Household bathroom fan. Silent bathroom fan with check valve: selection and installation. Axial fans for wall or ceiling

Ventilation in the house is as important as heating or water supply. The hood in the bathroom is an integral part of the ventilation system. This issue must be approached very carefully, there are no unimportant details. In this article, we will analyze the basics of ventilation, select the right fan for the exhaust hood in the bathroom and carry out its installation.

Types of ventilation

Why do you need ventilation in the bathroom

A competent approach to the installation of a ventilation system in the house is the key to the health and quality of life of the family.

Among the prevailing opinions, there is an erroneous idea: the hood for the bathroom is not as significant as for other rooms in the house. Most people do not even think about the importance of ventilation for the bathroom and toilet. Others suggest that the windows will be enough for optimal air exchange. Of course, these ideas are fundamentally wrong.

The hood in the bathroom solves the problem of proper air exchange, therefore, there will be no unpleasant odors in the bathroom, and the air in the room will be fresh. This is especially true for a combined bathroom.

High humidity in the bathroom creates favorable conditions for the reproduction and growth of microorganisms. A properly functioning ventilation system will help to defeat rot and mold. The hood in the bathroom helps to achieve the optimal temperature and humidity, as well as maintain the parameters at the right level.

The hood for the bathroom solves the following tasks:

creates air exchange;

maintains a microclimate.

Types of ventilation

There are two types of ventilation systems.

Natural exhaust in the bathroom is created by removing stale air through the ventilation shaft. This type of ventilation is laid down at the stage of designing and building houses. For the effective functioning of the system, fresh air must be supplied through special openings in the bathroom door.

Advice. In order to check how well the system works, you need to create a draft (open a door or window) and bring a sheet of paper to the ventilation grill - it should stick to it.

In cases where the bathroom hood does not work properly or is not efficient enough, forced ventilation in the bathroom can correct the situation.

Forced exhaust in the bathroom is created through the use of special devices - fans.

When is artificial ventilation necessary?

Artificial ventilation is necessary, with natural ventilation working properly, if you notice:

rust on pipes or metal products;

condensation on walls, windows, objects;

signs of appearance (black dots) or pronounced rot, mold.

Forced ventilation installed in the bathroom in addition to natural ventilation significantly reduces the harmful manifestations of high humidity. This favorably affects the condition and service life of household appliances installed in the room. It will allow you to keep the ceilings and walls in their original condition longer after the repair.

Fan classification

Bathroom fans are classified according to the following criteria:

at the location of the work item: overhead or channel. Overhead fans for the bathroom are mounted at the entrance to the ventilation shaft. Their installation is simple and affordable. The main work of duct fans takes place inside the duct ducts. Duct fans for the bathroom allow you to create a full-fledged ventilation system that combines several or all rooms in the house. The creation of such a system occurs during construction.
at the place of installation: ceiling, wall, roof. Ceiling, as a rule, these are duct fans, and wall - overhead. Roof fans are a whole complex of supply and exhaust ventilation, which is placed under the roof of the house;

according to the principle of action: bladed, centrifugal. Bladed, in turn, are divided into axial and radial. The principle of operation of blade fans is to remove the exhaust air by rotating the blades or, in the case of a radial fan, by using blades. Centrifugal hoods for toilets and bathrooms work by creating centrifugal force inside the fan;
by the presence of additional functions: check valve for ventilation, hygrometer, shutdown timer, motion sensor. The hygrometer allows you to automatically turn on the hood in the bathroom at a given humidity parameter. The timer sets the time for the hood to turn off. The motion sensor starts the fan when a person enters the bathroom;
according to the method of inclusion: mechanical or automatic. Mechanical fans either have a separate on/off button or turn on with the light in the bathroom. Automatic fans turn on when the parameters are set, for example, when a person enters the room, the humidity exceeds the allowable value, the light switch is triggered.

The check valve for ventilation can be included with the fan or it can be bought separately.

The valve prevents the penetration of air back into the bathroom, which is important in the cold season. A plastic non-return valve for ventilation is necessary for a ducted duct system so that odors from the kitchen or toilet do not enter the bath.

How to choose the right fans for the toilet and bathroom

In order to choose a fan for the toilet and bathroom, you must set the desired parameters for its operation. First, it is worth calculating the required performance of the hood. To do this, the volume of the room *(multiply) by the number of air changes. For a combined bathroom and toilet, the value is 10, for a bathroom - 8. Further, if the number of people in the family is up to 3, * by 6, more than 3 - multiply by 8. It is recommended to buy bathroom fans with a performance margin, i.e. slightly more powerful than the result. Performance calculation must be made for the correct choice of fan. Otherwise, installing a weak hood will not produce the desired effect, and too powerful will lead to hypothermia of the room.

The noise figure is an important criterion when choosing a fan. During operation, the device creates two types of noise: due to moving blades or centrifugal force and due to system vibration. Noise at 35 - 40 dB begins to irritate the human nervous system. To solve this problem, a silent bathroom fan is suitable - the volume of its operation is only 20-25 dB, for comparison, this is the volume of a whisper.

Silent bathroom exhaust fan has a number of design features, due to which the noise level is reduced. First of all, this is the presence of vibration isolators and a material of greater density, due to which the desired effect is achieved. The location of the fan and its type also affect the amount of noise. For example, a silent duct-type bathroom fan installed on the ceiling will create less noise already due to the fact that its system is located inside the duct.

Advice. When choosing a fan, you should consider models designed specifically for installation in the bathroom.

They have a high level of security. The design assumes protection against moisture and accidental splashes of water. In addition, they operate at reduced voltage. This characteristic plays an important role: in the event of a short circuit, voltages up to 25 volts will not lead to electric shock.

The toilet hood is similar in design to the bathroom hood. Distinctive features are lower power and fan diameter. If the average capacity of a bathroom fan is 100 m³/h, then the toilet hood can operate with a capacity of 50 m³/h.

When buying a fan, you should consider the following characteristics:

performance indicator;
noise indicator;
safety indicator.

Installing fans

Installing a hood in the bathroom, depending on the complexity of the system, can be done on its own or with the help of professional workers. Laying of channel ventilation is carried out at the construction stage.

Vane fans are the easiest to install, which is why they have become more widespread. It is enough to place the device under the grille of the ventilation system, connect it to electricity, hide the wires in an insulating box. When installing, consider the following points:

the hood for the toilet and bathroom is installed opposite the door, at the maximum height from the floor. Holes should be made in the bathroom door or a gap of 1.5-2 cm from the floor should be left;
installation of the hood is carried out only in a properly functioning ventilation shaft - only the grate is visible on the surface;
when installing ventilation in a private house, air must be vented outside, and not under the roof (for example, in the attic). Otherwise, condensation forms, which stimulates the development of rot. This is especially fraught with wooden beams at home;
a forced draft hood for the bathroom, having a ventilation check valve, is the preferred choice;
to reduce noise, you can use silicone sealant or silent fan models;
fastening is best done with self-tapping screws.

Options for connecting the hood in the bathroom: video

A bathroom in an apartment or house is always a “wet place”. Even if you don't make puddles on the floor. Cold and hot water, steam, wet towels - everything evaporates moisture. And it's hot in the bathroom and you get a greenhouse effect.

Excess dampness and heat, ideally, should "leave" in the ventilation, but as you know, its efficiency in urban homes is far from the norm. Moreover, both in the old fund and in new buildings. The reason is that the ventilation is of a natural type everywhere, that is, without additional exhaust.

It is in America that there are huge fans on high-rise buildings, and in our country the air is removed by gravity due to the difference in pressure and temperature. As a result, it moves moderately, or even barely at all, if the houses are old and the canals are clogged.

And our “wet place”, the bathroom, is slowly acquiring all sorts of useless flora and fauna in the form of fungus, mold and even wood lice. To get rid of such a neighborhood or stop it in advance, you need to put an exhaust fan in the bathroom. He will pull all the dampness where it should be, and attack in the form of useless settlers will happily pass you by.

How to choose a bathroom and toilet fan

Everything seems to be simple, we decided that we need a fan, we go to the store and buy it. But soon only cats will be born. The store is waiting for a big surprise from a bunch of types and models. Where there are several tens, and where a couple of hundred will be typed. And you will “hover” over the question, “what kind of fan to put in the bathroom?”.

This is not surprising. Different types, power, models, installation methods, characteristics - the devil will break his leg in this variety of technical progress in the field of ventilation. Sellers and those understand with difficulty, if the range is huge.

That's why we've put together a "Guide to Bathroom Fans". To facilitate your task and help you quickly buy the right equipment. And first, let's deal with the general characteristics of bathroom fans

So let's go!

1. Axial, centrifugal - what does it mean

This is the kind or type of fan. He talks about the design of the equipment and how it works.

Axial fan- this is a paddle impeller in the body. The impeller turns the motor, on the rotor of which it is mounted. The blades are inclined inward relative to the placement plane, they draw in air well and move it along a straight axis. Therefore, this type is called an axial fan. It differs in good performance, it makes moderate noise, and, most often, it is taken for installation in the bathroom.

Centrifugal fan arranged differently. The air is sucked in by a turbine with blades. Inside the housing, the flow is twisted into a spiral and receives additional acceleration due to centrifugal force. The flow comes out not along a straight axis, but at an angle of 90 degrees into a special device - a snail. A centrifugal fan is also called a radial fan.

It has a lower performance compared to the axial one, but it can “drive the flow” under pressure of different strengths. The noise level is low or medium, depending on the direction of the bend of the rotor blades. With the front bend, it makes less noise, with the back - stronger, but it saves energy.

2. Overhead or channel

Ventilation equipment is for outdoor installation and for indoor. The outdoor type of installation is fastening to a wall or ceiling to the exit of a ventilation hole into a shaft or into a pipe system. A duct fan is a built-in equipment that is placed inside a ventilation duct (duct). Ventilation duct systems are constructed from metal or plastic. For the bathroom, plastic channel systems are more often used, for example, Vents companies.

Often the exit to the ventilation shaft is located in the toilet. To extract from the bathroom, they put an air duct with an intake grate. The ventilation sleeve is pulled up to the mine window. A duct fan with an additional grill is installed in the toilet. The hood simultaneously takes air from the entire bathroom and sends it to the ventilation shaft of the house. By design, external and duct fans are made both axial and centrifugal.

3. Choosing a fan in the bathroom by power

The power level or fan performance is one of the main characteristics. In fact, the hood is chosen according to it, paired with the design (axial / centrifugal). Performance "says" how many cubic meters of air the fan pumps per hour - 100, 200, 300.

To choose the right power, you need to calculate the volume of the bathroom and multiply it by 8. "Eight" indicates the sanitary requirement for the frequency of air changes in the room per hour. To put it simply, the fan has to pump through the volume of your eight bathrooms. Then there will be purity, beauty and no mold.

Example! For an urban standard bathroom with dimensions of 1.7x1.5x2.5m with an exchange rate of 8, productivity is needed from 51 cubic meters per hour. Axial fans are produced with a capacity of 80 cubic meters. Such a hood will cope with the task even with a margin. The centrifugal model usually "drives" from 42 to 100 cubic meters per hour.

4. Choosing a fan in the bathroom according to the noise level

It is clear that the hoods are noisy, but not very much. If you want a completely quiet one, take an axial model from the Silent line. In their design, the engine is mounted on silent blocks that “extinguish” noise and vibration. Among the "quiet" you can choose a model with a noise level of even 22 dB.

Centrifugal ones work louder because the turbine pumps air under pressure. But they also make moderate noise, approximately like a cooler in a computer. It does not prevent you from watching movies, listening to music or playing games. So the fan will be just a background if you are in the bathroom when it is turned on.

Attention! Noise is a secondary characteristic. The most important thing is that the hood “drives” the required amount of air for a good microclimate and fits the ventilation design.

5. Which bathroom or toilet fan is better - reviews on additional features

Modern technology can do a lot, and fans are produced with various additional functions. Their list includes:

Additional sensors. They measure humidity or react to movement.
Sleep timer. It sets the turn-off delay time, minimum 2 minutes - maximum 30.
Light indicator. Lights up while the fan is running.
Lanyard switch. You can turn the hood on and off at the right time. For example, when you take a shower or bath. That is, when the light in the bathroom comes on, the fan does not start automatically.
Automatic blinds. They are used to close the ventilation grill after the duct fan is turned off.
Check valve. Its main task is to prevent the penetration of foreign odors from the ventilation shaft.

According to the feedback of our customers, most often they take models with humidity sensors and a shutdown timer. The check valve, which blocks the flow of air from the shaft or duct back to the fan, has already become part of the design. Very rarely it is sold separately and is considered an additional option.

6. Degree of moisture protection

All bathroom fans have increased moisture protection within 4-5, dust protection can be either zero or 3-4. The equipment passport will indicate IP X4, 34, 44, 45.

We figured out the characteristics, now let's talk about the range.

Fans for the bathroom and toilet in the website catalog

Our store offers well-known and popular brands of domestic bathroom fans:


Soler & Palau	Blauberg	Fresh	Era	Vents	MMotors JSC

Let's divide them into groups and get to know each other better.

1. For a city bathroom or a bathroom with a standard area, the most popular type of exhaust fan is a model with a capacity of up to 100 m3 / h

The catalog contains:

Mounted axial fans

Soler & Palau


SILENT-100 CZ SILVER DESIGN-3C	SILENT-100 CZ GOLD	SILENT-100 CHZ	SILENT-100CMZ

ECOAIR DESIGN 100H (with humidity sensor)	ECOAIR DESIGN 100M (with lace)	ECOAIR DESIGN 100 S (base model)	EDM 80L

SILENT-100 CZ
Power 65-95 m3, noise 26.5-33 dB, in the basic Silent model there is a check valve and quiet running bearings (CZ), in other models, optionally, a timer (R), a humidity sensor (H), a pull cord switch (M) can be added ).

Blauberg

MMotors JSC

Power 60 cubic meters, noise level 25 dB, ultra-thin models with a thickness of 4 cm.

Inline axial fans

For installation in a round duct, channel models are taken. From low-power we offer Bulgarian MMotors JSC


B.O.90	BO90T

Power 50 m3, noise level 36 dB, operating temperature +100-150°С.

Centrifugal fans

Due to the design and the creation of additional traction, such hoods, even at low power, are more efficient than axial ones. They are more expensive, so they are taken less often. Although the "usefulness" of a centrifugal fan quickly pays for its cost.

The main operating mode is minimum speed and minimum power consumption. The hood perfectly “pulls” for a long time in the background, for “duty” cleaning. When the humidity rises, the maximum mode is activated and the air in the bathroom is quickly replaced.

From centrifugal fans we offer the company Era

SOLO 4C era

Three-speed, capacity 42/64/100 m3, noise level 25.8-30 dB, equipped with a check valve and a filter. Suitable for wall/ceiling mounting and air vent mounting.

2. In new houses, with large apartments, townhouses and cottages, bathrooms are more spacious and they are cleaned with exhaust hoods with a capacity of 100 to 400 m3 per hour

Models in the site catalog are:

Axial fans for wall or ceiling

Blauberg


Aero Chrome 100	Aero Still Vintage 125	Aero Still Vintage 150	Aero Still 125

Aero Still 150	Deco 100 (ceiling)

Power 102, 154, 254m3, noise level 31-33-38dB, all models have a check valve, additional options are marked with letters, T - with a timer, ST - with a cord and a timer. Ceiling power from 105 cubic meters, noise 37 dB.

Soler & Polau

Productivity 175, 180, 280, 320m3, noise level in the SILENT series 35-36db, in other models 42-47db.

Productivity 140-183, 250-290m3, noise level 30-33, 36-38dB.

Productivity 110-132m3, noise 17-22dB. Fans of new generation. Equipped with a smart control system, speed switching mode, sensors. They can work automatically according to the built-in program or run in the selected mode via a smartphone or computer.

Duct hoods

Blauberg


Tubo 100	Tubo 125	Tubo 150	Turbo 100
power 137, 245, 361 m3, noise level 38-39-40dB.			two-speed, power 170/220 m3 per hour, noise level - 27/32 dB, wall or ceiling mounting.

Soler & Palau

intelligent, maximum power 106 m3, in quiet mode - 72. noise level 31dB (22 in quiet). Basic humidity control, timer, speed control additionally - work on a motion sensor. Suitable for non-stop ventilation up to 40 m3/h.

Exhaust fan in the bathroom - the best option

If we talk about the choice and answer the question, “which exhaust fan in the bathroom is better?” then there are several optimal options:

for a regular bathroom with a separate vent;
for general ventilation of the bathroom;
for large bathrooms.

The bathroom has direct access to the shaft

The best option is a wall-mounted axial fan with a capacity of up to 100 cubic meters per hour. Take Blauberg or Soler & Palau. In most models there is a check valve, it will protect against the reverse flow of air from the mine when the hood is turned off. And during operation, it will quickly clean the air and do it very quietly (the sound background is within 25-33dB).

Models with a classic design from Blauberg

German hoods are quite a budget option, Spanish ones are both budget and expensive. Although their "high cost" is very conditional. You take equipment that will work for a dozen years, or even more. So, let's divide the price by the life of the fan, and we get the cost as for 10 lunches in a cafe, even for a hood for 6300 rubles.

If the apartment is rented, or you just bought it in an old fund and for now you plan to do without a major overhaul, take an inexpensive fan from Era:


FAVORITE 4	OPTIMA 4

The price is in the range of 400-500 rubles, they pull perfectly, of course they make a louder noise than imported ones, but they will work like clockwork for their 2-3 years.

General ventilation in the bathroom

If the exit to the shaft is in the toilet, an air duct and a duct fan must be installed to extract from the bathroom. The best option would be


Tubo 100 by Blauberg	Silentub 100 by Soler&Palau	Silentub 200 by Soler&Palau

They quickly clean the bathroom from moisture and steam. The air intake from the bathroom and toilet will go through the ceiling grids.

If you want to separate ventilation:

Install a Deco 100 ceiling fan in the bathroom. Its performance is higher (105m3) than calculated for a standard bathroom (51m3), but it should be so. The hood will have to “drive” air through pipes with a bend, so you need a power reserve for fast air exchange.
In pairs and for separate ventilation of the toilet, install a duct fan. The Vents iFan D100/125 model will be optimal. It can operate in turbo mode with a capacity of 106 m3 and 72 cubic meters. In addition, there is a mode for constant ventilation, at a minimum power of up to 40 cubic meters per hour.


Deco 100	Vents iFan D100/125

Ventilation for a large bathroom

If the bathroom is large, choose a powerful fan. The best options would be:

Axial outer


Aero Still Vintage 125	INTELLIVENT White	SILENT-300 CHZ

ducted


Tubo 100	TDM100	PRO 4	iFan D100/125

Centrifugal

SOLO 4C

Take outdoor and duct axial fans with a power reserve, as they clean the air faster both directly into the exhaust shaft and through the sleeve. Centrifugal creates increased pressure and a large margin of performance is not needed.

To install a hood in the bathroom, you will have to perform three stages of work.

1. Lay the cable from the switch

A three-core cable is needed, for example, VVG 3X1.5 mm2. It is best to “throw” it in the corrugation under the tiles and in the wall if the bathroom is not yet finished. If the bathroom is finished, then we lay the cable in the corrugation along the main ceiling, you can additionally take the cable channel. We will hide all this “good” behind a suspended or stretch ceiling, after installing and connecting the hood.

2. Fix the fan

When the cable is laid, you need to install the fan in place. The outer one is fixed over the wall, the duct is inside the ventilation hole. Please note that the standard hole width is 10 cm, just for inserting fans with a size marking of 100 mm (diameter of the flange or the device itself). Such a clearance is designed for the passage of air with a volume of up to 100 cubic meters per hour. The power of the hoods connected to the hundredth pipe “fits” into this requirement or slightly exceeds it by 10-15 m3.

Fans with higher performance are connected to air ducts with a diameter of 125 mm or 150-160 mm, and the hole will have to be expanded. Otherwise, the hood or flange simply will not fit into the gap.

Information to think about! Is it possible to put an adapter from the diameter "larger to smaller" for an outdoor fan? You can, but you don't need to. You will get a decent gap between the hood body and the wall. The gap will prevent the fan from being properly fixed. In addition, the back panel, which does not press against the wall, will accumulate moisture and dust. And by "cutting" the width of the gap, you "cut" the bandwidth of the channel. The ratio "channel diameter - fan performance" was not chosen by chance. Your unfortunate hood will try to shove 150-200 cubic meters where only a hundred "crawl through".

Installing a fan in the bathroom - installation methods

The hood can be installed in different ways. Attach the invoice to the wall with self-tapping screws or glue it, insert the channel directly into the hole and fix it or first install the pipe in the gap, and “fix” the fan already in it.

To install an overhead hood, remove the front panel, which is fastened with a screw at the end or with plastic latches. To install on self-tapping screws, mark the holes on the wall with a pencil, then drill and insert dowels. Attach the fan and tighten the screws.

For fastening with glue or liquid nails, apply it along the edge of the case on the fan and on the wall. In order not to miss on the wall, circle the hood around the contour and coat with glue inside the rectangle, slightly stepping back from the edge. Press and fix with masking (mounting) tape so that the glue grabs.

Note! We do not recommend using regular tape because it can leave marks on the wall and the fan itself.

Bring the power cable before fastening to the outside through a special hole. If it is located inconveniently, you can drill your own, in the right place. The front panel is put in place after connecting the power cable.

To install a duct hood, use a piece of duct of equal diameter, into which a fan with a ledge is placed. The hood housing “fits” tightly in the round channel and is fixed without additional fasteners.

If the body is without protrusions, then it is fixed in the pipe with self-tapping screws through special grooves. For such fans, it is more convenient to first insert the hood into a piece of duct, fix it, pull out the cable, and then install the entire assembly into the vent and fix it with mounting foam.

For case-mounted models, the insert is not required. The fan is simply screwed to the hole wall.

3. Connect the fan in the bathroom to the switch

Connecting power to the hood is the most important step. A damp room requires mandatory laying of a cable with grounding. Therefore, use a three-core VVG for one and a half squares (3x1.5 mm2), as for lighting in the bathroom. The electrical power of the fans is not high, usually within 14 watts, and a cross section of 1.5 squares is enough to operate the hood without overheating the cable.

A ground wire is required to divide the working zero on the N bus and the ground zero on the PE. Even if you have an apartment in an old house and there is no ground loop, a PE bus is installed in the shield to connect the "ground". This increases the safety of your electrical wiring and protects against the trouble of electric shock.

How to connect a fan in the bathroom, choose for yourself. If you want to ventilate longer, put the switch on two keys and separate lighting and ventilation.

The connection diagram through a two-gang switch will look like this:

The one-button switch scheme is suitable for infrequent use of the bathroom, for example, in a one-room apartment with one occupant. The hood turns on with the light and turns off in the same way. For additional ventilation, you will have to leave the light burning. It won't generate many kilowatt-hours because of this, unless you fall asleep. But even there, the "lion's share" will be behind the fan, and not the light bulbs in the bathroom.

The connection diagram with a single-gang switch looks like this:

Both schemes are suitable for hoods without additional functions.

Connecting a fan with a timer and other sensors

We will tell you in more detail how to connect a fan with a timer and other sensors to the switch in the bathroom. The main difference in the circuit is that the timer has a separate power supply to start the hood on the signal of a triggered humidity sensor, movement, or the signal of the timer itself in models with a delayed start. Simply put, separate phase / neutral wires go to the fan to the motor and to the timer. The motor circuit is connected to the fan switch button, and the timer circuit is connected to the light switch, and "activates" as soon as the lights in the bathroom come on. If a two-button switch is used. You can turn on such a hood yourself with a button or it will work automatically from the built-in timer.

If the switch is common, then the circuit will be different. When the light is turned on, only the exhaust timer will receive power, and when it works, the fan motor circuit will be closed.

In models without a timer with a humidity sensor, the power is "started" on it.

As you can see, the connection diagrams are quite simple, but do not forget about the installation rules - we connect the wires at the terminals, without twists and protruding ends. We make connections in a junction box or recessed sockets. We put the front panel and insect net in the overhead fans in place correctly, without distortions.

Summing up

What if the "guide" helped, but there were doubts? Contact us! Fans know by sight. We will tell you the installation methods and connection diagrams at any time of the day or night. Like a multiplication table.

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On what grounds should you choose a hood in the bathroom? How practical is a bathroom fan with a timer? How to properly install it in a room with a false ceiling? What should the connection of the device to the power supply look like? In this article I will try to answer these and many other questions.

Forced and natural

When is forced ventilation necessary?

Here are the signs that it's time for you to go to the store for the hood:

In the bathroom or bathroom between visits the water on the walls does not have time to dry;
Appeared on the ceiling or in the seams of the tiles fungus;

It can also be the result of periodic flooding by neighbors from above or malfunctions of plumbing equipment. Leaks of risers in the ceiling are especially insidious: there are no visible defects, and the ceiling of the lower apartment is constantly wet.

The air is constantly damp, musty;
Towels and clothes folded for washing smell like mildew.

To find out how effective natural ventilation is, a couple of simple tests will help:

Hold a piece of paper near the ventilation duct grille. During normal operation of the ventilation, it should be pressed against it by the air flow;

If this does not happen, repeat the experiment with a match or a lighter. If the flame brought to the ventilation duct does not deviate in its direction, the duct must be cleaned before installing forced ventilation.

Ventilators are on the staff of service organizations; All cleaning work is free for residents.. An exception is the case when the channel is clogged due to their fault (for example, construction debris during repairs).

Go shopping

Now - about how to choose a fan.

Performance

What should be the performance of the hood?

If it serves only a bathroom or a shared bathroom, productivity is selected at the rate of 7 - 9 cubic meters per hour per square meter of area. So, for a bathroom with a typical Khrushchev area of 2.5 squares, the required minimum is 2.5 * 7 \u003d 17.5 m3 / hour.

In practice, the performance of fans with an impeller diameter of 100 mm usually starts from 50 - 80 m3 / h. This allows, if necessary, to adjust the speed by dimming the device while maintaining an acceptable quality of ventilation. However, I will touch on the topic of connection in a separate section.

In Soviet-built houses, the ventilation scheme is more typical, in which all air exchange in the apartment is carried out only through ventilation ducts in the bathroom and in the kitchen. Air flow is provided by gaps in wooden frames.

Provide plastic windows supply valves;

Provide forced air exchange taking into account the area of \u200b\u200bresidential premises. For rooms, the air exchange rate is 3 cubic meters per hour per square meter. The required performance can be distributed to all ventilation ducts - in the bathroom, in the toilet and in the kitchen.

Installation method

Which fan to install - overhead or duct?

The invoice is practical in the following situations:

It is installed instead of the ventilation duct grille directly on the wall;
It is placed in a false ceiling, the design of which prevents air from escaping through the slots(eg drywall).

If the ceiling is assembled from panels or rails, a duct fan installed directly in the ventilation duct or in the exhaust pipe is preferable. A hatch is mounted in the false ceiling for its maintenance and replacement.

In the photo - a hatch for access to the duct fan in the false ceiling of my attic.

Basic Functions

What to pay special attention to when buying?

To the noise level. Silent operation is ensured by:

Plain bearing. Unlike rolling bearings (roller or ball), it does not rattle when the impeller rotates;

The bearing sleeve must be bronze. The steel bushing will quickly develop play, which will increase the noise level.

Round shape blades. Square or pointed blades are noisy at high speeds;
Small angle of attack of the blades;
Closed impeller. Air is sucked in through a hole opposite its center or through a slot on the sides.

Additional functions

What additional features can hoods be equipped with?

Here is a short list of possible options:

Autonomous food. The fan is capable of running on batteries or from a built-in battery that is charged from the mains. Autonomy will be very helpful with frequent power outages or in country houses;
The bathroom fan with humidity sensor turns on when the humidity threshold is exceeded. It will work for some time after taking a shower and turn off on its own, without creating unnecessary noise and saving electricity;

The timer will allow the hood to turn off some time after turning off the light in the bathroom. Of course, it will only work if the fan and light are powered through a common switch;
The check valve will eliminate the occurrence of reverse thrust in windy weather. It ensures that your bathroom will not be saturated with aromas from neighboring apartments;

A low-voltage hood powered by 12 volts will come in handy in LED bathrooms. Both it and the fan are powered through a common power supply, outside the bathroom. Such a circuit guarantees your safety: even with a short circuit, you will not receive an electric shock.

Captain Evidence reminds: the choice of a fan with an abundance of additional functions is not always justified. The more complex the device, the higher its price and lower reliability.

Let's start installation

into the wall

How to install an overhead fan in a horizontal ventilation duct?

Installation is carried out on galvanized self-tapping screws with a length of at least 60 mm. They are screwed into plastic dowels inserted into holes drilled in the wall around the ventilation duct. Grooves for fasteners can be seen on the hood body, under the removable front panel.

The oblong grooves are more practical as they allow the fan to be level after the holes have been drilled in the wall.

After installing the fan the gaps between its front panel and the wall are sealed acrylic putty. It will prevent exhaust air from entering the room. The elasticity of the acrylic will allow the seam to withstand the inevitable vibration of the fan.

To the ceiling

How is installation carried out in the case of a false ceiling?

The hood body is attached to the Molly dowels through holes pre-drilled in the gypsum board or other material. When tightening the fastener, its shell creates a reliable stop with a large area on the back of the ceiling.

How to fix a ceiling fan in case of a stretch ceiling?

The socket of a rigidly fixed ventilation pipe is brought to the ceiling level. Opposite the socket, a cutout is marked in the canvas of the stretch ceiling; then a reinforcing ring is glued onto it, after which the canvas inside the ring is cut out. The overhead hood is inserted into the socket on the silicone sealant.

Nuance: it is much more reasonable to provide a ventilation duct with a duct fan, and a canvas with a ventilation grill. Ideally, the space above a suspended or stretch ceiling should be ventilated. Otherwise, high humidity will quickly lead to the appearance of fungus on the ceiling and walls.

How is the do-it-yourself installation carried out in the case of a duct fan and a plastic ventilation duct?

The fan is placed in the socket of the pipe, after which it is fixed in it with a second tightly inserted pipe. I used a sewer pipe with a diameter of 110 mm and a compensating pipe for a 100 mm duct fan.

The hood is planted in a compensator on silicone and fixed in it with a pipe. The power wire is brought out through a hole drilled in the compensator with a diameter of 6 millimeters.

A private house

How to bring a ventilation duct to the street in a private house?

I did this through a load-bearing wall on the first floor and through a gable under the overhang on the attic. The ventilation outlet is equipped with a corner and an umbrella-deflector. The deflector prevents water from entering the ventilation system in rain and oblique wind, and also further enhances traction in windy weather.

Electricity

What could be the simplest connection scheme for the hood?

The simplest option is to connect through a switch that is common to the fan and bathroom lighting. The wire is thrown directly from the light bulb socket. The main disadvantage of such a scheme is that the hood is idle for most of the day, while the bathroom needs ventilation all the time.

How to connect the fan in the bathroom to the switch, ensuring its operation independent of lighting?

Very simple: using a two-button switch. Zero wire - common for light and ventilation; the phase is hung up on different buttons. In my opinion, this scheme is the most practical.

The most sensible solution is to connect ventilation to a separate switch key.

Can ventilation performance be adjusted?

Yes. I used a regular incandescent dimmer for this purpose. The assertions that I periodically come across on thematic forums that some special dimmers are needed for fans are pure fairy tales: a lighting dimmer works great with any hood.

Dimming allows you to flexibly adjust the fan speed, choosing between the maximum volume of pumped air and silence.

As a rule, windows are not provided in bathrooms, and the ventilation system remains the only way of air exchange. It can be natural or forced. In the second case, a bathroom fan is installed in the ventilation duct.

The role of ventilation in a person's daily life can hardly be overestimated, it is it that provides a healthy microclimate in the room. If we talk about the bathroom, then here, indoors, in conditions of high humidity, the lack of air exchange leads to delamination of furniture, swelling of doors, corrosion of even painted metal, the formation of mold, fungus and the reproduction of insects.

Fan in the bathroom: a luxury or a necessity.

As you know, in any typical house project, natural ventilation is necessarily provided in the bathroom, kitchen and toilet. It includes ventilation ducts, at the entrances of which there are decorative grilles. The movement of air in the system is carried out due to the difference in atmospheric pressure outside and inside the room. The question is whether it works fully, if at all, preserved after repair.

The effectiveness of natural ventilation depends on many factors.

Air temperature. For example, in summer, due to high temperatures, air exchange is minimal.
Air supply to the house. When mainly wooden windows with many gaps were used in construction, this issue was not relevant. But today, with the advent of plastic windows, air practically does not penetrate into the room and this significantly reduces the efficiency of the system.
Infestation. Not many monitor the cleanliness of ventilation. Over the years, dirt, dust, cobwebs, insects accumulate in it, and this, in turn, prevents the movement of air masses.

The bathroom is a closed room with high humidity, where the air exchange must be especially good. And the only way to make it efficient, regardless of external factors, is to install a fan. Forced ventilation in the bathroom will provide the necessary amount of fresh air regardless of weather conditions and will allow, if necessary, to carry out mandatory ventilation. But keep in mind that household fans for bathrooms, after installation, close the vent channel and completely prevent natural air exchange.

Solving the problem of air exchange in this way has a number of other disadvantages.
Any device operates with a certain level of noise, which can cause discomfort. A silent bathroom fan would be a good solution, but silence will cost a little more.
The performance of a domestic fan is usually higher than the norm. This means that the operation of the device must be controlled. Especially in the cold season, when continuous ventilation will certainly entail extra heat costs.
Additional, albeit small, energy costs.

Forced ventilation in the bathroom and toilet is a quick and easy way to deal with unpleasant odors, excess moisture and its consequences.

A wide variety of models of exhaust systems are presented on the construction market, but before choosing a fan for the bathroom, you need to decide on some technical and functional parameters of these devices.

How to choose a fan

When choosing a fan, it is necessary to take into account a number of technical characteristics: performance, safety, noise level. These indicators, without fail, must be indicated in the device passport.

An important point: When the fan is turned off, it closes almost the entire opening of the ventilation channel with its housing, and this is bad! Thus, your bathroom is practically not ventilated. The way out is to install an additional or double ventilation grille.

Double grids - the best choice for the bathroom and kitchen

Fan performance is the volume of air that will be moved in a certain period of time. For any room, this indicator is calculated by a simple formula: the volume of the room is multiplied by the air exchange rate, this indicator is set by building codes. For bathrooms used by 1-3 people - 6, more than 3 people - 8. The resulting figure indicates at what fan performance all the air in the room will be replaced with fresh air within an hour. The performance of household fans for toilets and bathrooms is usually 90-100 m3/h.
Noise level. Fan operation is always accompanied by mechanical and aerodynamic noise, which should not exceed 35-40 dB. If the inner surface of the duct is lined with soundproofing material or a silencer is installed in the ventilation system, the figure can be reduced. You can also purchase a silent fan for the bathroom, which, however, is a bit more expensive.

Silent bathroom fans

Safety. Like any other electrical appliance, the fan is prone to short circuits, especially in the bathroom, where the level of moisture in the air is quite high, so it is better to opt for devices with a high level of splash protection.

Forced ventilation in the toilet, if it is not combined with a bathroom, is a purely aesthetic issue. For a small room, a fan with the lowest performance will suffice. A non-return valve for a duct ventilation system will not be superfluous. And in this case, some consider a high noise level not at all superfluous, although if desired, you can install a silent energy-saving fan for the bathroom.

Additional functions.

A modern bathroom exhaust fan, in addition to the main mechanism, is often equipped with additional options that turn it into a convenient multifunctional device.
Power control is important in order to save energy. Can be manual or automatic.
Humidity sensor. The fan turns on automatically when the humidity level in the room is high. It is worth considering that the humidity sensor is only an additional option, it should not be the only way to turn the fan on and off.
Motion Sensor. An interesting, but not always necessary function in domestic conditions. The device turns on automatically, the set time works.
The timer is a very useful solution. After the set time has elapsed, the bathroom exhaust fan switches off automatically.
The "constant ventilation" mode means that the fan operates at minimum speed, and when humidity rises, it automatically increases performance. This energy saving mode is often used to dry clothes in the bathroom.
A check valve for ventilation is recommended to be installed in duct-type ventilation, as well as for exhaust openings that go directly out of the room. The damper prevents the intake of air from the street or from another room.

Check valve for ventilation

Usually, fans for toilets and bathrooms are installed in place of the ventilation grill, but before proceeding with installation, make sure that the diameter of the opening of the ventilation duct and the fan housing matches, and the draft is good. They check it with a lit match, if the flame does not deviate to the outlet, there is no draft, the channel needs to be cleaned.

Duct installation

It is better to fix the fan in the ventilation duct using a special polymer adhesive. The front panel is removed and temporarily removed. Glue is applied around the perimeter of the fan cover. The adhesive surfaces are connected for a few seconds. Then they disconnect and give the glue a little “grab”. After a minute, press the fan tightly against the wall. Also, domestic fans can be fixed to the wall with dowels, if there are holes on the panel for them.

Fan installation process

Power connection

Before installing a fan in the bathroom, it is necessary to carry out the wiring, determine the method of turning the device on and off, and designate the installation location for the switches. Only three-core cables are used to connect electrical appliances. Usually the wiring is hidden under the finishing materials. But sometimes, the fan is installed after repair. In this case, the wiring can be hidden under a box or a decorative seam between the tiles. To do this, the seam is carefully cleaned, the wires are laid in it and overwritten again. The box can be easily attached to the wall with polymer glue.

Fan installation process

Connecting the fan to the electrical network in the bathroom can be done in several ways.
to a one-button switch.
The method involves the simultaneous switching on of the fan and lighting. From the junction box, zero and earth are connected directly. The phase is taken from the same spin, but after the switch. The scheme is simple, but not very convenient, since after the light is turned off, the fan will not remove unpleasant odors.
To a two-way switch.
A more acceptable option for use in the bathroom. One switch key is responsible for lighting the other, respectively, for the exhaust fan for the bathroom. A phase comes to the switch from the junction box, which is switched through two contacts to the lamp and to the fan. Zero and ground come directly from the junction box to the fan and lamp.
To the lamp.
When forced ventilation is done in the bathroom without further renovation, the device can be connected directly to the luminaire. A box is pulled from the lamp to the ventilation duct. The lamp is removed. All wires are fixed on one terminal box. The other end of the wire is connected to the fan contacts. Screw on the protective cover. Before installing a decorative grille, check the operation of the systems.