Air exchange and ventilation in an apartment with plastic windows and in a private house is a matter of people’s comfort and health. There are many options on the market for oxygen circulation and supply systems. Sometimes it’s easier to open the window and ventilate, but often more complex technical solutions are required.
In a situation where bills for housing and communal services and heating are growing every year, an important characteristic of an apartment or private building has become its energy efficiency. This is how easily you can get a comfortable temperature in a room and how quickly it will drop without additional heating. The thermos has the best indicator, and sometimes buildings are built based on this shape. The ideal solution in this case is plastic windows. The glass unit is well insulated and, when properly installed, sealed.
But for a living room, air exchange is also important. In houses with old wooden frames, the flow of oxygen occurred through cracks in the windows, but double-glazed windows eliminated this problem. As a result, we are forced to carry out forced ventilation. Without it, the temperature and humidity rise uncontrollably, making it impossible to breathe.
Ventilation in a room with plastic windows
The volume of air that should enter the room every hour depends on the number of people there. It is calculated to be equal to 30 m3/h per person. The gas that is already in the room needs to be removed outside. In typical designs of multi-storey buildings, ventilation is provided for this purpose through windows and ventilation ducts.
An open window or a glass unit set for micro-ventilation provides the necessary air exchange. They do not protect against dust, allergens and insects coming from the street. External noise also passes through them freely and can be very disturbing.
Therefore, those who live in large cities, near high-traffic roads or suffer from seasonal allergies need forced ventilation in an apartment with plastic windows.
Advantages and disadvantages of plastic structures
Plastic windows are sealed due to the tight fit of the parts to each other, therefore they do not allow air to pass through.
Positive aspects of plastic windows:
- The room remains warm. Sealing rubber bands, a smooth, even profile and double-glazed windows are perfectly fitted, there are no cracks or drafts, the vacuum layer between the glasses is an excellent heat insulator.
- The appearance of the frame is very neat and presentable.
- Plastic does not need constant painting, it is durable and does not dry out like wood.
This design is convenient to install; you can install a mosquito net. Compared to high-quality euro-windows made of laminated veneer lumber, for example, plastic profiles are much cheaper.
Sealing eliminates the possibility of creating a natural circulation of air masses between the room and the street. Hence the need arises for additional material costs for supply and exhaust ventilation equipment.
Plastic itself is not an environmentally friendly product and, contrary to manufacturers’ assurances, it can release harmful substances when heated.
Forced ventilation in an apartment with plastic windows
There are many supply air exchange systems; you should choose based on their objectives and price. Installing even the simplest intake valve will provide a constant flow of fresh air and clean it of dust and insects. Expensive devices will additionally heat it to the desired temperature and condition it.
Micro-ventilation, comb
The easiest way to fill a room that has a window with fresh air is to open it. Double-glazed windows have a micro-ventilation function, when the sash opens to a larger or smaller angle depending on the turn of the handle. More expensive fittings allow for multiple positions, but usually there are 2: 45 degrees or a narrow gap.
It looks like the comb that is mounted on the frame works. It makes it possible to adjust the opening width of the window mechanically by moving the counter part into the desired groove.
This ventilation system provides air flow into a room with plastic windows, but does not purify or change its temperature. This can be inconvenient in winter, when the heat will disappear quickly, or in summer, when it is hot outside. If you ventilate the bedroom all night, the noise of cars, barking dogs or other sounds may interfere. Ventilation does not require an investment of money, but it greatly reduces the energy efficiency of the building, since there is a free exchange of heat with the street.
Supply valves
Wall or window valves partially solve this problem. These are through channels laid outwards, with installed filters and a decorative cover. They do not require complicated installation; they clean the incoming air from insects and dust, but do not heat it up. There are models where the volume of incoming oxygen is set manually. In others, polyamide fabric is used for this, increasing in volume with increasing humidity and triggering circulation.
When installing a window valve, holes are drilled in the plastic of the frame or sash. A mesh is attached to the outside to protect against small debris. A casing is placed inside where the filters and membrane are located. There is no need to remove the window for installation.
For a wall valve, you need to drill an outward hole with a diameter of up to 132 mm. From the street, the hole is covered with a canopy and grille, and a block with cleaning and flow regulation mechanisms is hung inside.
You can install such ventilation systems yourself. At low temperatures they can freeze and stop working correctly. This greatly reduces the energy efficiency of the apartment.
Valve Installation Options
Installation of an overhead valve on a metal-plastic window block is carried out as follows:
- Remove the sash;
- Using a pencil and a ruler, mark the location of the future drilling (approximately in the middle, at the same level, in accordance with the dimensions of the valve);
- Using a drill of a suitable diameter, we drill according to the markings, after which we connect the holes by sawing with a nail file (it is much more convenient to use a hand-held milling machine, but unlike a drill, not everyone has one);
- Guided by the instructions supplied with the filter, we mount its elements;
- We put the sash in place.
More details can be seen in the video:
Installing a wall supply valve in a number of situations requires special equipment. This primarily applies to the installation of large-diameter valves in thick walls. To make a hole you will need a powerful hammer drill and a drill of the appropriate diameter and length.
Such a tool is rare in the household. In addition, difficulties may arise when working on upper floors. Otherwise, installing a wall valve does not require any professional skills and is carried out according to the attached manual.
For the process of installing such valves in an apartment, watch our video:
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How to ventilate a room without windows
In any apartment there are rooms where there are no windows, but air circulation in them is also necessary. These are bathrooms, toilets, pantries, dressing rooms. High humidity and mustiness in them lead to the appearance of mold, damage to clothing and decor. The design of apartment buildings provides exhaust vents, but the flow of fresh air is often insufficient.
To ensure circulation, a room without windows needs forced ventilation. It may consist of a breather installed on a blank wall, or a system of channels passing through the entire house.
Hoods and fans
In the toilet, bathroom and kitchen of the apartment there is always a general ventilation outlet. It should ensure the removal of heated and over-humidified air, steam from cooking and excess odors. But usually the efficiency of such a system is not enough; it becomes clogged with dust, and its cross-section may be smaller than necessary.
To improve the situation, a fan can be installed in the duct socket. It will provide greater traction and increase gas exchange.
Hoods with grease traps are suitable for the kitchen. You will need to install a corrugated or plastic pipe from the installation site to the air duct. You can also take them outside through a hole in the outside wall. This will reduce the load on general house ventilation, but will require arrangement of an exit from the outside.
Kitchen hood
Mechanical hoods installed in the common ducts of the building have virtually no effect on the energy efficiency of the apartment. But they do not provide fresh air.
Breezers
Breezer is a system for supplying and purifying air from the street, which is mounted on the wall, takes up little space and has an exit to the outside through a pipe. An electric motor is responsible for pumping oxygen. The package may include carbon, HEPA or other types of filters, heating and cooling systems for incoming gas. The recirculation program purifies the air that is already in the room. More expensive models have electronic control and an automatic control system depending on the carbon dioxide content or humidity.
Breezers completely cut off sounds from the street, trap dust and allergens. The gas mixture enters the apartment already purified and warmed to the required temperature. The productivity of such a system depends on the model; it can reach 160 m3/h. Through a correctly installed and insulated system, no heat loss occurs, and the energy efficiency of the apartment does not suffer. When choosing a model, pay attention to the maximum air flow, engine noise and additional functions.
Compact ventilation devices (breathers, ventilators)
Breathers (ventilators) are compact systems for supplying fresh, clean air to rooms.
Breezer Tion 3s
Supply is carried out either naturally or using a fan. In the first case, quiet, electricity-saving operation of the device is guaranteed, but problems with ventilation are possible if there is no difference in external and internal pressure.
Review and review of Breezer Tion 3S:
A ventilator with a fan will provide proper ventilation regardless of external climatic conditions; you just need to select the required mode. In some models, performance depends on the fan speed, which also determines the noise level produced by the device and its energy consumption.
The devices are equipped with filters of varying degrees of purification. The number of elements and the level of filtration depends on the specific model, the most advanced of which are capable of purifying the air from the smallest dust particles. In addition, filtration at the molecular level (for example, neutralization of exhaust gases) is possible.
Ventilator Blauberg VENTO Expert A50-1 Pro
Breezers, unlike many ventilators, are more autonomous. It is enough to configure it once (specify the schedule, set the appropriate operating mode) and it will automatically maintain the desired microclimate in the room.
Breezer Tion o2
How to make ventilation in a dressing room without a window?
Rooms for storing clothes also need to be equipped with a ventilation system, otherwise things will rot and become saturated with unnecessary odors. Dressing rooms in apartment buildings are often located in the back of the apartment; they do not have windows or access to a common air duct system. For normal circulation, it is necessary to install a supply ventilation duct from any external wall, install a suction mechanism, and a system for cleaning and heating the gas mixture.
It is better to install such a system together with a renovation project for the entire apartment. Air ducts can be hidden above the suspended ceiling, but it will drop by 100 mm or even more. The equipment itself is also quite bulky; it requires a separate electrical line and installation space. If you are deciding how to ventilate a dressing room without a window, it is better to run pipes throughout the apartment and take a more powerful blower. This will ensure access to clean, heated or cooled air to the required temperature in all rooms and reduce heat loss to a minimum. The disadvantages of such an installation are the high cost of equipment and operation and the requirement for space. Not effective for small apartments with low ceilings.
Attic and basement ventilation without dormer windows
When building a private house, the issue of ventilation is very important. The less heat loss from open windows, the less energy required for heating. When adding piping to the project to supply air to all rooms, we must not forget about the space under the roof and the basement. Ventilation windows are needed in the attic, even if it is cold and well insulated. It will not allow the rafters to rot, the insulation to become damp and mold to appear.
Free space in the basement or attic can be used to install recovery and air exchange systems and lay pipes throughout the house. Fence grilles can be installed on the gables. Then the ventilation of the attic or basement will take place without dormer windows.
Attic ventilation
Conclusion
Effective operation of the considered options can only occur if there is properly functioning ventilation. Although the proposed methods help to ensure normal air exchange in the room, there are other factors that can influence it (find out here what heat exchangers for ventilation are).
The video in this article will help you find additional information on this topic.
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