The dream of any homeowner or summer resident is his own bathhouse. Here you can relax and take a steam bath, as well as improve your body after hard everyday life. However, this is possible only if normal conditions are observed in the steam room. There should be no drafts in the steam room, there should be a certain level of humidity and a fairly high temperature.
Lack of humidity in the room, excess of carbon dioxide can cause irreparable harm to he alth. Do you need ventilation in the steam room? To ensure the required circulation of fresh and hot air, it is simply indispensable.
Do I need ventilation in the steam room?
Let's imagine a picture: there are several people with brooms in the steam room. They steam with great pleasure, breathe actively, thereby releasing carbon dioxide, which, in turn, mixes with hot steam and air. Gradually it becomes harder to breathe, the flow of fresh airis absent. To take a sip of 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 is due to the effective movement of the air flow, which comes from the furnace and from the outside, and also exits through special openings to the outside. In most cases, ventilation in the steam room is based on the principle of the natural removal of exhaust saturated air from the room and the inflow of fresh air. This is very important in wooden structures, because excess moisture leads to rapid deterioration of the walls of the structure.
Steam rooms with a small area do not require special expensive equipment. If the walls of the steam room are made of brick, and 10-12 people can be freely accommodated in the room, then it will be necessary to install a supply valve or an exhaust fan. With the help of forced ventilation, you can automatically control the temperature, humidity and air circulation. Steam room ventilation is essential for the following reasons:
- The appearance of an unpleasant smell in the room.
- Mold and fungi on wooden structures.
- Appearances of condensate on the surface of the walls and ceiling.
- Mechanical ventilation - air is supplied and exhausted using fans. Such a system allows you to create comfortable air exchange in any room. But in the steam room it will be associated with largefinancial costs.
- Combined ventilation - the outflow of exhaust air is carried out using an exhaust fan, the inflow of fresh air through the inlet in a natural way.
Mechanical or natural ventilation - which is better?
Mechanical ventilation of the sauna steam room may well be used, but its use is associated with some inconveniences:
- To increase or decrease the air exchange rate, you will need to cover the outlet valve to create an additional load on the fan.
- Extraction of air 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 the steam room without spending a lot of money?
Ventilation device in the steam room
The easiest option is an inlet and outlet in the foundation or walls. In this case, the location and size of these holes plays an important role. Sometimes, for more active air exchange, ventilation equipment can be installed.
There is no single ventilation scheme for the steam rooms, as they are different not only in terms of design features, but also in the materials from which they are built. In this case, there are some rules, adhering to which, you canchoose the most optimal ventilation for a particular case.
The size of the ventilation hole must be calculated based on the volume of the steam room: so for 1 m3 of ventilated area, the size of the hole should be 24 cm2.
The main task in the bath is ventilation in the steam room, which is necessary to maintain a sufficient level of temperature and high humidity, but you should not make ventilation holes too small, as this will not provide the required level of air exchange. The size of the exhaust openings must match the size of the supply, otherwise air exchange will be disturbed. In some situations, for quick drying of the bath and quick removal of exhaust air, it is allowed to make two exhaust holes.
Locations of supply and exhaust openings
In most cases, the stove is located in the steam room. The supply opening must be located near the stove at a distance of no more than 30 cm from the floor. This is the most popular, but not the best option for organizing ventilation for a steam room. In this case, it is much more efficient when the air inlets are located under the floor in the foundation. To avoid the penetration of rodents, it is desirable to equip these openings with metal bars.
Such ventilation in the steam room will solve two problems at the same time: it will deliver fresh air to the bath, and it will also effectively dry the walls and floors after the procedures are completed. In this case, it is advisable to lay the floor boards with a slightgap to allow free airflow.
Ventilation sleeves
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
In order for ventilation in the steam room to be effective with your own hands, it is forbidden to do the following:
- Install ventilation vents that are smaller than calculated.
- Place the exhaust and supply openings opposite each other - after all, the incoming air flow is removed almost immediately, without having time to give up oxygen, as a result, a draft is formed, which is contraindicated for the steam room.
Ventilation scheme in the steam room
Let's consider the most popular options for ventilation systems in the steam room:
- This option is a natural ventilation system. Vents are located on opposite walls. The air inlet is located at the bottom behind the heater, the exhaust is opposite the air inlet on the wall above. However, this scheme is not the most efficient: the air flow passes near the furnace, heats up, rises and immediately exits through the exhaust opening. Thus, there is insufficient movement of air masses, poor oxygen saturation, as well as inefficient drying of walls and floors.
- Much more efficientthe following ventilation method: the inlet is located below the stove, the exhaust is opposite the inlet, below on the wall. In this case, it is recommended to equip the exhaust opening with a fan. The cold air flow is heated from the stove, after which it rises, where it cools down and gradually descends. Due to the air flow created by the fan, the cooled steam is discharged outside.
- Ventilation vents are located on the opposite wall from the stove. The air inlet is located opposite the stove at a distance of 30 cm from the floor, the exhaust with a fan is located on the opposite wall, at a distance of 30 cm from the floor. As a result, cold air is sent to the steam room, hits the stove, after which it heats up and rises, descends, gradually cools down, and goes out through the exhaust hole.
- The superheated exhaust air is discharged through the blower of the furnace. This option requires one vent located near the oven. This scheme only works when the furnace is heated.
Ventilation in the steam room of the bath, scheme - which one to choose?
The schemes listed above are the most commonly used in steam rooms, but there are many combinations and variations. Based on the options for ventilation systems presented above, you can develop your own scheme for a specific version of the steam room.
