The rooms inside wooden houses have a very good microclimate. The fact is that logs and timber are able to "breathe", that is, let air through the pores. However, in most cases, artificial ventilation in a wooden house is still necessary. According to the norms of SNiP, air in residential premises must change every hour in full. Therefore, natural ventilation even in wooden rooms may be insufficient.
Types of systems for private homes
At present, only two main types of ventilation systems are mainly used in block and log structures.
- With natural influx through special valves.
- With forced run.
Design features with natural influx
Such ventilation in a wooden house is used most often, is the simplest constructively and is very inexpensive. In this case, special valves are inserted into the walls, through which fresh air from the street enters the room. The hood in such a system is most often natural and is an ordinary pipe running through all floors. Between rooms, air circulates through openings and slots in doors and walls, covered with decorative grilles.
Installation of ventilation with natural flow
Such ventilation is installed in a wooden house elementary. First of all, holes for valves are drilled in the chopped or cobblestone walls, which can be purchased at any construction supermarket. It is best to install them closer to the radiators. Otherwise, it will be cold in the rooms in winter. Next, “passages” for air are arranged in partitions, walls and doors. An exhaust riser with exits to the toilet and bathroom in wooden houses is usually available initially.
Of course, even such a simple system as natural ventilation in a wooden house should be mounted with preliminary design. The calculation of the required number of valves is carried out taking into account their throughput and the total volume of all rooms in the house. The same goes for the exhaust riser. If necessary, special fans can be added to it.
Forced run system
This is a much more complex structural ventilation. In a wooden house, it is usually used only if the volume of the premises is very large. The design of such a system, among other things, may include a recuperator, flexible ducts, filters, decorative grilles, adapters, tees, etc. Of course, this is the most effective type of ventilation. The principle of its work is as follows:
- Fresh air enters the room through a special air intake.
- Further it is distributed in all rooms.
- Exhaust air is removed through an exhaust air intake.
Pros and cons of ventilation systems with recuperator
A recuperator is a special device designed to collect heat from the air when it is released to the street and returned to incoming from the outside. Thus, the use of this structural element in the ventilation system can significantly save on space heating. Systems with a recuperator are more expensive than any other, but at the same time they are considered the most effective. With their use, effective ventilation of the bathroom in a wooden house, living room, hallway, bedroom and other rooms can be arranged.
What are recuperators
At the moment, there are only three main varieties of such devices:
- rotary;
- recirculating water;
- lamellar.
Ventilation in a private wooden house is most often arranged using the latest variety of devices. Lamellar recuperators really have just a huge number of advantages:
- Simplicity of design. In recuperators of this type, moving parts are completely absent, so they break less often than other varieties.
- The lack of elements in the design for the operation of which requires electricity.
- High efficiency.
Some of the disadvantages of such devices can only be attributed to the impossibility of moisture exchange in them. In addition, special valves have to be installed in such recuperators, since in winter their plate heat exchanger can freeze.
The principle of the plate heat exchanger
The main feature of plate devices is that the air entering and leaving the room does not intersect directly with each other. Contact occurs through special plates. The latter are most often made of aluminum foil. This choice is due to the high thermal conductivity of this metal. Sometimes plates are also made of special plastic.
Externally, such a recuperator is an ordinary box, from which several nozzles for attaching ducts come out. They can be located either above or below. For exhaust air in the recuperator installed pull and exhaust fans. At the bottom of the case there is an opening for condensate drain. Also, plate-type recuperators include filters and a defrost damper. In severe cold, the heat taken from the outlet stream is often not enough to sufficiently heat the incoming one. Therefore, a heater is also usually included in the design of recuperators.
Which manufacturer to choose
Effective ventilation in a private wooden house is, among other things, the right choice of the manufacturer of the system. The most popular manufacturers of plate recuperators are SHUFT (Denmark), SCHRAG (Germany), ELECTROLUX, REMAK, 2W (Czech Republic). The most bought Chinese brand can be called MIDEA recuperators.
How to choose air ducts
Currently, there are several varieties of ducts suitable for installation in a private house:
- Round. This is the most economical variety. Air passing through circular pipes does not meet any obstacles in its path.
- Rectangular In such pipes, the air resistance is higher, and therefore, more powerful fans will have to be installed in the system.
- Flexible. This is the most convenient, but also the most expensive variety. Such pipes can easily be brought to the most inaccessible rooms. For example, this can be arranged ventilation of the bathroom in a wooden house, kitchen and even the attic.
Where to arrange items
A recuperator is usually installed in the attic. You can also place it in the basement. Since in wooden houses there is usually no internal wall cladding, air ducts have to be carried out in special decorative boxes (which are quite expensive). Sometimes they are also stretched along the floor. This is a cheaper way when the ventilation system is arranged simultaneously with the construction of the house. However, with this arrangement, in the event of a breakdown, it will be quite difficult to get to the elements. Below is a sample diagram (ventilation in a wooden house).
Installation of a recuperator and installation of exhaust pipes
So, let's figure out how, in fact, the ventilation device in a wooden house is performed. The recuperator will need to be installed on an absolutely flat horizontal platform. This element of the ventilation system should be located in an easily accessible place. The fact is that the recuperator plates must be cleaned of dirt at least twice a year.
After the recuperator is installed, proceed to drill holes in the walls. They need to be drilled in solid wood. That is, in the center of a log or beam. Next, special nozzles are inserted into the holes, to which air ducts will subsequently be attached. They need to be prepared in advance. A return throttle valve and adapter are fixed to each nozzle.
Duct installation
At the first stage, the main supply and exhaust ducts are mounted. One of their ends is connected to the corresponding pipe of the recuperator, and the second to the pipe inserted into the wall. The pipes themselves should be attached to the ceiling and walls according to the design. It’s easiest to use flexible foil ducts. After the main ones are mounted, they make wiring in the rooms. Thus, two pipes must be connected to each room in the house - the supply and exhaust pipes. Thus, ventilation of the toilet in a wooden house, ventilation of the kitchen, living room and other rooms are arranged. Flexible ducts are mounted on special clamps. To connect the branch sleeves, adapters and tees are used.
Ventilation of floors
Specialists advise to arrange ventilation of floors in wooden buildings. This will significantly extend their service life. Arranging floor ventilation in a wooden house is very simple. In each room, in its opposite corners between the lags, ventilation grilles cut in with the supply air ducts to them. You need to place them under heating devices. Exhaust openings are best located at the top of the rooms, as warm used air, according to the laws of physics, rises to the ceiling.
As you can see, the ventilation device in a country wooden house is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. In fact, the difficulty lies only in drawing up a project and calculating the required number of ducts, heat exchanger capacity, etc. This work is best left to specialists.