How to clean ventilation and air conditioning systems. Who should clean the ventilation in the apartment and how Cleans the ventilation ducts

The quality of air in the apartment depends on the cleanliness of ventilation. Fire safety and the health of people who are constantly in the house, since the lack fresh air always affects your well-being. The following may indicate household ventilation clogging:

Visible dirt on the air duct grille.
Visible dirt on the air ducts behind the grilles.
Stuffiness in the house, not related to the weather outside the window.
Insufficient air circulation in the rooms.
The appearance of mold and the greenhouse effect with increased humidity and heat.
Long lingering smell of cooking food in the apartment.

If you find one or several signs of a clogged air duct, you need to clean the ventilation in your apartment.

According to current legislation, inspection, cleaning and disinfection of ventilation in apartment buildings can only be carried out by specialists. This also applies to ventilation areas located in public areas and ducts inside each apartment. IN own apartment You can clean the grille and duct at arm's length, but if you have ventilation problems, this will hardly help. To return the ventilation in your apartment to a new state and ensure its full functioning, you need to seek professional help.

Cleaning ventilation in an apartment: where to go

If you need ventilation cleaning in your apartment, where to go depends on the situation.

If you believe that problems with ventilation lie precisely in the ducts inside the apartment, you need to call the SES and call specialists to clean the system at your own expense.
If you think that the air duct is not functioning properly due to blockages and breakdowns outside the apartment - common system ventilation, you need to contact your representative management company home with a request to understand the situation.

In the second case, you will not need to pay anything additional to the management company; its services have already been prepaid by you through communal payments and maintenance of general building ventilation is one of them.

If you have never ordered ventilation cleaning in your apartment, it is highly likely that the problem lies precisely in local pollution. You can order air duct cleaning from the Dez Group SES certified by Rospotrebnadzor. By contacting the service, you receive:

Diagnostics of the entire ventilation system in the apartment.
Cleaning professional level for the ventilation system and its parts.
Official guarantee for the work performed.
Your copy of the contract for the service provided, which has legal force.

Modern professional equipment and delicate cleaning and disinfectants, Not causing allergies and not harmful to the bodies of people and animals. Treatment with the help of SES specialists allows you to solve the problem of dirty ventilation in the apartment in just a few hours.

The ventilation device in the apartment depends on the design of the house and is regulated building codes. Ventilation can be completely autonomous and designed for only 1 apartment or connected to the common air duct of the house. Specialists of SES "Des Group" have everything necessary equipment and skills for high-quality cleaning of both types of systems.

Cleaning ventilation in an apartment: price

You can find approximate prices for home ventilation treatment in the “” section. Exactly how much it will cost you to clean the ventilation in your apartment depends on several conditions; the price of each treatment is always calculated individually.

The cost of cleaning ventilation in an apartment depends on:

Nature of pollution
Length of ventilation ducts
Number of ventilation outlets in the apartment to be cleaned
Ventilation elements that need cleaning
Methods for checking ventilation status before and after treatment
Exit distances for apartments located in buildings outside the Moscow Ring Road

Since these parameters will vary for each order, you can find out the price of the service for your apartment by calling SES "Des Group" or ordering back call from the site.

Additional processing discounts may be available if you:

You order ventilation treatment for several apartments at once.
You enter into a long-term contract for periodic maintenance and cleaning of ventilation in the apartment.
Order any sanitary services from the SES in addition to ventilation cleaning, for example, disinfestation or disinfection of the entire apartment.

You can find out about the possibility of getting a discount and its size from Dez Group consultants. By turning to professionals, you can be sure of high quality services and services.

Many people forget about the existence of ventilation in the apartment, if it works well. However, when any problems arise, people immediately remember about it, since due to poor air circulation, mold appears on the surface of the walls. Also, poor ventilation leads to a damp smell in the room. To get rid of these problems, you need to learn how to clean the ventilation in your apartment yourself.

Before you begin cleaning, you need to become familiar with the signs that indicate that your ventilation system needs to be cleared of debris.

These include the following:

Dust formation. If the hood needs cleaning, dust or other small debris will accumulate near the exhaust vent.
Raid. A dark coating on the surface of the grate indicates the need for cleaning. It may also become coated with particles of fat or soot.
Fast heating of the room. If the ventilation system starts to work worse, the room warms up faster.
Reducing drafts. With poor air circulation, the draft becomes much weaker.

Design and purpose of the ventilation system

Many people think that the air in the apartment is clean, but this is not the case. In fact, it absorbs various odors that come from the kitchen or from the street. It also contains dust particles, small lint, and even animal hair. Over time, the air accumulates a lot of dangerous bacteria and microorganisms that contribute to the formation of mold and mildew in the room.

promotes admission clean air into the room;
removing dust, bacteria, carbon monoxide and unpleasant odors from the room;
normalization of humidity levels.

Main causes of blockages

Accumulation of dust, dirt, grease

The main reason why the ventilation system begins to function worse is the accumulation of particles of grease, dirt and dust. All these contaminants gradually accumulate on the surface of the walls of the shafts or air circulation channels.

Most often, pollution accumulates due to too narrow channels through which waste oxygen moves from the bathroom, kitchen or living rooms.
Moving inside the system, all the particles of garbage gradually accumulate. Over the years, the mud layer increases, causing air to move much more slowly. Therefore, experts recommend periodically cleaning the ventilation system to prevent debris from accumulating in it.

Brick collapse

The most serious reason that leads to poor air circulation is collapse brickwork. It is from brick that the ventilation shaft is constructed in many houses. To fix this problem, you will have to clean and repair the broken shaft. However, sometimes it is difficult to cope with such a problem on your own, and therefore many have to live with a damaged ventilation system.

Small animals and birds

Often birds and other small animals get inside the ventilation hood. This happens in winter time when from exhaust pipes Warm air begins to rise, emanating from bathrooms or kitchens. Warm air currents attract birds, and because of this, they fly up to the ventilation holes and begin to sit on them to warm up a little. Most often, sparrows and pigeons flock to warm themselves, which are most numerous in cities. Some of the birds sitting on the pipes fall into the ventilation, which is why it begins to work poorly.

Another reason why birds fall into pipes is because they are trying to build nests in them. Therefore, there may be chicks at the bottom of the mine, and not just adults.

Kitchen hood

Sometimes during installation kitchen hood people crash it into the ventilation duct. This should not be done, since conventional ventilation is designed to allow about 90 cubic meters air per hour. This figure is more than ten times less than the performance of most modern models exhaust structures. Therefore, when installing a hood inside a ventilation shaft, it creates overpressure, due to which air currents begin to be pushed into neighboring apartments.

Before installing a hood in the kitchen, you need to consult with a specialist so that he can explain where it can be installed.

Replacing wooden windows with plastic ones

It is no secret that for the normal functioning of the ventilation system, a constant supply of fresh air is needed. If it is not there, air circulation will deteriorate significantly. Using a new sealed plastic double glazing impairs the flow of air into the room, which leads to periodic fogging of the glass and the appearance of traces of mold on the surface of the walls.

To avoid problems when using plastic windows, it is necessary to periodically ventilate the room even in winter. Some advise installing wooden windows, however, they retain heat less well.

Seasonal features

There is also seasonal features, which affect the quality of ventilation. For example, in winter period it works well and without interruptions, but in the heat the performance can deteriorate significantly. This is due to the fact that in winter the temperature difference between outside and inside is too high.
IN summer time The temperature difference is not so significant, and therefore air ventilation becomes worse. To normalize it, you will have to open windows or install forced ventilation devices for better air circulation.

How to clean it properly

Before you start cleaning, you need to familiarize yourself with how to do it correctly.

Preparation

First you need to check the functionality of the ventilation. There are two common ways to check exhaust ducts:

Using a burning match, lighter or candle. The ignited object must be brought to the channel. If the flame starts to move towards the hood, it means it is working properly. However, when the flame does not change its direction, it means that the ventilation needs to be cleaned.

Using a piece of paper. It is applied to the opening of the hood. If it starts to be attracted to the grate, then it’s not worth cleaning.

Cleaning procedure

When cleaning the system, the following actions are performed:

Remove kitchen furniture. If you are cleaning the kitchen hood, you need to get rid of all kitchen furniture. The floor is carefully covered with newspapers to prevent debris from falling on it.

Remove the grille. It is first removed to make it easier to clean the ventilation duct. If the grate is too dirty, replace it with a new one.

Cleaning. After removing the grille, begin cleaning. To do this, you need to put on construction gloves and clean out the debris that is inside the channel. The work must be carried out carefully, as there may be nails, glass and other dangerous debris inside.

How to upgrade your ventilation system

Sometimes in old houses even cleaning does not help improve the performance of the exhaust structure. Therefore, it is necessary to increase air circulation in other ways. Eat available methods improved ventilation. For example, you can install modern double-glazed windows that have a micro-ventilation function. Such windows promote air circulation in the room. You can also use special fans to improve air flow. Such exhaust devices are installed in the bathroom, toilet or kitchen.

Prevention measures

To ensure that the ventilation system does not become too clogged, it must be properly maintained. Experts recommend cleaning it periodically to prevent debris from accumulating in it. Preventive cleaning should be done at least once a month.

You can also install special meshes on the exhaust openings to prevent large debris from getting inside.

Before you start cleaning the ventilation in apartment building, you need to familiarize yourself with the tips and recommendations that will help you do this correctly:

the hood is cleaned using protective construction gloves to avoid damaging your hands;

to remove large debris, use a metal scraper;

if the channel is too dirty, turn to specialists for help.

Conclusion

Sometimes the ventilation becomes clogged with debris and you have to clean it out. Before you begin, you need to understand the causes of blockages and how to eliminate them.

Many residents of multi-storey buildings, especially old buildings, can tell you what culinary preferences their neighbors have, what they treated themselves to for dinner and what they served for lunch. However, we are not talking about telepathy; the neighbor’s menu can be recognized simply by the smell that is felt in the apartment.

If this happens constantly, it means that it is necessary to clean the ventilation, which has ceased to cope with the functions assigned to it. Our recommendations will help restore normal air exchange in the apartment. Minor blockages can be eliminated yourself, but to solve more complex tasks you will have to call specialists.

We will tell you how the ventilation system of a house works, what are the reasons and signs of its malfunction. Here you will learn how to organize the removal of exhaust air and the supply of fresh air. For visual understanding, photo selections, diagrams, and videos are attached to the article.

The air we breathe in the apartment only seems clean. In fact, it absorbs all the odors coming from the kitchen, carbon monoxide from the stove. Dust particles, lint from clothes, carpets, pet hair.

They accumulate in the air harmful microorganisms and bacteria that contribute to the development of serious diseases, moisture and steam coming from the bathroom cause the formation of fungus and stains. All this negatively affects the microclimate of the room, contributes to the appearance of lung diseases, allergies and other ailments.

Image gallery

If they did not lead to the desired result, and the draft in the channel remained at the same level, then there is a blockage in the common shaft. This is already work special services, which can be called through the Criminal Code.

Licensed companies use professional equipment and special technologies cleanings that are selected after a thorough examination of the canal and taking into account its current condition

Upgrading the system to improve performance

In houses old building mechanical cleaning repair of a ventilation shaft, even by specialized services, does not always bring the desired effect. However, it is possible to increase air circulation in the apartment. There are several quite available ways improving ventilation.

If you decide to replace old wooden windows with modern metal-plastic structures, choose double-glazed windows equipped with a micro-ventilation function. If you purchased regular plastic windows, you can install additional devices on them to provide fresh air from the street.

During operation, dust and dirt of various origins gradually accumulate in the air ducts. Ventilation cleaning is needed in three cases:

The amount of dust and other solid waste significantly reduced inner diameter air duct. This causes a decrease in the frequency of air changes in the room - the microclimate worsens, harmful substances are not removed from the room. chemical compounds, dust and unpleasant odors. In addition, consumption is significantly increasing electrical energy equipment, engines operate at maximum loads. Valves and cut-off valves do not operate, and the functioning of fire sensors is disrupted. Such operating conditions cause accelerated failure of the rubbing elements; due to overloads, the temperature of the stator and rotor windings exceeds the recommended values. Insulation quickly loses its dielectric properties - risks arise short circuits. The consequence may be not only the failure of expensive electrical equipment, but also the emergence of fires with all negative consequences. Cleaning the ventilation from mechanical contaminants restores the original efficiency of the system and prevents emergency situations from occurring.
IN ventilation pipes constantly high humidity and temperature, which is ideal conditions for reproduction harmful bacteria and pathogenic microorganisms. If ventilation equipment serves food shops or kitchens, then fat settles on the walls, which is a breeding ground for them. As a result, microorganisms and bacteria are spread throughout all rooms connected to ventilation systems. Infectious diseases can spread in the same way. viral diseases during epidemics. Quite often the source of infection is air filters. If they are not cleaned or replaced in a timely manner, a huge number of microorganisms accumulate in them, the filters cannot contain them, and natural migration begins throughout the system. Timely and regular maintenance of ventilation systems allows not only to eliminate negative phenomena, but also to prevent their occurrence.
In medical premises to maintain specified sterility parameters. This is especially true for operating rooms and neonatal units. According to the order of the Ministry of Health, samples are periodically taken in all hospital ventilation systems to check the microflora. If deviations are detected, unscheduled work is carried out. The frequency of routine cleaning and disinfection is adjusted taking into account the characteristics of medical institutions.

Sanitary standards and rules SanPiN 2.2.4.548-96 establish strict requirements for the cleanliness of ventilation systems, methods of inspection and analysis, frequency and cleaning methods. Failure to comply with these regulations will result in administrative penalties. In cases that result in permanent impairment of people's health, criminal liability may arise.

Algorithm for maintenance and cleaning of ventilation systems

Work begins with checking the functionality of the ventilation system, external and internal inspection of air ducts.

Checking the integrity of air duct surfaces and the stability of fastening of all system elements. The condition is visually inspected, Special attention is given to the places of connections and fastenings.
Checking the condition of electrical equipment. If necessary, an audit is carried out electric motors, electromechanical drives for air flow control. If there are filters, then depending on them technical characteristics periodic Maintenance or complete replacement.
Removing dust and dirt from external surfaces, cleaning ventilation decorative grilles.

Maintenance of units is carried out depending on the characteristics of the equipment and its purpose. Only trained specialists with permits are allowed to carry out work.

Verification of the position of industrial air ducts

The large length and size of air ducts require special equipment and devices for testing. Inspection of internal surfaces is done with modern devices:

Remote manipulators with mini video cameras. The cameras are attached to flexible cables up to 40 m long, and a backlight is installed on the camera to improve the picture. Inspection is carried out through hatches for cleaning air ducts; if necessary, they are cut through additional holes in remote areas. Done technological holes after inspection they are sealed. Look at picture No. 1
Robots. Used to diagnose the condition of large diameter pipelines. Robots with video recording cameras, controlled by remote control. Look at picture No. 2

Figure No. 1 (for inspection and cleaning)

Figure No. 2 (Robot)

Based on the data obtained, a map of the technical condition of the internal planes of pipelines is drawn up, and the amount and nature of contamination is determined. Inspection data is used to determine the optimal cleaning method for ventilation systems.

Ventilation of private houses does not require checking their condition with special equipment. Functionality testing is carried out by visual method, smoke or open flame. If the draft is insufficient or completely absent, the system should be cleaned. In some cases, pipe dismantling will be required; this is difficult and time-consuming. An economical and simple way is to clean the ventilation systems from contaminants using an additional powerful fan. It is connected in parallel to the current one or instead of it, the unit is switched on maximum power. A strong air flow can remove dust from the internal surfaces of air ducts. This method requires special training of performers; the price of services depends on the complexity and volume of work.

There are several ways to clean an air duct; the specific choice depends on the nature and amount of contamination, the size of the pipes and the location of their installation. After receiving the application, a responsible representative of a specialized company arrives at the place of work to assess its volume and draw up a plan for fulfilling the order. At the same time, issues with the start and end dates of services are resolved. The customer has the right, if necessary, to request repair of ventilation air ducts; services must be paid additionally.
Mechanical cleaning The most common method, effectively removes dust, cobwebs and small solid particles. Universal use, can be used both in large communal or general production systems, and in retail premises or office centers. Only possible method cleaning pipelines in sports and concert halls. For industrial air ducts of large cross-section, mechanical ventilation cleaning equipment is used. The unit consists of:

Movable brush. It can have different diameters, the dimensions are selected taking into account the parameters of the pipes. The drive can be carried out by pneumatic or electric motors.
Powerful fan. Connects to the air duct in the direction of brush movement. When cleaning ventilation air ducts, a lot of dust is generated; fans remove it.
Set of filters. It consists of filters for coarse and fine cleaning, traps dust in special storage tanks, and prevents it from entering the room.

There are different equipment for cleaning ventilation in terms of power, length of brush control cable, technical parameters fans and filters. Rotating brushes clean both round and square brushes efficiently. The brushes have different hardness, metal can be used for industrial ventilation. The shaft rotation speed ranges from 300–600 rpm.

During work, the installation operator can change the direction of rotation of the brush and perform reciprocating movements. The most contaminated areas are treated for an extended period of time, and if necessary, a second pass is performed. The quality of cleaning can be monitored visually using video cameras. If they are absent, the pipelines are cleaned until no dust reaches the filters. Look at picture No. 4

Figure No. 4 (dirty and clean filter)

The brush can clean up to 30 meters of pipelines in one pass. If the distance between inspection or technological hatches exceeds these values, then additional holes are made. After cleaning the ventilation systems, they are sealed hermetically. To seal cracks, rubber gaskets suitable for the diameter of the hole or various sealants, the hatches are fixed to the pipes with clamps of the appropriate size and geometry.
Chemical cleaning A more complex method is used to remove fat deposits. Household systems are cleaned by flexible shafts with brushes, the drive is carried out electric drill. Look at picture No. 5

Figure No. 5 Drill with bending shaft and brush

A foam roller moistened with special detergents is attached to the brush. If the contamination is thick, then the operations must be repeated several times.

Chemical reagents can be sprayed into sections of air ducts; the liquids contain surfactants that react with fats and separate them into easily removable fractions. Fat lags behind the walls and is easily removed using ordinary means.

Figure No. 6 Ventilation before and after cleaning

Important. After cleaning the ventilation ducts chemicals you need to check the room carefully.

Cleaning interior surfaces with dry ice

An innovative method, cleaning is carried out with dry reagents in powder form. They move with the air flow along the entire length of the air duct, and when they come into contact with fatty deposits, a controlled explosive reaction occurs. As a result, plaque lags behind the walls and breaks down into microparticles, which are removed from the system by air flow.

The method has proven its effectiveness when cleaning ventilation systems in workshops Food Industry. Allows you to perform work without turning off the ventilation - it is not disturbed manufacturing process, direct costs and possible losses are minimized. After cleaning, quality control is carried out using video cameras; if necessary, repeated cleaning is performed with dry ice or other methods are used.
Disinfection of systems The decision is made by the sanitary station or other government oversight bodies. Necessary in the event of the appearance of pathogenic microorganisms or pathogenic bacteria. Disinfectant compositions are selected taking into account laboratory tests.

Figure No. 7 Disinfection of the air duct

For disinfection, specialized companies with equipment and experience in carrying out work are involved. Disinfectant compounds are supplied directly into the air ducts in a sprayed state. The concentration is calculated in advance. Air currents carry active substance throughout the duct. During work, use respiratory protection. On finishing stage The premises are actively ventilated.

Cleaning filters are cleaned and disinfected most thoroughly; maximum amount microorganisms. In some cases, these units need to be disassembled and each element processed separately. In old houses sewer systems installed and cast iron pipes, for their maintenance, cast iron cleaners were installed. This technology is currently considered obsolete. engineering systems mounted only from plastic pipes.

After completing a set of special measures, a certificate of completion of work is drawn up and signed by the parties. It indicates the specific method by which the ventilation systems were cleaned, and the detergents and disinfectants used. Preliminary price agreed upon with customers at the stage of signing the contract.

Optimal indoor conditions are created thanks to a properly organized ventilation system. It is important that the amount of air that enters and leaves the room is approximately equal. This will help avoid the formation of drafts. All necessary parameters of the air environment (temperature, humidity and air exchange rate) must be normal so that it is not only pleasant, but also useful to be in such a room. Cleaning the ventilation greatly contributes to this and normalizes the operation of the system.

Reasons for failure of ventilation systems

Even the most productive and efficient system may fail over time. You can determine the deterioration of air circulation if you pay attention to the lack of a sufficient amount of fresh air, also the cause unpleasant odor indoors there may be weak draft in exhaust air ducts, condensation in rooms with high humidity levels, and the formation of fungus and mold. The main reasons that the ventilation system has reduced its functionality are the following factors:

blockage in the air duct;
depressurization of a section of the ventilation duct;
failure of equipment that maintains normal parameters using automatic control.

Most often, system failure is the result of a blockage, in which case it is necessary to clean the ventilation. To avoid such consequences, it is recommended to perform regular preventive maintenance of the entire system. Measures that even the owner of a private home can take include organizing cleaning of the most difficult areas (elbows, entrances and exits of ventilation ducts). To do this, it is necessary to take into account the possibility of access to them when designing the system.

Consequences of dirty ventilation

Cleaning the air ducts of ventilation systems will avoid a number of problems that usually arise if the air has stopped circulating due to blockage:

breakdown of equipment, since if the performance of the system has not been reduced, but in one of the areas there are obstacles to the free movement of air, then the device will operate at maximum power values, which threatens overload and breakdown;
Irregular cleaning of ventilation systems causes deterioration in the well-being of people in the room;
a decrease in the efficiency of the system, along with its load, leads to a decrease in the service life of all ventilation;
the accumulation of various contaminants in air ducts, as well as layers of substances on their walls, poses a danger due to the possibility of fire.

Technique used

Special equipment for cleaning ventilation can greatly simplify the task. This saves time and effort, but the owners of private housing do not have specialized equipment, which means that it is necessary to attract professionals to perform such work. Cleaning the ventilation of industrial and civil buildings has its own characteristics: the presence of harmful substances in the air, the likelihood of waste elements settling on the walls of air ducts, the intensity and level of contamination of the air flow passing through the ventilation ducts, etc. Often it is necessary to clean the ventilation from fatty deposits, for example, this is necessary in catering establishments or in residential buildings in the hood above the stove.

There are a number of ways to remove contaminants accumulated in ventilation ducts. Here, a lot depends on the configuration of the system in the room, which allows you to use different equipment for cleaning ventilation:

Brush pneumatic machines.
Flexible cleaning shafts ventilation grilles, valves and splitters of various kinds.
Vacuum type installations.

Self-cleaning ventilation from grease and other complex contaminants will require the use of brushes and detergents. If central ventilation systems it is recommended to service in for preventive purposes times several times a year, then when local ventilation(exhaust hood above the grill, stove) ventilation ducts should be cleaned once a week, otherwise the build-up of fatty deposits can lead to a fire.

Maintenance Features

Technologies allow video inspection of the condition of the air duct. Thanks to these devices, a specialist analyzes the degree of contamination of the system. In order to determine the level of harmfulness of the circulated air due to the content of dust, bacteria and fungal spores in it, an additional chemical analysis. Cleaning the ventilation and air conditioning system also involves disinfection. This is explained by the design features of the air conditioner.

Condensation regularly falls on the surface of the evaporator (one of the main components of cooling technology), which causes constant moisture in the mechanism. Taking into account the fact that air flows of varying degrees of contamination pass through it, some of the dust from the air settles on the evaporator.

As a result, they are created favorable conditions to maintain the vital activity of various bacteria and fungal spores. In this case, the ventilation systems are cleaned and disinfected.

In addition to the use of special equipment, other methods are used to clean ventilation ducts, for example, the use of dry ice. This is the most gentle method, removing almost any contaminant. Dry ice can be used in systems with air ducts made of different materials, besides, after evaporation it does not leave condensation.

Ventilation cleaning in apartment buildings and other large objects is carried out using this method due to its effectiveness. Along with him on separate areas Of particular complexity, other cleaning equipment may be involved.