Smells from the ventilation in the toilet: blowing in the opposite direction, letting in

One of the important conditions for comfortable living in an apartment is the correct microclimate and the absence of foreign odors in it. Both are responsible for ventilation. It depends on the quality of installation of this system whether mold will form in the premises or condensation on the windows, whether unpleasant odors will appear and stagnate. The last problem especially often occurs in the toilet, eventually spreading to the rest of the apartment, if not dealt with. Let's try to figure out what to do if the ventilation in the toilet works in the opposite direction.

How to check if the ventilation system in the toilet is working?

First of all, it is worth checking whether the problem is really a malfunction of the ventilation. To do this, you can invite specialists to your home who can easily test the system using professional equipment.

But there are more accessible and faster ways to check the efficiency of ventilation in the toiletwhich you can use yourself:

1. You can bring a lit candle, match or lighter to the ventilation grille. If the system is working properly, then the flame of the flame will lean towards the grate, that is, the ventilation draws in air from the room. If, on the contrary, air flows from the ventilation to the toilet, the flame will deviate away from the grate.
2. You can also check the draft with the help of a sheet attached to the grate. Provided that the ventilation is working, it will stick to the surface of the grate and hold on to it on its own. If there is no traction, this effect will not work and the leaf will fall.

In order for these tests to show the correct result, before conducting them, it is necessary to close the door to the toilet and open the window, if any.

What causes bad breath from ventilation?

The main reason for the lack of draft in the ventilation system is the lack of fresh air inflow into the room. This may happen because:

• The toilet doors were installed too tight, and air does not enter the room.
• The apartment is rarely ventilated, and the entrance metal entrance and metal-plastic interior doors do not allow air flow.
• Neighbors from the apartment below installed a very powerful fan in the ventilation.
• The ventilation duct is clogged, as a result of which the air permeability is deteriorated.

These are the most common reasons. Only a specialist will help you identify the problem and suggest a competent solution to it, because often the cause of the smell is not clear at first glance - the problem can even arise due to improper operation of the system by neighbors.

How to solve the problem of unpleasant smell from the ventilation in the toilet?

After determining the cause of the problem, you can begin to solve it. Naturally, further actions will depend on whether you can cope with the smell yourself. For example, in case of serious pollution of the ventilation shaft, you will still have to contact specialists, since you will not be able to clean it yourself.

What to do if the room is "sealed":

• Under the door in the toilet you need to leave a gap of about two centimeters.
• If there is no possibility to make a gap, then special valves can be installed in the door that will allow air to enter the room.
• A window or just a small window between the toilet and another room in the apartment will help solve the problem with the supply of fresh air.

• The supply ventilation of the room will improve if a special mechanism is installed on it that performs photocatalytic filtration. Such a filter will purify the air to the degree of sterility. The disadvantage of this system is that the price is too high.
• In extreme cases, you can leave the door to the toilet open or partially open.
• If the ventilation in the bathroom and toilet is shared, then the bathroom door can also be left ajar when you are not using it.

If you can not cope with the problem yourself, it is best to turn to professionals!

What can be done if the ventilation problem is related to neighbors:

1. If the neighbors have installed a fan, then the only way out for you is to install an even more powerful exhaust fan.
2. Another option is to talk to the neighbors and come to an agreement that suits both parties.
3. If experts find out that in one of the neighboring apartments the norms for the use of ventilation were violated (for example, a kitchen hood was connected to it), you should contact the senior in the house or the management company. Such actions are illegal and should be stopped.

In any case, such issues are best dealt with directly with the neighbors first. It is quite possible that they will understand what mistake they made and remove all installations that interfere with normal air circulation in the house.

How to clean the ventilation in the apartment yourself

At self-cleaning of the ventilation duct in the apartment the sequence of work will be as follows:

1. Remove the ventilation grill. If dust or other contaminants have accumulated on it, wipe it with a cloth moistened with soapy water or wash it under running water.
2. To clean the walls, it is most convenient to use a scraper.
3. Dry cleaning should be completed with a vacuum cleaner. The hose is directed inside the ventilation duct, and the dust is sucked into the vacuum cleaner.
4. Wet cleaning of ventilation is best done with a sponge or cloth soaked in a solution of neutral cleaning agents.

Residents of the building are required to maintain engineering communications located on the territory of each apartment in proper condition. That is why it is important to clean the ventilation at least once every six months.

Installing a fan in the hood in the toilet

For forced ventilation often use special exhaust fans. For toilets, systems of centrifugal-axial and axial types are suitable.

The main criterion for choosing a fan is its power. It is the fans indicated above that have sufficient efficiency to perform their functions in residential premises, but at the same time they do not make noise and do not discharge the atmosphere (such an effect can adversely affect the well-being of apartment residents).

Any fans are mounted either on the wall or on the ceiling. At the same time, their installation methods also differ: they can be of a radial or channel type. Some models also have a duct valve, thanks to which odors from other rooms will not penetrate into the toilet.

How to install a fan in the toilet:

1. It is necessary to choose the right place for installing the fan. The exhaust and supply systems should be located opposite each other, that is, the most successful location for forced ventilation will be the area directly under the ceiling or on it opposite the front door.
2. Now you need to mark the holes for ventilation, take care of the wiring in the case of a mechanical fan. If the exhaust hole does not match the size of the fan, then a piece of pipe, the diameter of which will match the size of the fan, is well suited for their strong connection. Wires can be hidden using special plastic boxes.
3. The fan itself is attached to the exhaust vent with glue. The cover is unscrewed from the fan, the junction is smeared with glue, then the mechanism is installed in place. It is better to hold it for a few minutes until the glue starts to harden.

A properly installed fan will help you get rid of the odor problem in the toilet from the ventilation system.