Ventilation under the window: how to create a comfortable

Recently, windows made of plastic, aluminum or wood, which, due to the presence of double-glazed windows and high-quality seals, completely block access of fresh air from the street, have become widespread. This allows you to minimize heat loss and protect against noise, but leads to a strong increase in humidity levels, which negatively affects the indoor climate. To cope with the problem will help ventilation under the windowsill, the design of which will be discussed below.

Varieties of ventilation systems

The system of inflow and removal of air in a city apartment or private house is of two main types:

• natural - air draft in the ventilation ducts arises due to the special design of the latter;
• forced (possibly with heat recovery) - in this case, the air flow is organized due to the fans that are installed in the duct or vent window.

The choice of a specific design option depends on the configuration of the premises and the individual requirements of the residents.

By location, the air access system is divided into the following types:

1. Intake ventilation, which is part of the window system. This is the easiest way to ensure that the room is ventilated without opening the window. Disadvantages - the inability to install filters that trap dust, as well as the need for structural changes to the frame.

1. Ventilation ducts located under the window sills. It is a pipe passed through the wall, which is closed outside by a special grill, and inside is decorated with an attractive looking box, which allows, among other things, to regulate the intensity of the air flow. The air channel is equipped with additional sound insulation and filters. Another advantage of this option is that this design can be easily installed with your own hands.

An air duct mounted under the window may have an engine that provides forced air circulation.

This option has many advantages:

• increases air circulation in the room, which normalizes the level of humidity;
• it is possible to regulate the speed of the air flow more finely;
• dust and other particulate matter is more efficiently removed from the incoming air.

Need to use

The use of modern fully sealed double-glazed windows in the room disrupts air circulation, which leads to the accumulation in the air of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide gas, moisture vapor and other harmful impurities resulting from the life activity of the inhabitants of an apartment or house.

Note! Instructions for sanitary and fire safety require the mandatory presence of ventilation in certain areas (for example, the kitchen). This is due to the fact that the operation of some household appliances (gas oven) without providing ventilation is life threatening.

Increased humidity in the room leads to the formation of condensate on cold surfaces, which, in turn, provokes the development of fungi, mold and pathogens.

Many neglect the installation of ventilation ducts, arranging the so-called volley or slit ventilation.

Both of these methods have many drawbacks:

• sudden changes in room temperature;
• street dust entering the room from an open window;
• the deterioration of the sound insulation properties of window units;
• the appearance of drafts that adversely affect indoor plants;
• waste of thermal energy from the room.

Therefore, the installation of the inlet ducts (valves) under the windows is considered to be a more effective way to control the microclimate.

Equipment selection

When buying a subwindow valve, the main selection criterion should be not its price, but its consumer properties.

It is advisable to pay attention to the following features:

1. Device control method. There is equipment that is regulated manually or by special automation. With manual control, you will need to constantly monitor various parameters of the air in the room: humidity, temperature, and so on. The electronics will open and close the valve, as well as reduce and increase the fan speed without your participation, focusing on the information received from external sensors.
2. Sound insulation properties. Insufficient noise absorption coefficient can create discomfort in the room. Choose models with special soundproofing membranes.

Tip! Ventchannel with forced air injection can be an independent source of noise from a running electric motor, rotating the fan blades. To avoid this, purchase models with noiseless or low noise devices.

1. Compliance with established sanitary standards. Ventilation ducts, installed under the windows, must ensure the supply of a sufficient amount of fresh air. This parameter for different rooms is indicated in the corresponding SNiP.

1. Preservation of performance in different climatic conditions. Supply ventilation should function properly regardless of the season, temperature, humidity level and other external factors. You should also make sure that in the winter in the ventilation duct there is no freezing of condensate, which can lead to fan failure.

Independent installation of ventilation

Preparatory stage

Before designing a duct for the inflow of fresh air, it is necessary to make sure that the exhaust system is operating normally.

This can be done as follows:

• open a window in the room where the work will be carried out;
• to the existing ventilation grill a distance of 5-10 cm to bring a small sheet of paper;
• if it draws into the hole (it seems to stick to the grill), then the exhaust system works correctly.

Note! To light and bring a match to the ventilation is strictly prohibited. When clogging the holes in the ventilation ducts, flammable gases can accumulate. In this case, an open flame or spark can cause a fire or explosion.

If the test showed no traction in the exhaust system, it is necessary to attend to its cleaning or repair. In the city, this is the organization responsible for the operation of apartment buildings.

In order not to depend on public services, in parallel, you can install individual exhaust ventilation. In this case, it is necessary to correctly calculate the cross section of the channels and the power of the fans: the amount of incoming air should only slightly exceed the volume of the removed air.

Another important point. For efficient operation of the inlet ventilation it is important to take care that interior doors also allow air to pass through.

This is achieved in two ways:

• the presence of a gap between the floor covering and the door leaf;
• by installing a special ventilation grille, for which a special slot is made in the door.

Installation process

The sub-window vent valve consists of three parts:

• indoor unit;
• outdoor decorative grille;
• connecting channel.

This device is installed in the following sequence:

1. Select the place of installation. It is best if the outlet is located between the central heating radiator and the sill. It is necessary to disassemble the acquired valve, take the empty box of the indoor unit, and mark the holes for subsequent drilling.
2. A hole is made in the wall. On a previously applied marking with a perforator or other similar equipment, a channel is drilled through the thickness of the wall, which has a slight downward slope.
3. The connecting pipe is mounted. A plastic fitting, pre-wrapped with insulation, is inserted into the hole. The outer end should be flush with the surface of the wall, and the inner one should protrude 1-1.5 cm from it. Then, using dowels, the housing is attached to the inner wall, which presses the insulation.
4. Final assembly of the vent valve. At this stage, the installation of the necessary filters and noise insulation membranes, as well as fixing the outer decorative grille.

Note! Above was considered the sequence of actions for the installation of natural ventilation. If you purchased a valve with a fan, you need to take care of connecting the electric motor to the wiring and installation of the control panel of the entire system.

At the end of the installation, the window sill ventilation system requires almost no maintenance. It is necessary to clean the filter elements only once or twice a year.

Once again, it should be recalled that the intake air duct works effectively only if the exhaust is functioning properly in the room.

Condensation on the surface of window glass

Sometimes, despite all the tricks aimed at reducing the humidity level in the room, condensate still appears on the window glass. Many people use various folk remedies to combat it, wipe windows with rags and dry napkins, additionally air the room and so on.

Only ventilation grilles for window sills will help to cope with the situation once and for all. Only they will keep the window profile dry, thereby prolonging its service life for a long time.

Varieties of devices

The grille installed in the windowsill more effectively distributes the flow of warm air near the window, preventing the accumulation of moisture on the glass.

There are many types of these devices:

• external, internal and flow;
• unregulated, adjustable and inertial.

In addition, depending on the type of materials used, the grids are divided into:

• polymeric - one of the most common materials, which over time can turn yellow and warp from exposure to high temperature;
• Aluminum - have an excellent appearance and low weight, the disadvantage is the high cost;
• from wood - perfectly combined with any type of decoration of the room, but they require increased attention and care;
• steel - have great weight, cost and attractive appearance.

Installation of gratings on the windowsill

In order to self-fix devices that help remove condensation from the surface of the window frame and glass, you need to stock up on the following tools:

• drill;
• marker;
• jigsaw;
• adhesive for polymer bonding;
• weight for fixing the grille during installation.

The procedure for installing the grille on the windowsill is:

1. A pre-purchased device is applied to the sill, which is outlined along the contour with a pencil or marker.
2. Holes are made in the corners of the resulting shape with a drill. Their diameter should slightly exceed the width of the jigsaw blade.
3. Then, along the lines drawn, a part of the window sill is cut out. In the future, the place of the remote part will be taken by the decorative grille, which provides unimpeded access of the heated air.
4. After this is done bonding. Excess adhesive must be removed immediately with a cotton or linen cloth. After the glue has hardened, this will be problematic.
5. Before full polymerization, a load must be put on the attached ventilation grill.

Conclusion

Air supply ducts, located under the windowsills, are integral elements of the ventilation system of an apartment or house. Without them it is impossible to equip a comfortable microclimate in the room.

You can learn more about this question from the video in this article.