If residents in their home begin to smell some foreign odors, then it is extremely necessary to clean the ventilation in apartment building. In this article we propose to discuss how ventilation systems located in multi-storey buildings work, as well as how they are checked by special services. Besides, individuals learn how they can clean the ventilation ducts themselves.
Ventilation is a special device that is designed to ventilate various types of rooms. In each apartment located in multi-storey building, has its own ventilation system installed. If an individual suddenly begins to notice different odors, presumably coming from neighboring apartments or the entrance, this means that the ventilation duct has malfunctioned and immediately requires cleaning.
Requirements for the operation of the ventilation system
The state standard number 30494, which came into force in 2011, approves a number of rules regarding the operation of ventilation ducts. Any ventilation system located in a room in which people live must satisfy the following rules:
- Ensure proper air quality. If the air a person breathes contains great amount harmful impurities, then problems with the lungs, as well as other organs, may soon begin. Since the functioning of ventilation ducts is based on the extraction and supply of air, its cleanliness in the apartment must be no less than the minimum limit, the value of which is 1000 CO2. This indicator is measured in cubic centimeters divided by cubic meters.
- Meet the permissible humidity. Depending on the parameters of the air that comes from the ventilation ducts, the humidity in the room changes slightly. If the air is too dry, the humidity drops significantly. In special situations, this indicator can, on the contrary, reach its maximum value. Ventilation in an apartment building must function so that the minimum humidity level in the room does not reach less than thirty percent, and the maximum does not exceed sixty percent. If the humidity value is in the range from 30% to 60%, then the ventilation system meets the relevant requirements of the state standard.
- Do not exceed maximum air speed. All ventilation ducts work the same way, however, some of them are newer (located in new buildings), and some are more outdated versions (in houses old building). The length of time an individual has lived in his apartment and how long he has had the ventilation cleaned also plays a huge role. All of the above, as well as additional characteristics, affect the speed of air flow through the ventilation ducts. In accordance with the current state standard, air flows should move no faster than 0.2 meters per second.
Principle of operation
In order for residents apartment buildings could independently monitor the condition of their ventilation ducts and promptly clean them, it is necessary to understand general principles operation of this device. In any living space there are several exhaust ducts. As a rule, they are located in the bathroom, toilet, and closets. With their help, polluted air is pulled out of the apartment, and clean air flows in. Thus, the circulation of air masses occurs. However, the question automatically arises regarding where and how clean air gets into apartments. Everything is very simple. Air masses come from the street through window and door cracks.
It should be noted that in new buildings, ventilation systems operating according to the described principle are practically ineffective. This is due to the fact that almost everything modern houses are built with plastic windows, throughput which air is significantly less than that of wooden windows.
Who checks the condition of ventilation ducts
Apartments are types of property that are personally owned by their owners. In addition, individuals own some other objects under common rights, which include ventilation, roofs, entrances, and so on. For all public facilities of this kind, the management organization is responsible, with which the residents apartment building entered into an agreement to that effect. In this regard, monitor the current condition of the ventilation ducts, as well as take care of them safe work This service is responsible.
Government Russian Federation approved resolution number 410, which displays all the rules according to which the management organization must act when checking the condition of ventilation ducts. The inspection can be done only by those organizations that specialize in the relevant activity and also have a license to conduct it. also in this document all requirements that must be met when cleaning ventilation are recorded.
Attention! If there are any repairs or construction works, then after they end, the management company must check the condition ventilation system. In addition, the condition of ventilation is checked in cases where residents have received any complaints regarding its operation. If the test results are unsatisfactory, the ventilation must be cleaned.
How to clean the ventilation yourself
In some situations, individuals want to clean the ventilation ducts themselves. Most often, this happens either when the management office delays a visit, the purpose of which should be to clean the ventilation, or when the contamination is insignificant. However, if the inside of the ventilation system is covered with a sufficiently thick layer of dirt, then it is not recommended to take on the task of bringing it back to normal. If the plaque is small, then in order to clean it, you must follow the instructions:
- Step #1. The first step is to remove the ventilation grilles. Sometimes you have to do this with a screwdriver. After this, the grates need to be thoroughly cleaned of accumulated dirt, rinsed thoroughly under water, wiped, or wait until they dry themselves.
- Step #2. Then you will need to prepare a brush made of metal. The ruff should be as long as possible. If it is not possible to get it, then you can take a metal wire. Then, using a brush or wire, you need to clean the channels that became open to access after removing the grille. The deeper you can get, the more effective the result will be.
- Step #3. And as a final step, clean the channel from dust. This can be done using a household appliance such as a regular vacuum cleaner, which will help quickly and easily remove all the accumulated dust and dirt.
Non-functional ventilation in a residential or office complex threatens residents with “big building syndrome”: their health spontaneously worsens and ailments appear.
But when equipment fails at an industrial enterprise, even more dire consequences are possible. Many technological processes involve the release of vapors toxic substances and dust that needs to be neutralized. Therefore, ventilation maintenance and repairs must be carried out regularly.
Ventilation repairs are included in OKPD. In the All-Russian classification of products by type of economic activity OKPD, ventilation repairs are carried out under codes 45.33.12.190, 191 and 199. OKPD ventilation repairs belong to the “Construction work” section.
Need for ventilation maintenance
The ventilation system is one of the most important life support systems for people. Each building must have a functioning ventilation system, selected taking into account its purpose and use.
Natural ventilation of residential apartment buildings is the easiest to maintain and repair. At industrial enterprises, mechanical supply and exhaust systems.
Reasons for failure of ventilation systems:
- violations during equipment installation;
- illiterate use;
- technological aging of mechanisms;
- refusal of maintenance;
- mechanical damage.
The nature of the problems is also influenced by the operating conditions of the equipment. For example, supply and exhaust ventilation systems located near busy highways quickly become clogged and destroyed by dust, debris, and fumes.
It’s not just forced ventilation systems that fail. Natural ventilation Apartment buildings also need repair or cleaning. Over time, debris, dust, and crumbles accumulate in the mines. brickwork pipes and a major overhaul of the ventilation system is required. Often, residents partially dismantle ventilation ducts, disrupting air movement. In this case, it is impossible to do without repairing the ventilation of an apartment building. It is enough to restore the walls of the shaft and the operation of the system will return to normal.
Repair of ventilation in an apartment building is usually timed to coincide with a major overhaul of the building itself and is carried out by housing and communal services workers.
If there are any problems with the ventilation, it is best to call a professional. By using special devices They will quickly detect the breakdown and fix it.
Signs of ventilation problems:
- foggy window glass;
- mold in the corners;
- the flow of odors from one room to another.
People’s ailments may also indicate the need to repair the ventilation system:
- difficulty breathing, asthmatic phenomena;
- frequent colds and infectious diseases;
- back and joint pain.
Stages of repair of ventilation systems
Ventilation repair and maintenance includes the following work:
- Diagnostics and elimination of operational irregularities during the warranty and post-warranty periods;
- Preventive maintenance necessary during the operation of ventilation systems (cleaning, troubleshooting, testing automatic systems management).
Operational maintenance consists of debugging and preventing mechanisms that ensure uninterrupted operation of ventilation equipment.
Repair and maintenance of ventilation are carried out in stages. First, the technicians examine the condition of the system, after which they clean and disinfect. And the final stage is determining the quality of ventilation repairs and issuing a document on the condition of the system in the apartment.
As a rule, repairs of ventilation systems are carried out without dismantling, directly at the installation site. In case of particularly complex breakdowns, the mechanisms are removed and taken to workshops.
List of ventilation repair and maintenance services:
- checking connections of ventilation ducts, fastenings and integrity of housings;
- lubrication of mechanical parts and cleaning of filters;
- testing of automatic control systems;
- inspection of electrical wiring, packets;
- checking the operation of dampers and control valves;
- Fan cleaning, testing and balancing;
- repair of ventilation heaters and heat exchangers;
- testing the condition of the heat exchanger;
- replacement of all faulty components.
Supply and exhaust ventilation systems use air heaters to heat the air to the required temperature. The heater can be water, fire or steam. Some use glycol solutions. Flushing the ventilation heater is one of the methods for repairing it. The device is disassembled and cleaned of germs and scale using chemicals.
Sometimes it is necessary to replace the ventilation heater plates. Repairs of this kind can be carried out immediately, since the leak is visible to the naked eye.
The frequency of repair and maintenance of ventilation systems depends on:
- type of ventilation (natural, mechanical, combined);
- type of system (supply, exhaust, supply and exhaust, ductless or duct);
- specifics of the building (office complex, residential building, industrial enterprise).
Diagnostics of the ventilation system
Before starting a major overhaul of the ventilation system, it is diagnosed:
- the type of system is determined;
- the condition of ventilation shafts, the degree of their destruction and contamination are assessed;
- the difference in pressure and temperature indoors and outdoors is measured;
- the speed of air movement at various points of the ventilation system is determined;
- the condition of the air intake grilles is assessed;
- the operation of automatic control systems is checked;
- the condition of the fans is examined, including the presence of lubricant;
- The operation of the emergency shutdown system is assessed.
To carry out diagnostics, special equipment is required. Diagnostics are mandatory before commissioning, during service and before major repairs of the ventilation system. Based on the data obtained, conclusions are drawn about the need for repair and replacement of faulty or outdated components. Diagnostics are also carried out after cleaning the air ducts to assess the quality of work.
Ventilation repairs in apartment buildings can only be carried out by a service company that has special certificates.
Maintenance of automatic ventilation control systems
IN modern construction supply and exhaust systems with automatic control. The user sets the necessary parameters that are supported by the automatically selected program or sets a single operating mode.
Setting up automatic control systems is carried out only by qualified specialists. Automatic adjustment is included in the list of services for maintenance and repair of ventilation. As a result, the equipment maintains the temperature, humidity and air speed required by the customer in the premises. At the same time, specialists advise the client about correct operation ventilation.
Cost of repair and maintenance of ventilation
The cost of repairing the ventilation of an apartment building or enterprise is determined by the estimate. The list of services offered by ventilation repair companies in apartments and offices varies. Therefore, the cost of a service package that includes almost identical services may be different. The price of ventilation repair is determined by the type, power and branching of the network, the quantity and type of equipment. When planning repairs to ventilation in an apartment, first study the offers of several companies, paying special attention to the level of qualifications of specialists, equipment and tools. About the latter and watch the video.
There are houses with a common ventilation duct in the bathroom. When such a channel is faulty, odors from neighboring ones begin to enter the apartments. Management organizations must monitor the condition of ventilation ducts and prevent such breakdowns. I was reminded of this once again Supreme Court RF.
What is the problem
In relation to the organization managing the house, GZHI conducted an unscheduled inspection of compliance with licensing requirements. During the inspection, it was found that the exhaust ventilation in the bathrooms of several apartments did not work.
As a result, the State Property Committee drew up acts and issued orders to the management organization to eliminate violations - to restore the natural exhaust ventilation in the bathrooms of apartments. At the same time, a condition was set - to comply with the requirements of clause 4.7 of SanPin 2.1.2.2645-10.
The management organization considered that there was no ventilation in the disputed premises and they wanted to entrust it with the construction of a new one. Construction new ventilation refers to major repair work, and for them a decision is needed from the general meeting of owners of premises in the apartment building. Therefore, the management organization went to court to have the orders declared invalid.
Different approaches of the courts to resolving the issue
The court of first instance supported the management organization and recognized the work on restoring the exhaust ventilation system as related to major repair work. The court confirmed that they are carried out by decision of the owners of premises in the apartment building.
The appeal overturned the decision of the trial court, citing
- Regulations on licensing business activities for the management of apartment buildings, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of October 28, 2014 No. 1110;
- Rules for the maintenance of common property in apartment buildings, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of August 13, 2006 No. 491;
- Rules approved by Decree of the State Construction Committee of the Russian Federation dated September 27, 2003 No. 170;
The decision of the appeal court was upheld by the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation. The State Housing Inspectorate’s instructions were recognized as legal, and now the management organization will have to restore the exhaust ventilation system. Why, read on.
Restoring the ventilation system is part of routine repairs
The Appeal and Supreme Court of the Russian Federation refused to satisfy the complaint and ordered the management organization to comply with the instructions for certain reasons.
The UO considered that it would have to make the ventilation system from scratch. In the house itself, the ventilation system in the house was simply out of order. Restoring the functionality of ventilation refers to work on current repairs, there was no talk of a major overhaul.
The management organization must carry out routine repairs, because under the terms of the management agreement concluded between it and the owners of the apartment building, the management organization has assumed obligations for the proper maintenance of the common property.
The courts noted that the management organization is obliged to maintain the common property in the apartment building in proper condition, regardless of whether or not the owners made a decision to carry out certain repair work and whether this is recorded in the text of the management agreement.
Therefore, the courts did not take into account the management organization’s remark that it did not have the owners’ decision to carry out repair work. The matter concerned urgent ongoing work, aimed at fulfilling the mandatory requirements to ensure the normatively established level of maintenance of the common property of apartment buildings.
Taking into account all of the above, the courts did not satisfy the complaint of the management organization.
Remember
Restoring the functionality of ventilation ducts in an apartment building refers to the routine repairs of an apartment building. Major renovation will be the case if we are talking about building a ventilation duct from scratch.
The obligation to maintain the housing stock in a condition suitable for habitation does not depend on the adoption or non-acceptance by the owners of property in the apartment building of a decision to carry out repair work and fixing them in the text of the contract.
If such a decision is not made, this is not considered an obstacle to the implementation of ongoing work aimed at maintaining the established level of maintenance of the common property of the apartment building. The management organization carries out such work regardless of the decision of the general meeting.
What is ventilation?
Until the 19th century, fresh air entered houses through windows and doors. Fortunately, two centuries ago there were no high-rise buildings. But as soon as they began to appear, people started thinking about creating an air exchange system inside and outside the room.
The regulatory definition of the term “ventilation” is given in SNiP 41-01-2003 “Heating, ventilation and air conditioning”, adopted by Decree of the State Construction Committee of the Russian Federation No. 115 dated June 26, 2003. According to building codes and regulations, ventilation is the exchange of air in rooms to remove excess heat, moisture, harmful and other substances, in order to ensure acceptable meteorological conditions and air purity in the serviced or working area.
Simply put, ventilation is the process of bringing outside air into an apartment, ventilating its premises and removing “exhaust” polluted air. In addition, ventilation currently refers to devices and equipment designed to provide controlled air exchange.
How do ventilation systems work?
SNiP 01/31/2003 “Residential multi-apartment buildings” states: “the ventilation system must maintain the cleanliness (quality) of indoor air and the uniformity of its distribution.” It is noted that ventilation can be of three types:
- with natural inflow and removal of air;
- with mechanical stimulation of air inflow and removal;
- combined with natural inflow and removal of air with partial use of mechanical stimulation.
In apartment buildings residential buildings As a rule, a supply and exhaust ventilation system operates.
Ventilation systems are described more fully and in detail in the Reference Manual “Heating and Ventilation of Residential Buildings”, developed for SNiP 2.08.01-89 (replaced by SNiP 31-01-2003).
Many residents of multi-storey buildings, especially old buildings, can tell you what culinary preferences their neighbors have, what they treated themselves to for dinner and what they served for lunch. However, we are not talking about telepathy; the neighbor’s menu can be recognized simply by the smell that is felt in the apartment.
If this happens constantly, it means that it is necessary to clean the ventilation, which has ceased to cope with the functions assigned to it. Our recommendations will help restore normal air exchange in the apartment. Minor blockages can be eliminated yourself, but to solve more complex tasks you will have to call specialists.
We will tell you how the ventilation system of a house works, what are the reasons and signs of its malfunction. Here you will learn how to arrange the removal of exhaust air and the supply of fresh air. For visual understanding, photo selections, diagrams, and videos are attached to the article.
The air we breathe in the apartment only seems clean. In fact, it absorbs all the odors coming from the kitchen, carbon monoxide from the stove. Dust particles, lint from clothes, carpets, pet hair.
Harmful microorganisms and bacteria accumulate in the air, which contribute to the development of serious diseases; moisture and steam coming from the bathroom cause the formation of fungus and stains. All this negatively affects the microclimate of the room, contributes to the appearance of lung diseases, allergies and other ailments.
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If they did not lead to the desired result, and the draft in the channel remains at the same level, which means there is a blockage in the common shaft. This is the work of special services that can be called through the Criminal Code.
Licensed companies use professional equipment and special cleaning technologies, which are selected after a thorough examination of the canal and taking into account its current condition
Upgrading the system to improve performance
In old houses mechanical cleaning repair of a ventilation shaft, even by specialized services, does not always bring the desired effect. However, it is possible to increase air circulation in the apartment. There are several quite available ways improving ventilation.
If you decide to replace the old ones wooden windows For modern metal-plastic structures, choose double-glazed windows equipped with a micro-ventilation function. If you purchased regular plastic windows, you can install them on additional devices, providing inflow fresh air from the street.