For normal life in the apartment you need clean air. It should be provided by natural ventilation, which is always planned in residential buildings. But with intensive cooking in the kitchen, it is not enough, therefore, in most modern apartments, kitchen hoods are installed to help cope with the abundance of steam, grease and odors. If the owner decides to choose a circulation type device, an additional ventilation pipe will be required to be connected to the kitchen hood. Let's find out how you can do it yourself.
What is needed for proper maintenance of natural ventilation in the apartment?
You need to know that only exhaust ventilation is installed in city apartments, and the inflow is provided by passive ventilators - window vents.
Note! The ventilation system is effective when the volumes of supply and exhaust air are equal. Therefore, during the operation of a powerful kitchen hood, you will have to open the window.
supply system
The influx of fresh air can be controlled using the simplest supply devices: windows and vents. After replacing wooden windows with airtight plastic ones, it may be necessary to installation of ventilation system valves. When windows are being replaced, it will also be rational to install plastic doors in the kitchen and close them when cooking. Natural ventilation will quickly cope with air purification in a small room.
natural extract
The reason for the weak outflow of air may be clogging of the ventilation duct. The apartment owner can clean the exhaust ductadjacent to the premises, and a grate. The main shaft with branches must be cleaned by employees of the housing organization.
It is possible to increase the efficiency of natural exhaust by installing a fan at the inlet to the ventilation duct or inside it, which significantly increases the flow power. Such methods turn natural ventilation into forced ventilation. It can be used not always, but only when cooking.
Kitchen hood
With the local release of contaminants from food preparations, the installation of an additional exhaust device is still required. It is of two types:
- recirculation hood, purifying the air and returning it to the room;
- circulation (flow), providing the removal of polluted air through the ventilation duct from the apartment.
In the first case, a flat device is installed above the stove and air is filtered through it. The ventilation duct is not needed in this case.
The outlet should not be installed too close to the stove, so the hood cord may need to be replaced, as most appliances have a very short cord.
The main difference between the installation of a circulation hood, which is also hung on a wall or built into kitchen furniture, is the need for a device duct. The ventilation hole is located close to the stove. The best option is to place it directly above it. The outlet of the device should be located as close as possible to the air path.
Important! The air duct should be as short as possible so as not to create additional noise and resistance to air movement.
Duct selection
The exhaust air is removed through a pipe, which may differ in the following ways:
- by material;
- the diameter or dimensions of the sides of the box;
- section shape;
- flexibility.
plastic duct
Most of the exhaust pipes are made of plastic, which in any of its varieties (PVC, polyurethane, polypropylene) has its advantages:
- Noise reduction.
- Low airflow resistance.
- Easy assembly and handling.
- On a smooth surface, dirt does not accumulate.
- A small load on the entire structure.
Air ducts are made round and rectangular. The former have less air resistance, while the latter are better suited to the interior of the kitchen. There are adapters for each type.
It is especially important to choose the right diameter or dimensions of the sides of the duct and connect the duct at the inlet and outlet. A tight fit is ensured by the use of a sealant.
Aluminum corrugation
The pipe in the form of an aluminum corrugation has a small length. During installation, it stretches, which makes the walls smooth and reduces noise. The flexibility of the pipe allows it to be placed in hard-to-reach places, but each bend reduces performance. The standard pipe diameter can be 10, 12, 12.5, 15 cm.
Due to the unattractive appearance of the corrugation and plastic duct they try to hide in closets or behind stretch ceilings. They are also masked behind the lower level of a plasterboard partition or rectangular plastic boxes with a color that matches the interior of the kitchen. Spotlights can be installed on them, which will provide zonal illumination of the plate.
Design
When considering the design of the ventilation duct for a kitchen hood, it is important to consider several fundamental points:
- The diameter of the duct is selected so that it is equal to the vent and is larger than that of the kitchen hood.
- The number of bends and the length of the pipe should be as small as possible.
- Each meter reduces draft by 5–10%, so the maximum length is 3 m, which is quite enough for an ordinary kitchen.
- For ventilation and exhaust, a check valve is installed to ensure their joint operation and prevent back draft.
Air duct installation
Consider the installation sequence of the ventilation duct for the hood with your own hands. What should be done:
- Install hood according to the attached instructions. The device is easily mounted with your own hands in a kitchen cabinet, under a cabinet or on a wall.
- Lay hidden wiring and connect the socket. It is important to choose the distance to the stove, which should not be less than 60 cm.
- Prepare air duct. It will require a nozzle that is selected according to the size of the duct and vent. It is impossible to narrow the aluminum pipe and bend it at an acute angle, as it can be damaged. Adapters are used to turn the plastic duct. To do the installation of the hood with your own hands, it is advisable to buy the entire kit, then you do not have to select an air duct of a suitable diameter for it.
- Connect the air duct to the exhaust pipe with a clamp. It is not necessary to seal the connection, as it is disassembled for cleaning.
- Lay the pipe to the ventilation window. It is attached to the wall with clamps and dowels. The ventilation duct is assembled using silicone sealant. Pipes connected to each other by adapters must have the same cross section.
Important! The hood and ventilation duct must be cleaned from burning at least twice a year so that a fire does not occur.
Conclusion
To increase the efficiency of air purification in the apartment, an additional ventilation pipe and a kitchen hood are installed, which can be mounted by hand. A complex system of channels must be carried out by professionals, otherwise it will take a lot of time and money to rework.
