The foundation is an important part of any building. The duration of operation of the house depends on the correctness of its arrangement. It is from the foundation that the irreversible destruction of the house begins. Therefore, much attention is paid to the correct arrangement of the base of the building.
One of the important factors for long-term operation of the house is the proper ventilation of the foundation. It can be created in many ways. However, the purpose of such a system remains unchanged. Proper ventilation can prevent the occurrence of decay processes and premature destruction of the foundation. You can create it with your own hands.
Need for ventilation
Ventilation in the foundation of the house plays an important role. It prevents the accumulation of condensate. In enclosed spaces, due to temperature fluctuations, increased humidity appears. Droplets of condensate can be observed in this case on floor materials, walls, etc. Over time, mold and fungus will appear in such places.
Moisture in the absence of ventilation will accumulate in the ground under the building, in the basement, on boards and beams. Highhumidity and the contrast between a heated living space and an unheated basement cause condensation to form. Decay processes will gradually develop, destroying foundation materials, ceilings, etc.
Also, in some cases, radon can be released from the soil. In some cases, it becomes very much. It's a radioactive gas. Over time, it will begin to penetrate into the living quarters. This leads to various ailments and poor he alth. Rot and mold can also contribute to the development of various diseases. Therefore, the process of creating ventilation must be given great attention.
When is ventilation not required?
In some cases, ventilation of the foundation in a private house is not required. Consideration should be given to when such a system is not required. In some cases, the basement can be used as a cellar. It will store food. In this case, ventilation is not required. However, the surface finish will require a lot of attention.
You can also neglect the arrangement of ventilation if you use a vapor-proof film when finishing. It should fit in several layers. Also, ventilation is not required if high-quality thermal insulation materials were used when creating the foundation of the building.
In these cases, the creation of vents or other ventilation systems is not required. The basement will be dry and warm. In this case, there will be no temperature contrast.
Types of ventilation
There are two main approaches to how to make ventilationfoundation. In the first case, when creating a construction project, the presence of vents is provided for at the base of the house. They have a certain size, their number corresponds to the features of the structure. In this case, the air naturally enters the basement, and then gradually leaves it. At the same time, excess moisture, spores of fungus and bacteria are safely removed from the room.
This approach is easy to set up. Natural ventilation with vents has a number of disadvantages. The aesthetics of the base in this case is violated. At the same time, more energy resources will be required for space heating in winter. Large heat losses will be observed precisely at the base of the floor.
The second method involves leading the pipe from the basement through the roof of the building. The intake of air inside will be carried out with the help of gratings from the premises of the building. In this case, you will need to use a heater. They trim the basement, foundation and blind areas. The soil is also covered with waterproofing. This option is preferred.
Ventilation size
There is a special technique for making ventilation in the foundation of a house. In this case, you will need to study building codes. When calculating the size and number of vents, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of the climate, the type of soil and landscape. Next, you need to calculate the size of the holes.
Building codes state that the total area of the air vents should be 1/400 of the total area of the subfloor. To fulfillcalculation, it is necessary to measure the length and width of the base of the building. The result is then multiplied. For example, a house project involves the construction of a 10x10 m building. In this case, the subfloor area will be 100 m². This result must be divided by 400. It turns out that in total there should be vents in the foundation for a total area of 25 cm².
Please note that the minimum hole size must be greater than 5 cm². Thus, for rectangular holes, the minimum dimensions should be 25x20 cm or 50x10 cm. The diameter of round eyelets should not be less than 25 cm.
Quantity
Ventilation of the foundation in a private house without a basement or with a room in the basement is made taking into account the total area and space inside such a room. In this case, the holes in the foundation can be of any configuration. Most often they are made rectangular or round. You can choose any shape if you wish.
If the house is multi-storey, the vents are large enough. In this case, their number can be reduced. However, for a private cottage, this option is unacceptable. It significantly spoils the aesthetics of the facade. Therefore, small but frequent holes are made. They are located at a distance of 2-3 meters. For example, for a house with an area of 100 m² and a hole size of 5 cm², 5 holes will need to be made. Their total dimensions will be 25 cm² required by SNiP. If the area where the house is built, there is a large release of radon, the number of ventilation holes will need to be increased by 4 times.
Location
Ventilation of the strip foundation requires the correct placement of vents around the perimeter. All holes must be made at a distance of 15 cm from the top edge of the base. For a low base, you will need to make a pit. Ventilation must be positioned exactly as recommended.
The holes should be evenly spaced. They should be on opposite sides of the building opposite each other. This will allow air to circulate properly in the basement space. Depending on the direction of the wind, the air flow will fly into one outlet, fly out through another.
If there are partitions in the basement, at least one outlet must be provided for each individual compartment. The distance between the holes should be a maximum of 3 m. In climates with high rainfall, it is recommended to increase the size of the air vents.
Tools and materials
Holes in the foundation for ventilation must be provided at the planning stage of the future building. In some cases, it will be necessary to create air vents after construction is completed. However, it is better to make such holes at the stage of creating the formwork for the strip foundation.
Also, to create ventilation with your own hands, you will need to prepare a number of materials and tools. To create vents in the strip foundation, it is recommended to use pipes of the required diameter. Rectangular wooden beammolds after the concrete has hardened is quite difficult to extract. To prevent animals, insects from getting inside, the ventilation grommets must be covered with a metal mesh. Its cells should be small.
You will also need to prepare the appropriate tools. You will need a shovel, a hammer, a puncher, a drill for wood (2.5 cm) and metal (1.4 cm). You will also need a chisel. In addition, you need to prepare the sand.
Creating round vents
Ventilation under the foundation most often has a round shape. When creating a strip foundation, this option is preferred. Plastic or asbestos pipes of the required diameter are cut into pieces. Their length must match the width of the formwork.
Further, sand is poured into each pipe. On both sides, the openings of the pipe are closed with rags. Sand will not allow the pipe to flatten under the mass of concrete. A rag will prevent sand from spilling out of the pipe.
Further, each workpiece is installed at the required distance into the prepared formwork. They should fit snugly against the walls of the mold. Next, concrete is carefully poured into the prepared formwork. After the solution has hardened, the sand from the pipes can be removed. The holes are perfectly round.
Rectangular ventilation holes
Ventilation in the foundation of the house can be rectangular. To do this, you need to prepare wooden bars with the appropriate dimensions. The process of their laying will correspond to the technology presented above. The bars are installed in the formwork. Next, concrete is poured into the mold.
Wooden bars remain in the concrete until the concrete is completely dry. This will take a month. Next, the blanks will need to be removed. First, with a drill for metal, you need to drill two parallel holes around the perimeter of the bar. If the material is thin, you can make one hole in the center. Further, in the places of basting, the material is drilled through with a wood drill.
Next, with the help of a chisel, you need to expand the holes made. Next, using a chisel, you need to knock out part of the wood above the concrete. Two corners of the bar can be removed. Next, using a sledgehammer, the workpiece is knocked out.
How to create vents in a built house?
Foundation ventilation may not be planned. In this case, the owners can create holes in the base of the house on their own. There are two approaches to help fix the builder's flaw.
If the house is not yet completed, you can create an additional basement. It will be located on the foundation. Appropriate holes can be made in the base. For a concrete base, the above method is used. If the foundation is brick, you need to place building elements in certain places with an edge.
If there is no possibility to create a basement, you need to use special drilling equipment. It creates holes. The best for such purposes is a hydraulic or pneumatic hammer, a diamond-coated drill. This process will require a lot of effort and time. Into the holesyou will need to insert the frame.
One more way
Ventilation of the foundation in a residential building can be created using a different technique. In this case, the holes will not be created in the foundation, but in the floor of the living quarters. In the unloaded place of the base, holes must be knocked out. It is best to create similar holes in the floor under furniture legs, under stairs or in corners. They need to be covered with a strong metal mesh.
If necessary, it is possible to provide for the presence of a pipe for the removal of moist air and a basement on the roof. It must be properly designed. To do this, it is recommended to contact professionals. In this case, the building will not be subject to the processes of rotting floors, basement.
The operation of the building will be long. There is no doubt that fungus and mold will not spread inside the basement. It is best to provide such openings in the building plan. However, the flaw of the builders can be corrected. Although this will require more effort and time.
Having considered the features of arranging the ventilation of the foundation, everyone can, if desired, create the necessary holes on their own.
