According to the architects' idea, many houses from the USSR era had windows in the bathrooms. Some residents sealed the unnecessary hole during renovations, but questions about its purpose still remain. Let's return to this topic and find out why they made a window in the bathrooms?
There are many myths and versions that not only residents, but also architects still argue about. Now we will look at the most popular of them.
The main version is based on the fact that when the houses were first designed, the supply hot water was not centralized. People used individual gas heaters flow type. Before you take a shower, water heating column it was necessary to set it on fire, which is why the blowout opening, or window, appeared. In the event of a blast wave, the window would minimize the consequences of the accident, taking the brunt of the impact. In addition, when using gas, the ratio of windows to the kitchen area must be observed.
Another version says that windows appeared in houses to save energy. The high power of light bulbs was an unaffordable luxury, so during the day they often washed in natural light, and in the evening the light from the kitchen was enough to take a shower.
Those who had a window in the toilet, and not the bathroom, also expressed their version: “During night trips to the toilet - a very convenient thing. To prevent the light from blinding your sleepy eyes, you turn it on in the kitchen.”
Another completely logical option is the following: the windows were designed in accordance with SNiP (Building Norms and Rules). In case of a power outage emergency lighting ensured safe evacuation from the building. And when the doors were locked, it was possible to leave the confined space through a glass window.
Some suggest that the window was made for sanitary and hygienic reasons. In the USSR, laundry was dried not only on balconies, but also in bathrooms. In houses where the window configuration allowed it to be opened, it is generally accepted that the holes in the wall were created for better ventilation, to prevent mold from appearing, and also for quick drying of clothes.
Let's talk about another version, which seems absurd to many. During the design of apartments (1950-1960), tuberculosis became a real scourge. This infection is poorly tolerated sunlight, spreading in dark and damp rooms. There is an opinion that windows were invented to prevent tuberculosis. Sunlight entering through a window could destroy bacteria and microorganisms in an enclosed space.
Did you have such a window in your apartment? Do your grandmothers and mothers remember what it is for? It seems that even Soviet residents argued about the true purpose of the windows between the bathroom and the kitchen. For fear of prying eyes, windows were often covered and painted over.
In houses old building a window between the kitchen and bathroom was the norm. Anyone who has ever seen such a window has wondered, “Why is it there?” What is the purpose of these strange windows, whether to leave them or seal them up in the apartment, the WINDOWS MEDIA portal is looking into it.
Window between kitchen and bathroom - reasons for its appearance
Windows between the kitchen and bathroom have always caused some discomfort among residents. Privacy could be violated at any time. There are several versions of the purpose of these strange windows.
The window between the bathroom and the kitchen fights tuberculosis
Supporters of this version believe that the window between the kitchen and the bathroom was created as one of the ways to combat the causative agent of tuberculosis with Koch's bacillus. Indeed, at the time these windows appeared, the incidence of tuberculosis was very high. And the dark and wet room bathroom - best place for the growth of bacteria. However, Koch's bacillus dies only when directly exposed to sunlight and ultraviolet irradiation. Direct sun rays through small window they could not get to the bathroom, and ultraviolet radiation was filtered out by several glasses. Therefore, the version of the fight against tuberculosis can hardly be considered legitimate.
Window between kitchen and bathroom - protection against gas explosion
No less mysterious are suggestions that the window is intended to absorb the blast wave during an explosion. domestic gas. Some houses with windows between the kitchen and bathroom had geysers for heating water. In some, but not in all. It would be possible to take into account the requirements of clause 7.3.8 of SNiP 31-01-2003 to place heat generators in non-residential premises with a window. But the windows were most often “solid”, which does not meet these requirements. Moreover, windows are present in houses where there are no, never were, and were not even planned for gas water heaters and gas supply in principle. It turns out that the explosion-proof version cannot be accepted as the main one.
A window between the bathroom and the kitchen as a security feature
Proponents of this option are largely right. The bathroom and toilet rooms are extremely small, the corridors in front of them are quite narrow, the doors in old houses were strong and opened inward. If the lock jammed or something bad happened to someone in the household, and strokes and heart attacks often occur in these rooms, it was very difficult to open the door from the outside. The only way to get inside was the window, which, of course, had to be broken.
Photo: janitor Fyodor climbs out the window to help Sharikov (still from the film " Heart of a Dog»)
This version is also supported by the case described in Mikhail Bulgakov’s famous novel “The Heart of a Dog.” Help for Sharikov, who had locked himself in the bathroom, came precisely through the window. By the way, the house of Yakov Rekka on Prechistenka 13, described in the novel, was built in 1911 - long before the Khrushchev era, and it already had windows between the bathroom and the kitchen.
Window between bathroom and kitchen as a light source
This version is most similar to the truth. Residents of apartments with windows between the bathroom and kitchen confirm that using a bathroom with a window is convenient. During the day, you don’t need to turn on the light every time you need to wash your hands. This option is also supported by the fact that windows appeared in bathrooms before electricity appeared, and every time you light kerosene lamp It was inconvenient to go to the dark bathroom. Windows came into Stalin and Khrushchev buildings for the same reason - a source of light. During their construction, power outages were common, and sometimes it was simply turned off during working hours in order to save money.
Windows between the kitchen and bathroom - do they need to be sealed?
Not all owners of mysterious windows try to get rid of them. For those who decide to leave this light source in their apartments, manufacturers of modern windows offer a lot of modernization options. Considering high humidity premises, excellent choice will plastic window with frosted glass or stained glass.
Photo: modern window from the bathroom to the kitchen
If the desire to maintain privacy wins, you can always get rid of the window. It is better to do this during a bathroom renovation. The window will close without any hassle if the room is being finished plastic panels or drywall. In this case, the cladding goes over the window and it does not have to be dismantled. You just need to remember that in the place of the window opening it will not be possible to fix anything on the wall. If you plan to lay tiles, then the opening will first have to be covered with a brick or a board made of moisture-resistant material.
In new apartments, a window between the kitchen and the bathroom is usually not found, but for “Khrushchev” apartments it is a common occurrence. Why are such windows needed, is it worth getting rid of them during renovation? And how to decorate the window between the bathroom and kitchen in the interior to make it look more attractive? Let's figure it out together.
There are several versions of why in old apartments in mandatory made a window from the bathtub to the kitchen:
- As a technical opening in case of a gas leak or explosion. Now this reason irrelevant, it used to be that wood heaters and old gas water heaters were installed in bathrooms, which were a threat to residents. Modern water heating devices are safe and have leakage sensors and cut-off valves. In addition, experts believe that the window between the kitchen and the bathroom will not help in the event of a gas explosion - the partition itself is usually too thin.
- As an emergency escape route or access to a bathroom. Let’s say that a child locked himself in the bathroom and now cannot open the door himself. Or one of the apartment’s inhabitants felt sick in the shower. The window made it possible to enter the room without knocking down the door. However, most often such a window is small and located high; it may be more convenient to open the door to the bathroom.
- As a source of natural light. Saving electricity, the ability to take a bath even if the power is turned off - the window to the kitchen performs these functions properly.
- Fighting steam, dampness, mold. Yes, forced ventilation helps, but open window- even better, the bathroom will be fresher and drier.
- As a way to expand the bathroom space. This room in old apartments was always tiny; the window created a little more space.
The window from the bathroom to the kitchen is still relevant today as a source of natural light and a way to combat high humidity. It is, of course, not difficult to seal it, for example, using brickwork or using drywall. The main thing is to carefully dismantle window opening, so as not to disturb the entire wall, which, we repeat, is usually quite thin and fragile.
How convenient, simple and economical option: wardrobe in the former window opening. You will have to order it strictly according to the size of the opening or make it yourself. Let there be a blank cabinet wall on the kitchen side, made of chipboard, for example, and in the bathroom - shelves behind doors or without them. This way, not only does an unnecessary window close, but it also creates a place to store all sorts of small items in the bathroom.
If you decide to leave the window between the bathroom and kitchen, you can try to make it more attractive. The simplest option is high quality plastic double glazed window, with the ability to open completely or for ventilation.
However, an ordinary white double-glazed window rectangular shape Many people find it boring. If the window remains, but the style of the kitchen or bathroom changes dramatically, you need to try to fit it into the updated room. For example, order a plastic window to look like wood or use bright, colorful stained glass windows.
Glass blocks are also used. They will let in the light, but you won’t be able to look into the bathroom. And glass blocks look more original than a regular double-glazed window. The downside is that there is no longer any talk about ventilating the bathroom, the window is actually blocked up and lets in sunlight less well.
Changing the shape of a window is more difficult; you will have to make a corresponding opening. And double-glazed windows will cost more. But, for example, porthole windows look very stylish.
Important! If you decide to do it yourself interior window in an apartment, this only needs to be agreed upon in the case of a load-bearing wall.
Some people consider a window from the bathroom or toilet into the kitchen (or, alternatively, into the hallway) a necessity, while others get rid of it without regret. The choice is yours, in any case, do everything right and let the window decorate your rooms.
Surely many who have visited residents of five-story buildings have noticed a small window located between the kitchen and the bathroom or the kitchen and the bathroom. Even not all residents of Soviet-era buildings know the true purpose of such windows. AiF.ru decided to look into this issue and asked the architect for what purpose the architects designed window openings inside the apartment.
What versions are there?
Exists large number myths and various guesses on this matter, says architect Ruslan Kirnichansky. “The most odious, in my opinion, is in order to gas equipment in the event of an explosion, the wall was not damaged, but the shock wave went through the window. But in fact, the partition between the kitchen and the bathroom of the Khrushchev-era building is thin, and not a single window can save it,” says the specialist.
Which version is correct?
The only correct version of why a window between the bathroom and the kitchen was needed, according to the architect, was to ensure plumbing safety standards. “According to the standards for insolation (light level), all rooms in residential apartments must receive sunlight for at least two hours a day,” explains Kirnichansky. — Five-story buildings were developed in the fifties and sixties of the twentieth century. At this time, the fight against tuberculosis was actively underway. In order to avoid the occurrence of the tuberculosis bacillus and prevent it from multiplying (as is known, it multiplies in a humid environment), a window was provided in the five-story buildings. So that the light from the window in the kitchen gets into the bathroom (in five-story buildings, bathrooms and toilets were always combined in the first series), because sunlight disinfects the air and kills bacteria.”
Why exactly the window?
In those years in apartment buildings hoods already existed, but the system was still sufficiently low quality, explains the architect. “Ventilation was provided, but it was impossible to disinfect the room. Therefore, engineers, designers, and architects agreed that it was necessary to create a window between the kitchen and the bathroom. These windows did not open, they were blocked. But they had to give light,” says Kirnichansky.
Did it cope with the task?
No, according to the specialist, the need for windows between the bathroom and the kitchen has disappeared. “From an efficiency point of view, this window did not justify itself much: it was located quite high. Still, it was not the window that defeated the disease, but medicine, which stepped forward. In addition, forced fans appeared,” notes the architect. “In addition, the window created a lot of problems. It was a little uncomfortable that you could watch what was happening in the bathroom from the kitchen. And people often eliminated these windows and painted them over.”
Are they making windows like this now?
According to Kirnichansky, now the insolation standards are advisory in nature. “If we look at the typical development of a Soviet microdistrict, we will not find practically a single apartment there where sunlight does not enter the apartments. With the exception of the first floors, which are overgrown with tall trees and bushes. Now all SNiPs regarding the level of illumination are advisory in nature. The developer can design the house so that sunlight enters it, or maybe so that it does not. People who know how important sunlight is to disinfect the air in our latitudes prefer to buy apartments facing the sunny south or southwest,” adds the specialist.
Surely each of us, when visiting, noticed that in some houses there are small windows between the kitchen and the bathroom (or combined toilet). Maybe some even live in such apartments.
So why are they needed, these windows, if every house has electricity? Editorial "AWESOME" I decided to look into the issue and now share the knowledge I gained with you.
According to one version, such windows are prescribed building codes for houses in which water heating is carried out using a gas water heater. In the event of an explosion, this should protect the walls from destruction. If the speaker is in the bathroom, the blast wave should, in theory, knock out the window, sparing the load-bearing walls.
However, geysers appeared relatively recently, already during the USSR, and windows between the bathroom and kitchen were still in houses under the Tsar. Suffice it to recall Bulgakov’s “Heart of a Dog,” which described in detail how Sharikov communicated with the professor through a similar window from a flooded bathroom.
It turns out that the windows in the bathroom performed several functions at once, the most important of which was saving light. The fact is that electricity began to appear in homes only at the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. If household members needed to pop into the bathroom for a minute to wash their hands, lighting candles or a kerosene lamp was very inconvenient. And the window made it possible to see where the washbasin and soap were.
In addition, these windows provided better ventilation. They could be opened and quickly ventilate the room, ridding it of excess moisture. In addition, the window helped to make sure that everything was fine with the child in the bathroom, or to get into a locked room if the person in it became ill.
This explains the origin of the windows between the bathroom and the kitchen. If you liked this information, share it with your friends!
