Ventilation in the sauna - the right device and common mistakes. Ventilation in the bath - design features and practical recommendations How to properly ventilate the steam room

The Russian bath for our population is a kind of historical heritage and national property. Throughout the ages it has played an important role in the lives of all people. The bath is still famous for its ability to improve human health, and bath procedures are a great way to normalize metabolism and relieve stress.

That is why baths and saunas are growing like mushrooms on the sites of our homeowners and summer residents.

How to organize ventilation

But building a good Russian bath is not a very simple matter, as it might seem at first glance. To create a healthy atmosphere in these buildings, a very important issue is the ventilation device in the steam room of the bath..

How to set up this system correctly? To do this, you need to understand the principle by which fresh air enters the room, mixes and exits. Good ventilation in the steam bath should carry out a complete exchange of air in the steam room at least three times per hour.

To meet the parameters of the steam room with sanitary standards, we will consider in detail the design of the ventilation system.

In the most careful way, it is necessary to calculate the system that circulates the flows in the steam room. High-quality ventilation of the steam room of the bath will allow you to take procedures without fear of getting black, even if the stove is in the steam room.

It is possible to ensure the correct circulation of flows in several ways. If you decide with your own hands, then you need to explore all these options and choose the most suitable for you.

Scheme No. 1

Instructions for the location of the ventilation holes:

we place the entrance hole behind the stove at a height of about 50 cm from the clean floor;
we arrange the outlet on the opposite wall, it is slightly lower, about 30 cm from the floor;
Install an exhaust fan at the outlet.

Let's see how the system works in this variant:

cool flow enters through the inlet channel;
at the stove, the air heats up and rises;
cooling, the flow goes down and exits through the hood.

The air in the steam room with this variant of the location of the ventilation holes warms up evenly.

Important. The lower you place the outlet duct, the stronger the air circulation will be. You can adjust the flow with a fan.

Sometimes a variation of this scheme is used, where the output and input channels are located at the same level and only 20 cm from the floor. With this arrangement, the ventilation of the steam bath will only function well if there is an outlet fan.

Scheme No. 2

In this case, the air flow takes a different path:

cold streams enter the room through the inlet, which is located 30 cm from the floor on the wall opposite the stove;
they hit the stove, heat up and rise up;
the waste stream exits through the outlet channel, which is located above the inlet channel, at a distance of 30 cm from.

The disadvantage of this option is that cold streams go down the legs until they hit the stove and heat up.

Scheme No. 3

This option is used in those rooms of the steam room where there are technological gaps in the floors. Ventilation in the steam room of the Russian bath according to this option is very effective for air exchange in the room and helps to keep the wooden flooring in perfect condition for a long time.

This scheme can also be organized in two variations. In both cases, the entrance is made behind the stove at a distance of 30 cm from the floor.

And the hoods are arranged as follows:

an exhaust hole is made under the floor, on the opposite wall from the stove, which rises outside the steam room to the roof of the structure;
an exhaust hole is made at the top, 30 cm below the ceiling, it also goes into the ventilation pipe.

Advice. Combining these two options will make it possible to control the flow of air in the steam room.
Do not forget to only equip the outlet channels with valves.

Scheme No. 4

Important. The use of this option is possible only with a constantly heating furnace, since the blower itself serves as an exhaust hood.
And the blower is able to absorb air and remove it from the bath only when the stove is running.

This scheme functions as follows:

the inlet channel is arranged 30 cm from the floor opposite the stove;
the role of the hood is performed by a firebox with a blower and a chimney;
the fresh stream heats up, rises to the ceiling, then cools and falls down, where it exits through the furnace.

Summary

Classical bath procedures have a beneficial effect on human health, especially if all the necessary norms and rules were observed during the construction of the bath. The work of ventilation inside the steam room should be aimed at a constant outflow of the spent portion of air and the inflow of a fresh portion.

Air can enter the steam room through vents, half-open doors, or maybe through special vents. It is better to organize the outflow by force. The price of exhaust fans is not very high, and the costs will be justified by the fact that the organization of air exchange in the steam room will be at the highest level.

Using the right air circulation scheme will help you make the atmosphere in the steam room healthy, and washing in the bath is a welcome procedure for your family. In the presented video in this article you will find additional information on this topic.

The temperature regime of operation of bath rooms is very different from the microclimate of ordinary living rooms. Accordingly, more stringent requirements are put forward for air exchange inside the steam room. This guide discusses the traditional technique of how to properly ventilate in a bathhouse built with your own hands from any materials - timber, logs or foam blocks.

Why do bathrooms need ventilation?

In the process of washing the air inside the sauna is heated and saturated with moisture. The higher the temperature in the steam room and washing room, the more water vapor the air can absorb. At the end of the bathing procedures, the building cools down and the contained moisture begins to condense on all wooden surfaces, provoking the formation of mold and fungus.

The supply and exhaust in the bath are designed to solve 3 tasks:

Renewal of the air environment during washing in accordance with the requirements of sanitary standards.
Removing excess moisture from the premises, drying wood.
Creating a circulation of moist air in the steam room.

The last point requires clarification. When you steam in a heated Russian banya and add a parka, hot humidified air rises to the ceiling. A properly installed hood removes cooling air masses, due to which circular flows arise that equalize the temperature throughout the entire height of the room. Without ventilation, the lower zone of the steam room will remain cold.

Reference. The physical processes occurring in the Russian and Finnish baths are almost the same. The difference lies in the temperature and degree of air humidity. In the first case, the temperature reaches 70-80 degrees, humidity - up to 70%, in the second - 100 ° C and 30%, respectively (the so-called dry steam).

In the washing room, rest room and dressing room, ordinary ventilation is needed to renew the air environment. For gas operation, an additional inflow is provided to ensure combustion.

Universal air exchange scheme

The classic version is considered the most economical and efficient - natural ventilation in the steam room, shown in the diagram. The main washing system operates as follows:

The inflow is organized through a gap of 2-3 cm under the front door, where heated air from the adjacent room penetrates.
Receiving a dose of heat from the stove and saturated with steam, the hot air mass rises to the ceiling.
Cooling from contact with surfaces and people, the air descends to the lower zone, from where it is removed by means of an exhaust grille and a separate channel arranged in the opposite corner.
The volume of inflow is regulated by a valve installed on the exhaust port.

An important nuance. Hot moist air is much lighter than cold dry air, so the hood is provided from the bottom of the steam room. If you make a ventilation hole near the ceiling, the lion's share of the heat will go outside, it will be uncomfortable in the microclimate near the shelves.

How the bath ventilation system should work, the expert will tell in his video:

An auxiliary hood, made near the ceiling, is designed to ventilate and dry the steam room at the end of bath procedures. During washing, the hole is tightly closed with a valve. Instead of an exhaust opening, it is allowed to use ceiling diffusers or a regular swing-out window.

Consider several alternative steam room ventilation schemes shown below in the picture:

Supply of inflow directly from the street through a hole made near the stove. From contact with a hot surface, the air instantly warms up, circulates through the steam room and leaves through a vertical box to the outside.
A similar scheme with heating the inflow at the furnace, the exhaust is organized through a hidden channel under a wooden deck. In a steam room with a concrete floor, such a solution is difficult to implement.
The role of the exhaust channel is played by a stove chimney, in which a priori there is good draft.

Note. These schemes are used in certain conditions - when air is supplied from the street, exhausted through the floors, or if the firebox is placed inside the steam room.

In other rooms, the ventilation device is simpler - the hood is provided in the upper zone, the inflow is supplied to the lower one. Moreover, in winter, fresh air must be heated or first passed through a dressing room so that it does not blow cold in the steam room. To clean and heat the street flow, it is advisable to use local supply units with forced air injection.

Option to return air to the shower room through a vertical channel and overflow grille

Choosing the Right Materials

The very idea of a Russian or Finnish bath involves the use of environmentally friendly materials and appropriate heating equipment. If you are, the use of polymer insulation, glass wool and various plastic elements is not allowed.

To arrange ventilation in the bath (especially in the steam room) with your own hands, it is recommended to purchase the following materials:

air ducts made of galvanized steel or wooden boxes;
grilles, shutters and diffusers - made of wood or painted metal;
sealing pipes with access to the wall - tow, moss, jute;
fans - made of special plastic, with a high degree of electrical protection against moisture.

Advice. Try to use a minimum of metal elements in the steam room. If you raise the temperature to 80-100 ° C, the parts will get very hot and can burn you if accidentally touched.

Inside the steam room, it is categorically not recommended to make ventilation from a plastic pipe. When heated to 100 degrees, the polymer begins to lose stability and release harmful substances. In a good way, you can’t put fans in the steam room either, and there’s no need to.

Forced exhaust creates a powerful air flow, entraining a large amount of heat, the oven will run idle. For drying the bath, the fan is also not a panacea - just open the window and the front door, organizing a draft. Injection is appropriate in one case - when a heated supply unit is operating.

Ideally, ventilation is designed and laid down at the construction stage of the bath. The placement of air ducts is thought out in advance, the furnace model and the air exchange scheme are selected. The best option for the main hood is through the floors into the side vertical channel, more economical - a grate or diffuser in the wall.

An important point. Often there is a mistake when the owner competently equips the hood, forgets about the inflow and gets a deplorable result - mold in the corners. Remember: without replacement with supply air, exhaust ventilation will not work. Installing a suction fan will not solve the problem either.

When installing ventilation, we suggest following simple recommendations:

If a bath with a steam room has already been built, the ventilation duct can be brought out through the wall and raised to a height of 3-4 m next to the chimney. It is desirable to insulate the pipe, otherwise you will have to deal with condensation. How best to organize the ventilation of bath rooms, look at the video:

To determine the value of ventilation in the bath know its purpose:

Rapid heating of the room, uniform distribution of heat. Savings in heating costs.
Constant air renewal during soaring. This is necessary for the comfort and health of vacationers.
Rapid removal of moist air. Implementation of mandatory drying of the premises.
Preservation of the building for a longer time. No fungi or mold appear. Objects are not deformed, do not change color under the influence of moisture.

No or insufficient ventilation unpleasant odors gradually accumulate in the room, the air becomes damp. Fresh air is not supplied, it becomes difficult to breathe. There is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Without ventilation, all the warm air will gradually go up, and the cooling air will accumulate below.

Proper ventilation system in the baths

In baths made of natural logs any punching of holes to provide ventilation is considered superfluous. The lower crowns of the walls are laid with the installation of holes through which a moderate amount of fresh air passes. If there is a stove-heater in which the blower is simultaneously designed to bring air out, you can limit yourself to its presence. They let in air through the open door, a gap of 5-7 mm is enough.

Ventilation is designed for regular entry into the bath of fresh air, outflow of cooled and moist. For fresh air flow need to build vents. If they are not, then you can use the vents, doors. The hood also takes place through special openings; a furnace blower can be used; a chimney is of great importance in the outflow of steam. In order to be able to fully control the air exchange, the openings are equipped with shutters, by adjusting which you can stop or resume the flow and exit of air.

There is a wide range of ventilation systems:

For inlet and outlet located opposite each other, one level is used. In some cases, the low placement of the inlet helps to retain heat for a longer time. To activate the air exchange, a fan is installed, an air duct or a deflector can also be used. You can not place holes with an exact match in level. As a result of the rapid release of air, accumulations of cold at the bottom and warm in the rest of the bath can form.
The air currents directed by the operating ventilation device lower the pressure inside the duct. Exhaust air is drawn out due to a decrease in pressure inside the bath. To raise the pressure again, fresh air is supplied.
The vents can be arranged in this way: the supply air is 30 cm from the floor, the outlet located opposite does not reach the ceiling by 30 cm. Fresh air immediately heats up from the stove, rises, gradually leaving the room.

To ensure constant control over the speed and volume of incoming and outgoing air, dampers are created. It is advisable to make them retractable, slightly opening to the required distance. The length of the duct is determined by the dimensions of the bath, as well as the maximum volume of required incoming air.

When the room is only heated with a preheated stove, all openings should be covered. When the temperature becomes optimal for vaping, the shutters open slightly and are immediately regulated so that the air exchange does not change the temperature in the room. Both inlet and outlet openings must have a connector close to the same. To make the influx of fresh air stronger, you can slightly increase the outlet.

The inlet connector must not be larger than the outlet. This leads to a reverse draft, which contributes to the release of fresh air from the bath, and not its active circulation.

Ventilation in the Russian bath

In a classic bath, created according to the Russian model, no special holes, so air exchange should be performed in a more natural way. Normally, conventional ventilation is used to supply fresh air. You can open the door leading to the street and the window opposite to it. Sometimes forced exhaust is used with the door open. To better get rid of the accumulated dampness, you should sweep the leaves from the broom in a timely manner. Benches and other wooden objects can be dried when wet, sometimes sheets are swept. These procedures will not allow the formation of heavy steam, remove unpleasant odors and decay products from the room.

After the bath is ventilated and dried, need to start steaming. To do this, pour water on the stones in small portions. The prepared steam rises quickly and stays there for a long time, so it may turn out that it is already very hot at the top, and still cool at the bottom. With a strong temperature difference, you can wait until the steam sinks or use artificial methods to lower it.

It is enough to work with brooms to create movement in the steam room, the air will immediately mix. Waves with a towel or broom should be carried out closer to the ceiling.

You can make a fan: on the wooden handle there is a stainless steel loop, on which the fabric is stretched. Horizontal or vertical movements are made by this device to move warm and cold air. Sometimes they begin to use it in the manufacture of steam. To do this, one person pours water on the stones, and the second works with a fan.

in the steam room

In classical bath ventilation schemes, it is assumed air flow in the steam room from below. The hole is usually located below half a meter from the floor. The hood can be placed close to the ceiling by equipping a hole on the opposite wall. The regulation of the level of humidity and heat of the air is carried out by extending or closing the shutters.

The best option, especially for a small steam room, is to create an air inlet next to the stove. This is necessary to instantly heat the incoming fresh air. This arrangement will not allow strong drafts to form, helps to avoid a large temperature difference in different parts of the steam room. The heat from the steam room can not only be taken outside, but also moved to other rooms for their high-quality heating.

Proper ventilation works by bringing fresh air under the box. Air masses leave the device through the top opening. The steam room warms up quite evenly until the warm air reaches the bottom of the box. Hot air will gradually displace colder air, providing warming before leaving the room. The steam room simultaneously heats up and dries out.

In the bathhouse

The ventilation channel is directly connected to the duct, the diameter of which usually exceeds the chimney by no more than 20%. With such parameters, oxygen fills the room, and does not leave it. Air intake from the underground is not needed.

The walls of the stove, if it is in the dressing room, should be close to the floor. Shelves are not necessarily placed in a strictly horizontal position. They are able to slow down the rise of heat to the ceiling. For better absorption of warm air, it is better to equip the stove with several chimneys.

Sometimes during the heating of the bath in the room a large amount of smoke is formed and retained. This means that the air inside the dressing room is colder than in the environment. Cold air is somewhat more massive than warm air, so it often creates a shell in chimneys. In order to push out this air, it is necessary to equip an additional door for burning ash.

Forced ventilation

Ventilation in the bath with the help of electronic systems is carried out if it is impossible to provide good air circulation in natural ways. Fans can be installed on both supply and exhaust openings. They accelerate the movement of air masses, providing the room with fresh air, quickly removing moist.

Exhaust ventilation

In the design of this ventilation is always present exhaust fan. For air circulation, a supply air is also necessarily constructed. Sometimes cracks in the walls are used for fresh air to enter, windows or doors are slightly opened. The advantage of exhaust ventilation is to reduce the pressure in the bath. The action must be compensated by a constant flow of air from outside.

Ventilation with a powerful hood perfectly removes harmful gases, humid air with an unpleasant odor. It is possible to build such a ventilation system not only in the steam room, but also in showers, washing rooms, departments with a pool or in bathrooms. Usually, the basic set of the exhaust ventilation system includes a fan and a box. If the device is too noisy, a silencer can be used.

Forced ventilation

It is installed according to the exhaust principle, however the fan must be placed on the inlet. When the supply ventilation system is activated, an increase in pressure in the room is observed, which should be compensated in a timely manner by the release of air through the hood or gaps in the walls, floor, ceiling, through the windows, the door.

Supply fans are not considered convenient if they will operate in cold temperatures. In winter, they supply icy air, which must be additionally heated by pre-installed air heaters. If it is necessary to purify a large amount of incoming air, filters can be used.

Supply and exhaust ventilation

Combination of artificial inflow and exhaust air is often equipped with recuperators, silencers, filters. Additional devices provide comfort while in the bath, at the same time there is a constant, good air circulation. In order not to worry about ventilation, you can equip it with an automatic control unit.

Creating a design for supply and exhaust artificial ventilation often causes difficulties. It is necessary to calculate the optimal air exchange in all rooms of the bath at the design stage. The amount of outgoing air must match the incoming air. Sometimes air flows are not specifically balanced. In order to prevent the spread of excessive humidity or unpleasant odors from a certain room, the pressure is artificially reduced in it. To do this, the hood is mounted with greater intensity than in other rooms.

When arranging ventilation in the bath, you should take care not only of the steam room, but also of other important rooms. To save heating costs, you can use the warm air generated in the steam room, taking it out not to the street, but through other rooms. By adapting the ventilation system to specific requests, you can make the most successful option.

The Russian bath is known for its health benefits. Her visit is a great way to relieve stress and normalize all vital processes in the body. If you want to take a steam bath with benefit, you should make sure that the ventilation in the Russian bath is designed and done correctly.

It is useful to visit the bath only if it is equipped with ventilation.

Without proper ventilation, the air becomes saturated with carbon dioxide. It is not safe to be in such a place. Lack of oxygen leads to dizziness, loss of consciousness and even death.

Why is ventilation in the steam room so important?

All the peoples of the world know about the miraculous Russian bathhouse. Having visited it at least once, you can notice an improvement in well-being, a surge of vigor and strength. The effect of steam treatment is achieved due to the influence of hot air on the human body.

During overheating, all vital processes begin to work more intensively. The blood circulates more actively, the lungs cleanse themselves, and the skin becomes soft and supple. An important feature of Russian baths is to help fight fatigue and stress: during procedures, the body gets rid of lactic acid, the effect of which is felt by all people after a grueling day at work.

The effect of the bath on the body can be negative. Significant harm is caused by poor ventilation in the steam room of the Russian bath. Combustion products emitted into the steam room quickly accumulate in it. Without proper ventilation, the concentration of carbon monoxide becomes dangerous to humans. And in combination with high temperature and high humidity, the steam room becomes a real hell. Visiting such a place is dangerous and risky.

We must not forget that humid air in a hot environment undergoes condensation. Water that covers walls, floors and furniture is dangerous, but not for a person, but for a building. Russian baths are made of wood, which is exposed to the negative effects of condensate.

This natural material rots and quickly becomes unusable. But this problem is solved: you can make effective ventilation in the bath with your own hands. The ventilation organized by the chosen scheme will allow you to bathe with health benefits.

Properly equipped ventilation significantly extends the life of the room

Types of ventilation and their features

About whether ventilation is needed in the bath, people have been thinking for a long time. Even many centuries ago, its visitors felt a deterioration in well-being due to carbon monoxide, which saturates the air in the steam room.

The situation changed for the better when the attendants went out into the street. Therefore, each bath builder paid due attention to getting fresh air into the steam room and removing carbon dioxide from it. People did not carry out any heavy mathematical calculations. The ventilation device looked like this:

construction of a stove with a chimney through which combustion products leave the steam room;
the formation of cracks and gaps between boards and logs, through which clean fresh air enters the steam room, as well as between the door leaf and the floor.

Such ventilation of the steam room is still used today. But its efficiency is much lower than modern schemes of natural and forced ventilation. Even a simple, well-placed air inlet will be more useful than a few gaps in the walls or floor. Therefore, it is necessary to give preference to already proven, high-quality ventilation schemes.

Ventilation in the steam room can be simple (natural) and mechanical (forced).

The natural circuit works in accordance with physical laws. Warm air is lighter than cold air and therefore it will rise under the ceiling. Cold air currents push them out from below, under the pressure of inflow flows from the street.

In order for hot air to be removed from the room, an exhaust window should be installed on the opposite wall from the inlet. Its presence in some schemes is optional: high-quality air exchange can be carried out using the thrust that the furnace pipe forms.

The ventilation system also works under the mechanical action of fans. Installing these devices in the exhaust duct allows you to make the circuit independent of weather factors. In addition, forced ventilation is much more efficient than natural ventilation.

Installation of fans in the ventilation ducts makes the system independent of weather conditions

Common ventilation schemes in a Russian steam room

If you decide to start building a bathhouse on your land, it is important to pay attention to the design of the ventilation system. The best option will provide high-quality air exchange of the room without a threat to the health of the visitor to the steam room. The most common schemes are:

with an exhaust hole above the stove;
with a supply hole behind the stove;
with supply and exhaust openings on the same wall opposite the furnace;
without exhaust hole.

Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. When choosing a suitable scheme, you can be guided by the area of \u200b\u200bthe room, its layout, the location of its individual components (stoves, doors to the locker room, etc.). The main thing is that during the bathing procedures, carbon dioxide continuously leaves the room through the exhaust window or the stove chimney.

Constant effective operation of the ventilation scheme due to the influence of natural air exchange is impossible. The quality of ventilation depends on the air temperature outside, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, etc. Often, the owners of Russian baths have difficulty visiting the steam room in the summer, when the weather is hot and windless.

Under such conditions, the thrust is weak, it alone is not enough for a safe stay in the steam room. For safety, install a fan in the exhaust window (if any), which will forcibly draw hot air out of the room. The system will be more efficient if the same device is installed in the inlet.

Simple ventilation scheme

One of the simplest but most effective ventilation schemes is the option of installing an exhaust window above the stove. Hot air is light, according to the laws of physics, it rises to the ceiling, and the hood, installed in the right place, will quickly remove it. Features of this scheme:

A through supply hole should be punched on the wall opposite the stove. The best place is 15-20 cm from the floor. Fresh air, penetrating into the room, will mix with the remnants of cold air in the steam room, displacing hot streams up.
The exhaust opening is installed above the stove (14 -20 cm from the ceiling). The generated draft removes the heated air, which is concentrated under the ceiling.
Through windows must be the same size. From the inside, they are closed with decorative grilles or special valves, which are used to adjust the traction force.

The best effect with such ventilation can be obtained only with the help of a fan. It is installed in the exhaust hole and connected to the mains.

The best effect of simple ventilation can only be obtained with a fan

Not every device can be used in rooms with high humidity. Before buying a fan, you should find out which device models have the appropriate moisture protection.

Scheme with a supply hole behind the stove

If there is a gap of at least 25 cm in the steam room between the back wall of the stove and the building itself, another ventilation method can be used. In this scheme, air is supplied through an opening located behind the stove. The builder should take care of:

on the installation of a supply duct at the bottom of the wall, at a distance of 50–55 cm from the floor;
on the installation of an exhaust hole on the opposite wall at the bottom of the wall (25-30 cm from the floor);
about installing an exhaust fan.

Without forced draft, this ventilation scheme will be ineffective.

Air, penetrating into the steam room, collides with the stove. As it warms up, it rises. The operation of the fan creates artificial draft, which removes mixed streams of cold and hot air.

You can do without mechanical devices only by placing the exhaust hole at the top of the wall. But, such a scheme will bring the desired effect only when creating technological gaps in the floor. Passing through them, air currents save the wooden floor from condensation. That is, they extend the life of building materials by several slots.

Ventilation with supply and exhaust openings on the same wall

An easy way to ensure high-quality ventilation in the bath is to make ventilation windows on one wall. An important condition: they are installed opposite the furnace. Requirements for this type of ventilation:

the supply window is mounted at a distance of 30 cm from the floor;
exhaust window - 30 cm from the ceiling;
there should be no obstacles on the way between the supply window and the stove.

The work is simple: air, penetrating into the steam room, is attracted to the stove. It heats up and rises, where it is removed by the exhaust hole. For the best effect, the system is made forced (a fan is installed in the exhaust window).

The scheme with ventilation elements on one wall has drawbacks, the main one being a draft. Fresh air, penetrating into the steam room, goes to the stove. During bath procedures, this flow can be harmful. This version of the ventilation system is only suitable for spacious baths.

Schematic without exhaust port

In small baths, the most common option for creating high-quality microclimatic conditions is ventilation with one supply window. The role of the hood in such a system is performed by the chimney of the furnace. This ventilation option works like this:

Fresh air flows that have entered the room are attracted to the walls of the furnace.
As it heats up, the air rises.
When it cools down, it falls and is discharged into the chimney.

The main feature is the possibility of operation only during the operation of the stove (taking bath procedures). At other times it is ineffective.

The fan can only be installed in the supply window. Cold air is attracted to the walls of the furnace along the bottom of the room, which brings discomfort to visitors to the bath.

Many novice developers very often ask the question: Do I need ventilation in the bath? Why let cold air inside, if so much effort and materials went into its insulation? On the one hand, this is a paradox, and on the other, a necessity, and in order to understand this issue, you need to weigh all the pros and cons (if any) of installing ventilation in the steam room.

What threatens the lack of ventilation in the bath

In ancient times, when they knew absolutely nothing about ventilation, baths in Russia, like houses, were made without ventilation holes. But there is an explanation for this. Logs were used as building material. The lower crown of the logs was made free, which allowed fresh air to enter through the cracks in the log house. The temperature in the steam room was regulated by opening the front door. Here you have the simplest, but no less effective ventilation of the bath, which was used by our ancestors.

In modern construction, completely different materials are used, and the approach to the construction of buildings is somewhat different. But if, during the construction of the bath, you do not think about laying the ventilation system, then the consequences of this will not keep you waiting, namely:

Rapid wear of materials that were used for cladding and insulation of the bath. Without proper ventilation of the bath, after several years of operation, the owner will have to change not only the lining, but also the floor, and, quite possibly, the insulation. Temperature fluctuations and moisture, which is an inevitable companion of a steam room, are a destructive force that destroys materials in 3-5 years.
The appearance of an unpleasant odor. This will inevitably happen in an unventilated steam room, as dampness and heat are the perfect microclimate for mold and mildew to grow. It is almost impossible to get rid of the smell of mold and mustiness in such a room, since it is strictly forbidden to use chemicals in the bath. This is not only harmful, but deadly.
Poisoned air in the steam room. First of all, without proper air exchange, the level of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide can rise sharply in the steam room. Probably, there is no need to tell anyone what will happen to a person with an increase in the concentration of carbon monoxide by at least 0.1%. In addition, the high temperature of the air in the steam room, which is filled with evaporated sweat from your body. Well, in general, there can be no question of any healing effect in such an atmosphere.

The above arguments are enough to understand the axiom: ventilation in the steam room of the bath is not just necessary, but vital.

What should be the ventilation in the bath

As a rule, the ventilation of the steam room is limited to two or three ventilation openings of the required section. One supply, and the rest for the removal of "exhaust" air. It should be borne in mind that for a comfortable state of health, the air circulation in such a room should be at least 5 times. This means that the entire volume of air in the steam room must change five times in 1 hour. There are several nuances that are required for the installation of any ventilation scheme.

You need to think about the location and size of the ventilation holes in the bath at the stage of its construction, since it will be very difficult to make holes in the finished steam room.
The dimensions of the supply and exhaust vents must match. In some cases, the dimensions of the hood may be larger than the inflow.
Ventilation openings must be equipped with valves. This will allow you to regulate the intensity of air circulation, and when heating the steam room, they can be completely closed to raise the temperature more quickly.
A very important parameter is the cross section of the ventilation vents. It is important to know that their cross section depends entirely on the volume of the steam room. There should be 24 cm2 of ventilation per 1 m3 of volume.

The device of the ventilation system in the bath room

We have already talked a lot about what kind of ventilation is. For a bath, the same laws apply, and ventilation in it can be:

Natural. With this type of ventilation, the circulation of air masses is created due to the difference in temperature and pressure between the air flow and the hood. Good circulation of air flows can be achieved only by the correct installation of ventilation openings: the inflow is at the bottom, and the exhaust is at the top of the room. As you know from school courses in physics, hot air rises and cold air goes down, so such a ventilation device in the bath will not be very convenient in terms of warming it up.
Combined. This method of ventilation assumes the presence of one opening of natural ventilation and one vent, with a fan installed in it. The inflow will be mechanized or exhaust - it all depends on the scheme you have chosen.
Mechanical. Such a ventilation system independently controls the flow of air masses and their exhaust, temperature and humidity, using automation. From the point of view of comfort, it is in the first place, but prices - in baths, such a system is practically not used due to the complexity of installation, and the high cost of equipment, design and maintenance.

Examples of ready-made ventilation schemes

There are several working ventilation schemes in the bath, which provide good air circulation, despite the fact that the steam room does not get cold.

The air inlet should be located at floor level, behind the stove, and the exhaust holes should be near the ceiling, but on the opposite wall from the inflow. Thanks to this arrangement, the incoming, colder air will enter the steam room and immediately be heated by the heater. After that, it rises to the ceiling, goes around it and lowers a little to exit into the exhaust vent.
If your stove works constantly during bathing procedures, you can use this option, where the inlet is located 30 cm from the floor, on the opposite side of the stove, and the blower and chimney will play the role of an exhaust hood.
If your bath has ventilated floors, then you can make an inflow behind the stove, at a height of 20-30 cm from the floor. Cold air will enter the steam room, be heated by the stove and rise up. Colder masses will sink, pass through the ventilation in the floor and be discharged outside the room.

And here are several options for the location of the inflow and exhaust using an exhaust fan.

The air inlet is located 30 cm from the floor - behind the stove, and the hood is located on the opposite wall 20 cm from the floor. One caveat: a fan is installed in the hood, which will create air circulation.
The inlet and outlet vents are located on the same wall, but only one is at the top and the other is at the bottom. The supply air, located 30 cm from the floor, is equipped with an exhaust fan of a given power.
The inflow is installed behind the stove, at a height of 30 cm from the floor and is equipped with a fan. An exhaust hole is made on the opposite wall 20 cm from the floor. The blown air is heated by the stove and heats the entire steam room evenly. After that, it, cooling down, goes down, where it exits through the hood.

Important!
To calculate the fan power, you need to multiply the volume of the steam room by the air circulation rate. Example: Steam room 2 m by 3 m. Its area is 6 m2. Ceiling height 2 m. Total: 6 x 2 = 12 m3. Now we multiply 12 m3 by the recommended air circulation rate of 5 and get 60 m3 / h fan performance for our steam room.

The most common mistakes in arranging ventilation in the bath

One of the most common mistakes of those who decide to do the ventilation of the bath with their own hands is the location of the inflow and exhaust vents on the same level. From such an arrangement, except for a draft, there will be no sense. If you used this arrangement of ventilation holes, then the inflow should be done behind the stove and equipped with a fan, and the exit, at the same level, but on the opposite wall.

Another mistake of novice builders is that many try to seal the bathhouse as much as possible from air entering it, make small windows and forget about arranging floor ventilation. Yes, such a steam room will be heated very quickly, but it will be impossible to take wellness treatments in it.

In fact, there are many shortcomings, and it is simply impossible to count them all, but by following certain rules, you can build a dream bath with your own hands, without additional costs for correcting mistakes.