complex - the two types described above are used together.

All of the forced-type ventilation systems described above can be designed with your own hands; to do this, it is enough to have minimal theoretical knowledge and basic skills in working with tools.

It is important that before installing a forced ventilation system, you need to make sure that the duct system is stable and, if necessary, clean them. The beginning of the installation of a forced system is the installation of supply devices

In most cases, this is quite enough.

Ready-made solutions for your home

To simplify the ventilation of rooms without windows, forced ventilation devices were invented. Such devices are called aerogivers; they are easily mounted on a wall inside a room. Although air vents are expensive and can only provide fresh air in the room where they are installed, they are an excellent ready-made solution for organizing air exchange.

A good ready-made solution for apartments and houses with blind rooms is split systems with climate control.

Aerogivers

Aerogivers consist of devices that allow the flow of clean air into the room; filters to clean the air from dust, harmful impurities, and allergens; recuperators and dryers.

It is easy to install the airgiver in an apartment yourself; to do this, you will need to carefully study the instructions and prepare the device for making a hole in the wall.

The main advantage of such devices: the room is ventilated around the clock, but there are no unpleasant odors from the street in the room. Clean air enters the room already heated, because... Most of these devices are equipped with a recuperator.

When installed correctly, aerogivers do not create additional noise in the room, so they can be installed even in a nursery.

Air conditioner

Almost all modern air conditioners are made in such a way that they provide a flow of fresh air into the apartment from the street, and do not simply dehumidify the air inside the room. Therefore, split systems with climate control are a complete replacement for natural ventilation in rooms without windows.

Some air conditioners can additionally enrich the air with ions, warm it up and clean it of allergens.

But split systems with climate control capabilities are installed point-by-point and are not able to ensure the correct movement of air masses throughout the apartment. Therefore, to ensure a comfortable microclimate throughout the apartment, it will be necessary to install air conditioners in each room.

Ventilation devices

Ventilation can also be achieved using special devices. They are divided into groups depending on the direction of air movement inside. In practice, the following classification is most often used:

1. Inlet.
2. Exhaust.

The installation specification directly depends on the type chosen. Additionally, system requirements and characteristics should be taken into account. For example, a ventilation valve is installed directly into the wall itself. That is why the layout of the building and diversion routes is of key importance here.

Wall ventilators help eliminate unpleasant odors in office premises. They are also installed in the kitchen, toilet or bathroom. If necessary, the flow of fresh air can be organized in rooms of another type.

Ventilators for PVC windows

Window ventilators also help organize the necessary circulation of air masses. The most common installation method is a hole in a window opening or a special grille in plastic windows. In practice, another classification of all devices used is also used:

• Depending on the specification of the method of air penetration into the room: mechanical or natural.
• The service space plays an important role: local or general purpose.

Modern supply and exhaust systems help organize the flow of fresh air at any time of the year through the use of purifiers and filters. At the same time, they do not have a negative impact on the temperature in the room, since they use recuperators. Their choice is also preferred by institutions.

Schemes of ventilation systems for dressing rooms of different layouts

In addition to volume, the main parameter when choosing a scheme is the layout and location of the wardrobe in the apartment. Further actions depend on where exactly it is located and what rooms it borders on.

The options are:

1. A wardrobe (essentially a partition from floor to ceiling that delimits a room).
2. Separate room with window.
3. A separate room without a window, through the wall (at least one) - the street.
4. A separate room, surrounded by other rooms (no window or outside wall). The option is the most inconvenient in terms of ventilation, but the most common - in apartment buildings, utility rooms are usually planned this way.

Below we will look at how to make a ventilation system for each case.

Closet

This option is common in both apartments and houses - instead of installing ordinary wardrobes and/or chests of drawers.

The air exchange device depends on how many walls (partitions) the wardrobe has and what size it is. Typically, such wardrobes are not made huge: most often it is a “simple” wardrobe with shelves and drawers, just not free-standing, but “attached” to the wall.

Let's consider how to organize its ventilation depending on different layouts:

1. If the closet has only one - front - partition, and on the other 3 sides there are apartment walls bordering the living rooms. It will be enough to embed the transfer grilles in the lower and upper parts of the partition.
2. If the closet has only a front partition, the remaining 3 sides have apartment walls, one of which borders the bathroom/kitchen. In this case, you can embed a transfer grille into the lower part of the partition (through it there will be an air flow from the room to the closet). To remove air, you can drill a hole in the wall between the cabinet and the kitchen/bathroom and cover it with a grill. The option is not the most convenient: perhaps in the future you will want to rearrange and move the cabinet, and in this place there will be a hole in the wall.
3. If the cabinet has 2 or more partitions. In this case, a flow grille is embedded from below into the partition, which is located closer to the window. The second transfer grille cuts into the top (closer to the ceiling) in the partition, which is located closer to the door.

In general, it is not necessary to bother with ventilation in wardrobes - in most cases, it is enough to simply cut the flow grilles into the door, and that will be enough.

Separate room with window

The simplest option, in which you can do nothing at all: all the conditions have already been created.

Dressing room with 2 windows

In this case, air flow can be ensured in the following ways:

1. Keep the window slightly open. Suitable if the window sash is fixed in several positions, and if there is no source of loud noise or odors under your window.
2. Install the window comb and keep the window slightly open. Suitable if the window sash does not have “its own” fixation modes. Cost: the simplest comb can cost up to 1000 rubles.
3. Install windows with micro-ventilation mode (if the apartment is under renovation, or it’s time to change the windows). This option is better than the previous ones in that you don’t have to keep the window open. This means that street sounds and smells will not enter it, insects will not fly in, rain or snow will not fall into it.
4. Install the window valve. Suitable if it is not possible to keep the window open (for example, due to noise), and it does not have a ventilation mode. The downside is that not everyone can install the valve with their own hands. The product itself will cost about 3-5 thousand (depending on the model), installation by specialists can cost about the same.
5. Install a window fan. If your dressing room is large, or some expensive items will be stored there, then this option can be considered. Natural ventilation (all the methods above refer to it) has unstable performance, while a fan can maintain constant air exchange.

For the flow and further removal of air, there must be a gap under the door to the wardrobe. If it is not there, then you can embed a transfer grille (or a valve, like Domvent) into the door leaf.

A more expensive and somewhat unusual option: you can install a miniature Aeromat installation in the window. Inside the rectangular housing there are fans that supply air to both the supply and exhaust. That is, they can renew the air even in a sealed room. The downside is that such products cost several tens of thousands of rubles, and only a specialist can install them.

Separate room without window, street through the wall

It will be more difficult to independently organize a ventilation system in such a room than if there was a window. But there are many implementation options.

An example of a ventilation system for such a layout: 1 - air flow through the gap under the door; 2 - place for inserting an exhaust fan

In the previous paragraph, we considered a scheme in which air only enters the dressing room from the street - since in a room with a window this option is the simplest. If there is no window, then in any case you will have to make a hole in the wall for ventilation. And through it it is already possible to organize both inflow and exhaust.

First, let's look at how the air flow through the wall is done. To do this, a hole is drilled in it and a wall valve is inserted. The option is the simplest and cheapest (the valve itself can be purchased for 3-5 thousand, installation will cost the same amount).

There is another option, but it is impractical: instead of a valve, an air supply unit is installed. This device is more expensive: such equipment will cost more than 10 thousand rubles. The most important thing: the units have high air output - which is not necessary for a small dressing room.

As mentioned above, instead of an influx from the wardrobe, you can organize an exhaust hood. In this case, a hole is drilled in the wall and an exhaust fan is inserted into it (which will not blow into the room, but into the street). This option is suitable if the room with a dressing room is located far from the kitchen/bathroom.

The general rule for any method: there must be a flow of air between the wardrobe and the corridor (or room). To do this, either there must be a gap under the door, or there must be a transfer grille in the door leaf.

Separate room, surrounded by other rooms

The most inconvenient and difficult option to implement. Such layouts are common: owners often make wardrobes in closets, which are located “inside” the apartments. And when building houses with dressing rooms, they are also usually located exactly according to this plan.

An example of a ventilation system for such a layout (laying air ducts from the dressing room to the ventilation shaft in the bathroom)

In this case, it will be more difficult to complete the task, especially on your own (without specialists). There are several solution schemes:

1. In the wall that borders the living room with a window, if the room is further from the kitchen/bathroom than the wardrobe, a hole is made and covered with a grill. Air will flow through it. The air is removed through the gap under the door into the corridor and then to the nearest ventilation shaft or exhaust hood. If there is no gap, a transfer grille is installed in the door.
2. If there is a kitchen/bathroom or a room with a hood across the wall with the wardrobe, a hole is made in this wall and covered with a grill. Air will be removed through it. Fresh - will enter through the gap under the door/transfer grille.
3. If the house/apartment is under renovation and suspended ceilings will be installed, you can install a system of air ducts that will remove air from each room. In this case, a separate line is drawn to the wardrobe. The influx of fresh air will come through the gap under the door. The exhaust line can go either to the nearest ventilation shaft (as in the image above), or through the wall to the street (in this case, an exhaust fan is placed in the air duct).

Sources

• https://stroychik.ru/garderobnaja/osveshhenie-i-ventilyaciya
• https://sdelalremont.ru/sposoby-ustrojstva-ventilyacii-v-komnate-bez-okon.html
• https://tion.ru/ventilyaciya/v-komnate-bez-okon/
• https://climatdoma.net/ventilyatsiya-dlya/nezhilyh/ventilyaciya-v-komnate-bez-okon.html
• https://vozduhstroy.ru/ventilyaciya/v-komnate-bez-okon.html
• https://ventihome.ru/dlya/nezhilyh/ventilyaciya-v-garderobnoy-komnate.html

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Important nuances when developing a design project

When creating a harmonious interior in a quiet room, you need to pay special attention to its color scheme, high-quality lighting and furnishings.
When choosing the color design of such a room, you should remember that it should be filled with artificial light, since there is no natural light in it. It is recommended to stick to light and calm shades. Most often, soothing green or delicate beige tones are chosen for decorating small bedrooms. These colors help you relax faster and sleep better.

When choosing the color design of such a room, you should remember that it should be filled with artificial light, since there is no natural light in it. It is recommended to stick to light and calm shades. Most often, soothing green or delicate beige tones are chosen for decorating small bedrooms. These colors help you relax faster and sleep better.

The most successful design would be white. However, for such a light palette you will have to carefully select contrasting furniture and bright decor. Without such a play of colors, the environment will be boring and monotonous.

Particular attention should be paid to lighting a small bedroom without a window. It should contain lighting fixtures of different levels

When decorating such a room, you cannot do without basic as well as spot lighting.

For the main light it is not at all necessary to buy an ordinary ceiling chandelier. Nowadays there are many alternatives. These can be small recessed lamps. If they are placed correctly in the room, it will be filled with high-quality daylight. Experts recommend using warm light bulbs. Cold lighting in such conditions will look too uncomfortable, creating the atmosphere of a cellar or cool garage.

For a room without a window, spot lighting is perfect. Today in stores you can find a huge number of different options with which you can highlight one or another area of ​​the bedroom.

The most common are lamps built into mirrors and dressing tables. They will not only provide additional lighting in a dark room, but will also be useful for ease of use of functional areas. Some owners turn to beautiful LED strips. They can be placed in various areas of the room. Most often, the head of the bed or the space around the perimeter of the bedroom is chosen for this.

The comfort of a bedroom without a window largely depends on the right furniture.

In such conditions, the appearance of additional shadows should be avoided, as they often cause irritation and distract attention. For this reason, experts recommend designing such spaces in a minimalist manner.

You should not place a large amount of different furniture in a mini-sized bedroom. A bed and a couple of storage spaces will be enough. Small shelves or large decorative elements will look good in such a space.

It is not recommended to use large-sized interior items. A bulky wardrobe in the absence of natural light will only irritate and not please the eye. Such furniture can be replaced with a neat chest of drawers or a built-in wardrobe. Furniture in dark colors will be redundant. A black wardrobe or a large black bed will visually reduce an already small space, making it not very cozy.

You should select suitable bed linen, blankets and pillows. In a small room with white walls, a blanket and coffee-colored pillows complemented with white patterned prints will look harmonious. A room with warm caramel walls can be decorated with white linens with red-brown contrasting trim and monochrome pillows.

Don't forget about accent walls. Such design techniques can be used in small spaces. Most often, a bed is placed against the background of these walls. The role of bright accents can be played by various decorative elements: vases, wall paintings, unusual multi-colored photo frames, flower pots, figurines and much more. However, in a small bedroom you should not place a large amount of decor so that the interior does not turn out to be overloaded and “cluttered”.