Ventilation in a log bath: its arrangement should be approached very responsibly, so that later there will be less hassle and situations do not arise when someone becomes ill in the steam room due to the lack of a sufficient amount of oxygen.
Ventilation is installed parallel to the construction of the building itself, and the choice of one or another type is made in accordance with the architectural features of the building.
Ventilation in the bathhouse, made using quality level, provides comfortable conditions for steam lovers, allows you to fully enjoy the bathing process
Note! Ventilation in the bathhouse, performed at a high-quality level, provides comfortable conditions for steam lovers and allows them to fully enjoy the bathing process.
Why is there ventilation in the bathhouse?
To answer the question, why does a bath need ventilation, you should know its intended purpose.
If in a steam room, others bath rooms There is an air circulation system, they:
- they warm up faster, heat fills them more evenly (direct savings on heating);
- they receive oxygen during the steaming process, vacationers feel comfortable, nothing threatens their health;
- quickly get rid of excess steam, humidity, and dry;
- walls, floors, ceilings do not become covered with fungi, mold, objects (benches, tubs) do not darken, the building as a whole does not deform, and will last longer.
If the room is insufficiently or not at all ventilated, unpleasant putrid odors appear there, internal surfaces covered with a damp sticky coating. During bathing procedures, vacationers experience a lack of oxygen, difficulty breathing, and risk carbon monoxide poisoning. Also, in the absence of proper air circulation, warm masses will quickly accumulate under the ceiling, and the area near the floor will be constantly cold.
However, you should also know the following: a bathhouse of classical Russian construction, that is, made of logs, has specially cut ventilation holes... is not provided! Professionals consider them superfluous, but only in one case: if the bathhouse is not insulated, insulated, or finished with anything, either from the inside or the outside. In a bathhouse without finishing, the lower wall crowns are already laid with holes through which air flows naturally. If there is a stove inside, then ventilation is carried out through the ash pan. And so fresh air one enters a Russian bathhouse through a door or window that is open five to seven centimeters. At the same time, the room must be promptly cleared of wet leaves, benches must be dried outside, and heavy air must be expelled by flapping sheets.
Specially installed ventilation in a Russian log bathhouse must be installed in cases where:
- there is additional insulation or any types of insulation;
- the floors do not have natural cracks for draining water;
- the stove is not in the steam room, but in an adjacent room;
- there are no windows.
Important! Only in these cases, the presence of additional ventilation holes and forced circulation systems V log sauna recognized as mandatory.
Ventilation device: important points
Let us clarify once again: we are talking about arranging ventilation in a classically built log bathhouse only if its natural implementation (through a stove vent, window, door, cracks in the floor) is impossible. Quite often, when building baths, two extremes are observed: ventilation is abandoned altogether or it is made more powerful and unregulated. We discussed above what will happen to vacationers in the steam room in the absence of ventilation. If the ventilation is too intense, the bath will take longer to heat, and the heat will quickly evaporate from the room. The floors will cool down faster, which threatens people with colds.
Fresh air should enter the steam room through an opening located directly behind the stove or under one of the sun loungers. In the first case, hitting a hot stove, the air quickly warms up, the difference between the ceiling and floor temperatures is neutralized. The ventilation hole located under the sunbed has only one advantage - it is not noticeable. There are two disadvantages here - constantly cold floors in the area of the benches, difficult operation of the damper, since it is difficult to reach it with your hand.
Bath ventilation cannot be only supply or only exhaust. It can be exclusively supply and exhaust, since it provides a constant flow of oxygen into the room and the removal of harmful, heavy, exhaust air to the street. Hence, the answer to the question of whether ventilation is needed in a log bathhouse can only be in the affirmative. And we will talk about what types it comes in below.
There are three types of ventilation structures, and they differ in their design.
The systems are:
- natural;
- mechanical or forced;
- combined.
Natural ventilation is ensured during the construction of the building by cutting holes. Dampers (covers) are installed on them, which, if necessary, block the flow of air flows completely or reduce (increase) their volume. This system functions due to the difference in pressure and temperature of the external atmosphere and the internal one. For natural ventilation to work effectively, the vents themselves need to be positioned correctly. The inlet (supply) opening is usually located behind the stove at a distance of 0.3 meters from the floor, the outlet (exhaust) is located opposite on the wall at a distance of 0.3 meters from the ceiling.
This is not the best for a steam room best option ventilation, since in this case the outlet must be at the same level as the inlet. Thus, the air enters behind the stove, heats up, rises, cools, falls, and is discharged outside through the exhaust vent.
A mechanical or forced (artificial) ventilation system is provided by installing special fans on the openings, laying pipes, and installing electrical equipment. If we compare it with the natural one, we find a number of quite significant advantages, namely:
- Oxygen enters the room faster.
- The incoming air is filtered.
- The indoor microclimate is constantly kept at the same level.
- Fresh air is distributed evenly and renewed quickly.
However, in order to maximize the effect of its use, you should strictly monitor the correct location of the supply/exhaust openings.
Note! Natural ventilation in a log bathhouse is inferior to forced ventilation in several respects.
For example, it is very dependent on the weather, especially if strong wind directed towards the intake hole at an angle of ninety degrees. The result of the work compulsory system Always of the same quality in any weather. And the direction and strength of the wind do not play any role for her.
However, during installation mechanical system There are also some difficulties. It is impossible to equip it without electrical equipment, which is quite sensitive to the humid microclimate in a steam room with high temperatures. Moreover, moisture and high degrees - worst enemies any equipment powered by electricity. Therefore, all elements of the system (fans, motors, etc.) should be reliably isolated from moisture, and when connecting it, strictly follow all operating rules. To seal electrical equipment and all seams, special casings, sealants and metallized tape are most often used.
Ventilation is needed in all rooms; the rules for its installation are prescribed in SNiP 41–01–2003. But they apply only to residential, public and production premises, in which favorable conditions for humans are created. It is taken into account that people in such premises stay long period time and for everyone it is necessary to create the same standard indicators of microclimate and air quality.
Baths have completely different tasks; they create a microclimate that is stressful for the body - high temperatures (in Russian baths up to +60°C, in saunas more than +100°C) and high air humidity (up to 90%). Moreover, in one room, temperature and humidity indicators should vary within wide limits depending on the wishes of the washers. Changes in microclimate parameters should be carried out as quickly as possible, and the achieved values should be maintained for a relatively long period of time. And another very important difference between a bathhouse and ordinary premises. If, secondly, people have the opportunity to “protect themselves” from temporary inconveniences with clothing, then this is impossible to do in bathhouses.
Illustration of the microclimate in a steam room - high temperature and hot steam
Based on these features, the ventilation of baths must fulfill individual tasks, and this affects the principles of its design and operating features. Ventilation in a bathhouse can be natural or forced; each type has its own characteristics, characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. In this article we will talk in detail about only one type of ventilation – natural.
We have already found out the tasks of bathhouse ventilation and how it differs from the ventilation of other rooms; now it’s time to tell you how they can be achieved. The methods depend on the architectural features of the room and your preferences.
First you need to remember your physics lessons from school. Ventilation of rooms occurs due to the difference in air density outside and indoors. Heated air has less weight and rises, cold air is heavier and sinks down, so-called convection occurs. Accordingly, in order for the room to be ventilated, hot air must be able to leave and cold to come in, inlet and outlet openings are needed. These can be ordinary cracks in windows and doors or specially made ventilation holes.
On the Internet you can find statements that these holes must have same sizes, otherwise the ventilation does not work or “blows in the wrong direction.” Only those who skipped classes can say that. The ratio of the sizes of air inlet and outlet does not affect the performance of ventilation in any way.
Square ventilation window
If the outlet, for example, can release only 1 m3 of warm air per hour, then exactly the same amount of cold air will enter the room, no matter what the size of the inlet, and vice versa. And the effect reverse thrust occurs in the case of wind pressure or in the complete absence of fresh air. In the first case, a strong external wind “drives” the air into the room; in the second case, after the air leaves the room, a small vacuum is formed, which draws the air back into the room. This is not to say that ventilation is completely absent, it just becomes cyclical and works on a “back and forth” principle. Of course, the efficiency of such ventilation approaches zero; the air moves a little only near the holes.
And these phenomena are clear, now let’s look at specific types natural ventilation baths Let's start with the simplest ones and end with the more complex ones.
The simplest, but also the least effective way ventilation.
In the steam room, a door opens or a door and a window open at the same time - ventilation occurs quickly, but not as we would like. Why?
Steam is removed from the bath, and this has negative consequences.
- Firstly, if you open the door, the steam does not escape to the street, but to other rooms. The humidity in them increases sharply, the heated steam immediately condenses on all surfaces. There is no need to explain what can happen next.
- Secondly. A decrease in temperature in a steam room is only a subjective phenomenon. There are two concepts of temperature - actual and perceived. Actual temperature is a physical indicator, perceived temperature is subjective. We feel the same actual temperature differently depending on surrounding factors. High humidity“increases” the temperature we feel, a strong wind lowers it. So, through simple ventilation it is possible to remove only excess steam, and the actual air temperature returns to its previous values within a few minutes.
- Thirdly, ventilation will never be able to establish stable microclimate indicators in the room. As soon as the doors close, the temperature and humidity rise sharply; as soon as the doors open, the humidity and temperature also drop sharply.
The result is that ventilation is not a ventilation method that should be used constantly. This is a last resort; it is recommended to resort to it only in case of urgent need.
This method can be considered more successful, but it is only possible in one case - the firebox of the sauna stove is located in the steam room. Warm air is removed through the firebox and chimney; entry can occur through floor cracks, a slightly open window or door. Sometimes at the bottom door leaf a special hole is made, to improve the design it is covered with a decorative lattice.
Advantages of ventilating a bathhouse with a stove.
- Ease of execution. There is no need to make special vents in the log house. Any additional hole in a wooden wall does not improve it performance characteristics, and that's putting it mildly. If mistakes were made during the process of making vents and installing decorative grilles, then the risk of moisture getting on the crowns of the log house increases. It will take a very long time for the moisture to dry out, and a long stay wooden structures in a wet state has an extremely negative effect on their strength and durability of use.
- Possibility of adjusting the frequency of air exchange in the room. Ventilation is “controlled” by a damper and stove doors. You need to speed it up - the gate and the firebox door open all the way, the temperature has become favorable - the gate closes a little. You can easily find the optimal position of the damper, the microclimate in the steam room is stabilized, the ventilation rate of the room has stable values.
Furnace with gate - photo
- Versatility of use. It doesn’t matter what materials the bathhouse is built from, what its dimensions and architectural features. In addition, this system allows for simple upgrades. For example, it is worth making an inlet hole behind the stove and the air entering the bathhouse will be slightly warmed up. The chimney still serves as the hood.
There are, of course, disadvantages, let’s name the main ones.
- Insufficient performance. It will not be possible to quickly change the temperature or humidity in the steam room.
- Presence of “dead” zones. Air mixing throughout the entire volume does not occur; zones with drafts and zones with standing air appear.
- Dependence of draft (ventilation) on weather conditions.
Despite some disadvantages, this method of ventilation in combination with ordinary ventilation is very often used in “budget” options for baths.
For a budget steam room, the best option is ventilation with a stove and ventilation
Ventilating a bathhouse with a stove - diagram
The optimal ventilation device for most baths.
Advantages:
Important. It is advisable to consider the ventilation device before starting the construction of the bathhouse. Solve issues with specific hole placement and their overall dimensions. We advise you to make the height of the vents no more than the height of the beam, and adjust the holes to make them longer.
Why is it best to provide ventilation at the construction stage?
- Firstly, making holes in an already finished structure is much more physically difficult.
Drilling a hole in a log house is a labor-intensive process
- Secondly, there is a risk that the hole will hit the dowel, especially for the upper outlet vent. It is located in close proximity to the Mauerlats rafter system, and they are fixed more often than ordinary crowns and only metal rods or pieces of building reinforcement are used as dowels.
- Thirdly, if you make a hole with a metal crown, then the expensive tool will fail after “meeting” the dowel. And it will not always be possible to “reanimate” a chisel or chisel after attempts to cut through metal.
- Fourthly, the metal dowel in this place is almost impossible to cut off. You can’t get close with a grinder, you can’t even use a hacksaw for metal, and you wouldn’t wish it on your enemy to cut with a file. We'll have to blow the air in another place. And who needs an extra hole in the wall of the bathhouse or an increase in its size? Moreover, if you have already made holes in the outer and inner cladding according to its “planned” dimensions and bought ventilation grilles. A “meeting” with a metal dowel is a very unpleasant situation from all points of view.
Ventilation duct placement options and sizes
There are several general rules for all natural ventilation products. First, in order to improve the efficiency of the system, the cold air supply openings should be located below about 20 centimeters from the floor level. Exit openings should be located at the maximum height - under the ceiling or on the ceiling. Secondly, the mixing of different layers of air in the volume of the steam room is improved if the inlet and outlet openings are located at the maximum distance from each other, preferably along the diagonal of the room. In what places is it recommended to install them?
It can be done at the bottom of the steam room door leaf.
Advantages - there is no need to make an extra hole in the wall of the bathhouse. This saves time and effort; in addition, it eliminates the possibility of the lower crowns of the log house getting wet. Disadvantage - in most cases, the doors are located opposite the shelves for bathing procedures; cold air flows appear, creating a number of inconveniences.
Under the shelf.
Advantages - the inlet is invisible, the flow of cold air mixes well with warm air throughout the entire volume. Disadvantage: Access to the grille for opening/closing the damper becomes more difficult. If during washing you can regulate the intensity of ventilation only using the top grill, then after ventilating the baths you need to close both. This means that after some time you will have to visit the steam room specifically to close the vent.
Important. The dampers on the ventilation openings must be installed, two per each - outside and inside the steam room. After ventilation, both baths should be closed. Choose a technology for installing grilles that guarantees complete tightness of the external dampers. It is strictly forbidden for atmospheric moisture to enter the crowns of the log house.
Behind the stove.
Inlet opening behind the stove - diagram
Most best option. Cold air from the street hits the stove, warms up a little and breaks into several separate flows with low speed. Drafts are completely eliminated. Disadvantages - it is not always possible to install in this place decorative grilles. If the stove is close to the wall, then the high temperature negatively affects plastic or wooden materials decorative lattice. In addition, according to safety regulations, such places behind the stove must be insulated sheet iron using thermal insulation.
No option is suitable for your specific case? No problem, make a hole where you see fit.
As for the outlet, there are fewer problems with its placement. Our only advice is don’t do it in the ceiling. Over-humidified air should not be vented into the attic; it will cause constant humidification. wooden elements rafter system, and its premature repair always costs a pretty penny. To protect the rafters, humid air will have to be taken to the roof. Why make an additional hole in the covering, why worsen the tightness of the roof covering with your own hands and at your own expense?
Opening sizes for natural ventilation
The technology for calculating the size of ventilation holes is specified in the current regulations. Determining the size of vents for natural ventilation is much more difficult than for forced ventilation - there are too many factors beyond people’s control. The main performance parameter of the ventilation system is the frequency of air changes. For residential premises, the minimum multiplicity value is regulated, taking into account both the temperature in the rooms and the temperature outside. The temperature in residential premises fluctuates within small limits, this simplifies the work of designers.
In steam rooms the situation is much more complicated - temperature and humidity indicators vary within very wide limits. In addition, the speed of air arrival/entry into different situations may differ significantly. Such preconditions make it almost impossible to accurately calculate the optimal air exchange rate for natural ventilation.
Some bathhouse owners are afraid of suffocating during bathing procedures due to lack of oxygen. We bring to their attention that one cubic meter There is enough air for one person to breathe for an hour and a half. Calculate the cubic capacity of the steam room and find out how long you can safely steam; the count goes into tens of hours.
Carbon monoxide can cause problems. If you close the stove gate until the wood is completely burned out, then no amount of ventilation will help. It can ventilate the room only if carbon monoxide no longer enters. Heat the stove correctly and never burn out, do not rely in vain on ventilation.
How to make a ventilation hole in the wall of a bathhouse
For example, we will take the most difficult option– the external and internal cladding of the walls of the bathhouse has already been done. The hole can be round, square or rectangular.
Step 1. Mark the location of the vent on the inner lining of the steam room. Before starting work, you must not only know the location of the hole, but also its size and configuration. It is advisable that air ducts and decorative grilles be available; this will make it possible to accurately control the size of the opening and not do unnecessary work.
Step 2. Prepare a long wood drill, the working length should exceed the thickness of the wall of the bathhouse together with the outer and internal lining. In the center of the drawn outline of the vent, drill a through hole from inside the steam room. The drill outlet outside the steam room will be the center of the air flow. Draw around it the dimensions of the hole, similarly made in the steam room.
Step 3. Remove the internal and external cladding elements in the outline. If your bathhouse is lined with natural clapboard on both sides, then the process is simplified, just carefully cut out the boards. If with outside were used metal sheets- use a grinder.
Step 4. Inspect carefully load-bearing structures casings, if they are damaged, repair them. Drill through holes along the contour of the ventilation duct as close to each other as possible, constantly check where they exit from the outside of the wall. The drill must always be perpendicular to the plane. Drill the same holes throughout the entire area of the vent; the more there are, the easier it is to make a hole in the wall.
Video - How to drill a large diameter hole in wood
Step 5. Next you need to work with a chisel and chisel, gradually removing the wooden bridges between the holes. It will not be possible to completely hollow out a hole on one side of the wall - it is too difficult to reach with a tool. Do half the work from the inside of the steam room, and the other half from the outside. There is no need to carefully level the surfaces of the holes, the main thing is that the air duct fits easily into the channel.
The most difficult physical work is done, you can begin installing the air duct and grilles. Don't be discouraged if it takes a long time to make holes, even experienced builders They can rarely prepare more than two products a day.
How to install ducts and grilles
For air ducts, you can use galvanized or plastic pipes, the length is determined by the length of the passage. Select the grille according to the size of the opening; to regulate the ventilation efficiency, it must have dampers.
Step 1. Mineral wool insulate the planes of the hole, carefully insert the air duct into place. To firmly fix the pipe in the desired position, use polyurethane foam. Excess foam that appears should be cut off after hardening.
Step 2. If there is waterproofing between the sheathing and the wall, treat the gap between the wall and the hole in the sheathing with foam, it will seal the cut and prevent water from getting into the wooden structures.
Step 3. Fasten the gratings; the method of fastening depends on the material of the wall cladding and sheathing.
We fix the ventilation grilles. In the photo there is a grate on the outside of the bathhouse
Check the operation of the ventilation using a smoldering firebrand or other source of smoke. Bring it to the inlet and observe how and at what speed the air currents move in the steam room.
The photo shows the air supply valve and its operation check
Experiment with natural ventilation at different damper positions, from maximum to minimum.
Video - Installation of the KPV 125 valve
Video - Ventilation in a bathhouse with a Termofor stove-conditioner
Many novice developers very often ask the question: Is ventilation needed in a bathhouse? Why let cold air in if so much effort and materials went into insulating it? On the one hand, this is a paradox, but on the other hand, it is a necessity, and in order to understand this issue, you need to weigh all the pros and cons (if any) of installing ventilation in the steam room.
What are the dangers of lack of ventilation in a bathhouse?
In ancient times, when they knew absolutely nothing about ventilation, in Rus' bathhouses, like houses, were made without ventilation holes. But there is an explanation for this. Logs were used as building material. The lower crown of logs was made free, which allowed fresh air to flow through the cracks of the log house. We regulated the temperature in the steam room by opening front door. Here you have the simplest, but no less effective ventilation of the bathhouse, which was used by our ancestors.
IN modern construction They use completely different materials, and the approach to the construction of buildings is somewhat different. But if you don’t think about installing a ventilation system during the construction of the bathhouse, then the consequences of this will not keep you waiting, namely:
- Rapid wear and tear of the materials used for lining and insulating the bathhouse. Without proper ventilation of the bathhouse, after several years of operation, the owner will have to change not only the lining, but also the floor, and, quite possibly, the insulation. Temperature changes and moisture, which is an inevitable companion of a steam room, are a destructive force that destroys materials in 3-5 years.
- The appearance of an unpleasant odor. This will inevitably happen in a steam room without ventilation, since dampness and warmth are an excellent microclimate for the appearance of mold and fungi. It is almost impossible to get rid of the smell of mold and mustiness in such a room, since using chemicals in the bathhouse is strictly prohibited. This is not only harmful, but also deadly.
- Poisoned air in the steam room. First of all, without proper air exchange, the level in the steam room can sharply increase. carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. Probably, there is no need to tell anyone what will happen to a person if the concentration of carbon monoxide increases by at least 0.1%. On top of this is the high temperature of the air in the steam room, which is filled with evaporated sweat from your body. Well, in general, nothing health benefits in such an atmosphere, there can be no question.
The above arguments are enough to understand the axiom: ventilation in the steam room of a bathhouse is not just necessary, but vital.
What should be the ventilation in the bathhouse?
As a rule, steam room ventilation is limited to two to three ventilation holes of the required cross-section. One is for supply air, and the rest are for removing “exhaust” air. It must be taken into account that for comfortable well-being, the air circulation in such a room must be at least 5 times. This means that the entire volume of air in the steam room must change five times in 1 hour. There are several nuances that are required for the installation of any ventilation scheme.
- You need to think about the location and size of the ventilation holes in the bathhouse at the stage of its construction, since it will be very difficult to make holes in the finished steam room.
- The dimensions of the supply and exhaust vents must match. In some cases, the dimensions of the hood may be larger than the inflow.
- Ventilation openings must be equipped with valves. This will allow you to regulate the intensity of air circulation, and when heating the steam room, you can close them completely to raise the temperature more quickly.
- Very important parameter– this is the cross-section of the ventilation vents. It is important to know that their cross-section depends entirely on the volume of the steam room. There should be 24 cm2 of ventilation per 1 m3 of volume.
Installation of a ventilation system in a bathhouse
We have already talked a lot about what kind of ventilation there is. The same laws apply for a bathhouse, and ventilation in it can be:
- Natural. With this type of ventilation, the circulation of air masses is created due to the difference in temperature and pressure between the air flow and the exhaust hood. Good circulation of air flow can only be achieved by correct installation of ventilation holes: inlet at the bottom and exhaust at the top of the room. As is known from school courses According to physics, hot air rises up and cold air goes down, so such a ventilation device in a bathhouse will not be very convenient from the point of view of warming it up.
- Combined. This ventilation method assumes the presence of one natural ventilation hole and one vent with a fan installed in it. The inflow will be mechanized or exhaust - it all depends on the scheme you choose.
- Mechanical. Such a ventilation system independently controls the flow of air masses and their exhaust, temperature and humidity, using automation. From the point of view of comfort, it comes first, but prices - such a system is practically not used in baths due to the complexity of installation, and the high cost of equipment, design and maintenance.
Examples of ready-made ventilation schemes
There are several working ventilation schemes in the bathhouse, which ensure good circulation air, despite the fact that the steam room does not cool down. 
- The supply opening should be located at floor level, behind the stove, and the exhaust openings should be located near the ceiling, but on the opposite wall from the supply. Thanks to this arrangement, the incoming, colder air will enter the steam room and be immediately heated by the heater. After which it rises to the ceiling, goes around it and lowers slightly to exit into the exhaust vent.
- If your stove works constantly during bath procedures, you can use this option, where the inlet hole is located 30 cm from the floor, on the opposite side from the stove, and the vent and chimney will act as a hood.
- If your bathhouse has ventilated floors, then you can make an inflow behind the stove, at a height of 20-30 cm from the floor. Cold air will enter the steam room, be heated by the stove and rise upward. Cooler masses will sink, pass through floor vents and be discharged outside the room.
Here are several options for the location of inlet and outlet using exhaust fan.
- The supply opening is located 30 cm from the floor - behind the stove, and the hood is located on the opposite wall, 20 cm from the floor. One caveat: a fan is installed in the hood, which will create air circulation.
- The inlet and exhaust vents are located on the same wall, but only one is at the top and the other is at the bottom. The supply room, located 30 cm from the floor, is equipped with an exhaust fan of a given power.
- The inlet is installed behind the stove, at a height of 30 cm from the floor and is equipped with a fan. The exhaust hole is made on the opposite wall 20 cm from the floor. The blown air is heated by the stove and evenly heats the entire steam room. After which, it cools down and goes down, where it exits through the hood.
Important!
To calculate the fan power, you need to multiply the volume of the steam room by the air circulation rate. Example: Steam room 2 m by 3 m. Its area is 6 m2. Ceiling height 2 m. Total: 6 x 2 = 12 m3. Now we multiply 12 m3 by the recommended air circulation rate of 5 and get 60 m3/hour fan performance for our steam room.The most common mistakes when arranging ventilation in a bathhouse
One of the most common mistakes made by those who decide to do the ventilation of a bathhouse with their own hands is the location of the supply and exhaust vents at the same level. There will be no benefit from such an arrangement, other than a draft. If you used this arrangement of ventilation holes, then the inflow should be located behind the stove and equipped with a fan, and the outlet should be at the same level, but on the opposite wall.
Another mistake novice builders make is that many try to seal the bathhouse as much as possible from air getting into it, make small windows and forget about arranging floor ventilation. Yes, such a steam room will heat up very quickly, but it will be impossible to take health procedures in it.
In fact, there are many shortcomings, and it is simply impossible to count them all, but, observing certain rules, you can build the bathhouse of your dreams with your own hands, without additional costs for correcting mistakes.
Ventilation in the bathhouse is simply necessary. First of all, ventilation is intended to ensure the safety of people who take bath procedures.
Everyone knows that when breathing a person inhales oxygen and exhales carbon dioxide. In a tightly closed room, after some time he will begin to suffocate. And in a steam room, where the temperature and concentration of water vapor are high, this will begin to happen even faster.
Relaxing on the shelf, you won’t have time to get to the rescue one. The cost of an incorrect ventilation device can be prohibitive.
The second important factor is wood rotting. Enjoying and benefiting from bath procedures while smelling rot and mold is very problematic. Therefore, proper ventilation in a Russian bathhouse is the key not only to its benefits, but also to the health of vacationers.
The photo shows wood rotting due to insufficient drying of the wood
Experts believe that a ventilation device in a bathhouse in which the air in the room is changed three times in one hour can be considered correct. The ventilation scheme in the bathhouse is selected depending on the type of structure and materials used in the construction of the walls.
General principles of ventilation in a bathhouse
The correct design of a bathhouse and ventilation in it, regardless of the type of structure, is based on the following basic principles:
- The fresh air that enters the steam room should not disturb its temperature regime;
- Exhaust air, which contains the most carbon dioxide, must be removed from the room;
- The arrangement of air in the steam room should be layered: the hottest air is under the ceiling, on the bench it is as comfortable as possible and the coldest air is near the floor.
Pay attention!
There should be no draft in the steam room!
If all these principles are followed, then bath procedures will bring maximum effect what they are counting on is restoration of mental and physical strength.
Ventilation device in a free-standing wooden bath
The tree is considered ideal building material for a bath. Wooden walls“breathe”, so the issue of air exchange is partially solved naturally.
However, even in wooden building In the steam room, ventilation is necessary. At a minimum, for quickly drying the wood after taking bath procedures.
Work plays a major role in air exchange processes sauna stove. When water is poured onto a column of hot steam is created, which rises upward. As it cools, it lowers, pushing the used air out of the steam room.
Together, the above factors allow you to create in the steam room required humidity and temperature, and provide normal circulation air.
Let's take a closer look at the ventilation system in wooden baths. The main tasks for us, naturally, will be to ensure the flow of fresh air and the removal of exhaust air. Our instructions will help you cope with these tasks.
Ensuring air flow
The correct log house is laid in such a way that lower crowns were free. With this installation, access to fresh air from the street is ensured.
In addition, around the steam room door, in any case, there will be gaps sufficient for its entry. The stove in such baths is placed closer to the door so that it heats up immediately.
If the steam room is designed for 6 or more people, a separate air duct is connected to the heater, which supports the combustion process. If you make this air duct double, then the problem of fresh air supply is solved once and for all.
Exhaust air removal
If the heater is heated directly from the steam room, then the exhaust air is exhausted through the firebox into. At correct installation oven, no additional holes required.
In order to dry the room after completing the bath procedures, a small hole (up to 200x200 mm) can be cut in the wall. During the heating and operation of the steam room, it is closed with a special plug.
If the steam room has a window, such a hole is not needed. Sometimes a window from the steam room is cut into the washing room, and in the washing room either a through hole to the street or another window is made. Thus, when drying, two birds are killed at once, both the steam room and the washing room are dried.
Thus, the myth that for wooden bath ventilation is not necessary, confirmed when the following conditions are met:
- The steam room is designed for 2-4 people;
- The lower crowns of the frame are laid freely;
- The stove-heater is heated directly from the steam room;
- There is a hole or window in the wall for ventilation.
Actually, such family baths are usually built on personal plots.
Ventilation device in a free-standing brick bathhouse
Brick structure, as well as a structure made of foam concrete, expanded clay blocks and others capital structures- that's another matter. Ventilation in brick bath more complex.
The first difference is that floors in a brick building must be ventilated. The thing is that the floors in the bathhouse are constantly in contact with water, and if they are solid, then the boards will have to be replaced approximately every three to four years. ABOUT unpleasant odors and you don’t even have to talk about mold.
Ventilation of the floor in the bathhouse is laid at the stage of foundation construction. To do this, special holes are made in the foundation on opposite sides. These holes will ensure through circulation of air under the floor and drying of the joists.
The second difference is the mandatory presence of special supply and exhaust openings in the steam room. There may be several of them. Two supply holes are made at floor level and covered with grates to prevent rodents from entering.
There are 4 most popular schemes for ventilation in a bathhouse, from which you can choose the most suitable one for you.
- Scheme No. 1. The supply hole is located behind the stove at a distance of 50 cm from the floor. An exhaust hole is cut in the opposite wall no higher than 30 cm from the floor. A bath fan is installed on it, which will ensure air circulation.
According to this scheme, the air in the steam room is heated evenly, the incoming air is heated by the stove and rises. As it cools, it falls down and exits through the outlet. The lower it is located, the stronger the air flow will be. When using a fan, a ventilation valve can be installed at the outlet.
- Scheme No. 2. Suitable for those baths where the stove is heated from the steam room. In this case, the influx is made directly under the stove. The flow of fresh air is sucked in by the stove, supporting combustion, and provides an influx directly into the room.
The exhaust vent is located above the floor and connected to it corrugated pipe, which rises up to the roof level and opens onto the street. In other cases, the ventilation duct is made in the wall.
Pay attention!
If the walls of the bathhouse are made of expanded clay concrete blocks, then it is best to install ventilation ducts during construction.
- Scheme No. 3. According to this scheme, ventilation for the bathhouse is arranged through cracks in the floor. In this case, the supply hole is made in the wall near the stove at a height of 30-50 cm from the floor. The air, heating up, rises and exits through the cracks between the floor boards into the basement. It is thrown out from the basement space using a special pipe.
Pay attention! For normal functioning For this type of ventilation, it is necessary to leave gaps between the floorboards of 5-10 mm.
- Scheme No. 4. This scheme is suitable in cases where the stove also heats other rooms.
Fresh air is sucked in by the stove through holes in the floor and, passing through the firebox, goes out into the steam room and into the washing room. It is removed from the premises through openings located below, above the floor level.
There are also combined schemes ventilation, but to install them yourself, you need to consult with a specialist.
The video in this article will help you understand clearly how ventilation is arranged in a bathhouse.
The dream of any homeowner or summer resident is own bathhouse. Here you can relax and take a steam bath, as well as heal your body after hard everyday life. However, this is only possible if you observe normal conditions. There should be no drafts in the steam room, there should be a certain level of humidity and a fairly high temperature.
Lack of indoor humidity and excess carbon dioxide can cause irreparable harm to health. Is ventilation needed in a steam room? To ensure the required circulation of fresh and hot air, you simply cannot do without it.
Does a steam room need ventilation?
Let's imagine a picture: there are several people with brooms in the steam room. They steam with great pleasure, actively breathe, thereby releasing carbon dioxide, which, in turn, mixes with hot steam and air. It gradually becomes harder to breathe, there is no flow of fresh air. To swallow it, you need to leave the steam room. Is there enough strength for this? What needs to be done to ensure comfortable conditions in the steam room?
Ventilation options in the steam room
Properly executed ventilation creates comfortable conditions in the steam room. This occurs due to the effective movement of air flow, which comes from the oven and from the outside, and also exits through special openings to the outside. In most cases, ventilation in a steam room is based on the principle of natural removal of exhaust steam-saturated air from the room and an influx of fresh air. This is very important in wooden buildings, because excess moisture leads to rapid deterioration of the walls of the structure.
Steam room with small area do not require special expensive equipment. If the walls of the steam room are made of brick, and the room can freely accommodate 10-12 people, then installation will be required supply valve or exhaust fan. With the help supply ventilation You can automatically regulate temperature, humidity and Ventilation in the steam room is necessary for the following reasons:
- An unpleasant odor appears in the room.
- Mold and fungi on wooden structures.
- The appearance of condensation on the surface of walls and ceilings.
- Mechanical ventilation - air inflow and outflow is carried out using fans. This system allows you to create comfortable air exchange in any room. But in a steam room this will be associated with large financial costs.
- Combined ventilation - the outflow of exhaust air is carried out using an exhaust fan, the influx of fresh air is carried out naturally through the inlet.
Mechanical or natural ventilation - which is better?
Mechanical ventilation can be used, but its use is associated with some inconveniences:
- To increase or decrease the air exchange rate, you will need to close the exhaust valve to create additional load on the fan.
- Air extraction can be carried out with such intensity that in order to maintain the required steam temperature, it will be necessary to additionally heat the sauna stove.
Therefore, let us dwell in more detail on natural ventilation. How to make ventilation in a steam room without spending a lot of money?
Ventilation device in the steam room
The simplest option is a supply and exhaust opening in the foundation or walls. IN in this case The location and size of these holes plays an important role. Sometimes, ventilation equipment can be installed for more active air exchange.
There is no single ventilation scheme for a steam room, since they differ not only in the design features, but also in the materials from which they are built. In this case, there are some rules, following which you can choose the most optimal ventilation for a particular case.
The holes must be calculated based on the volume of the steam room: so for 1 m3 of ventilated area, the hole size should be 24 cm2.
The main task in the bathhouse is ventilation in the steam room, which is necessary to maintain a sufficient temperature level and high humidity, however, do not make the ventilation holes too small size, since as a result the required level of air exchange will not be provided. The size of the exhaust openings must correspond to the size of the supply openings, otherwise air exchange will be disrupted. In some situations, to quickly dry the bath and quickly remove exhaust air, it is allowed to make two exhaust holes.
Location of supply and exhaust openings
In most cases, the stove is located in a steam room. The supply opening must be located near the stove at a distance from the floor of no more than 30 cm. This is the most popular, but not the best option for organizing ventilation for a steam room. In this case, it is much more effective when the supply openings are located under the floor in the foundation. To prevent the entry of rodents, it is advisable to equip these openings with metal grilles.
Such ventilation in the steam room will solve two problems at the same time: it will deliver fresh air to the bathhouse, and also effectively dry the walls and floors after completion of the procedures. In this case, it is advisable to lay with a small gap to ensure free passage of air flow.
Ventilation vents
To ensure the required air conditions during the heating of the steam room, the ventilation ducts are equipped with special plugs (lids) that can be closed (opened) from the steam room, thereby regulating air exchange, temperature and humidity.
Effective moisture removal
To make ventilation in the steam room with your own hands effective, it is forbidden to do the following:
- Install ventilation vents that are smaller in size than designed.
- Place the exhaust and supply openings opposite each other - after all, the incoming air flow is excreted almost immediately, without having time to release oxygen, resulting in a draft, which is contraindicated for a steam room.
Let's look at the most popular options ventilation systems in the steam room:
Ventilation in the steam room of a bathhouse, diagram - which one to choose?
The schemes listed above are the most commonly used in steam rooms, but there are many combinations and variations of them. Based on the ventilation system options presented above, you can develop your own scheme for a specific steam room option.