Types of House Underfloor Ventilation

There are two types of underfloor ventilation of the house floor: natural and forced ventilation.

Natural ventilation of the floor in a wooden house is the cheapest method. It is equipped with perfume. If the house is built on a hill, most of the time it is quite enough. However, how do I ventilate the underfloor of a house located in a lowland area? There are spigots on the windward side of the house.

Forced ventilation in the underground of a private house is provided by the installation of several fans.

Ventilation Requirements for the Underfloor of the House

As a rule, when erecting houses on a strip foundation, the diameter of the vents is too small, so quality ventilation in the sub-floor of a private house does not work.

Ventilation Under the Floor of a Private House

Thus, to ensure ventilation in the sub-floor of the house of 100 square meters, it is necessary to make twenty-five vents of round shape with a diameter of 10 cm each. Most often, the owners are satisfied with only 5 - 7 holes, so before making ventilation of the floor, you should calculate the area of the vents.

According to the requirements of the Building Regulations for Residential Buildings in technical and non-ventilated underfloor basements, air vents should be made at 1\400 from the floor area.

Distribute the holes evenly around the building perimeter. The area of each hole from 50 square centimeters. If the area is unsuccessful in terms of radon levels in the soil, the area of all vents should be 1\100 from the area of the room. According to international construction standards, the area of the openings for ventilation of the house floor must be calculated on the basis of 90 square centimetres by 14 square metres of foundation area. From the corner of the foundation to the vents should be no more than 90 centimetres, otherwise the underfloor will have impenetrable corners.

What Are These Perfumes and What Are Their Features

Perspiration is the ventilation ducts that cut through the base of the house. They provide ventilation for the entire house. But their creation must be approached with all responsibility, because they mainly affect the life of the house.


When cutting holes in the base, the following features must be taken into account:

  • It is the location of the hole that determines the ventilation efficiency. The most suitable option for a wooden house is through-view holes;
  • The size parameters of the holes influence the air level in the room;
  • The size of the air vents directly depends on the size of the base area;
  • It is necessary to remember - the area of holes to the field area have a ratio of 1:400. This means if the base area is 200 square meters.

Underfloor ventilation in a house made of wood - simple and effectivemeters, the size of the diameter of the vents will be 0.5 square meters;

  • Once the holes in the foundation have been cut, they can be covered with protective grilles. This will protect against penetration by rodents and other pests;
  • In wintertime, the vents can be closed with a special shut-off valve. The vents can be covered with foam or a rag.

Why Do You Need Perfume?

The perfume in the foundation of a wooden house is a necessary element in the entire structure. At the expense of them duration of operation of a design is increased by 7-8 years. This is due to the fact that the holes provide ventilation in the underground and basement space.


If there is no ventilation in the house, it will accumulate excess moisture, which will have a devastating impact on the foundation.
If the humidity is high, fungus and mould will form in the wooden structures, which will gradually destroy the foundation.


In addition, if there is no air, radon will accumulate in the underground space, a radioactive substance that has a harmful effect on health.


And if ventilation is made in the foundation, the house will not have these problems. Therefore, the presence of perfume in the foundation is a must when building houses made of wood.
How to make the perfume right?

The rules for making perfume:

  • Arrangement of the perfume should be planned at the initial stage of foundation construction;
  • Holes must be cut 30 cm from the ground, but not less. Otherwise, in springtime water will flow through them;
  • The size of the diameter of the vents depends on the perimeter of the house. It should be between 5 and 10 cm. Remember, the larger the foundation area, the larger the size of the vents;
  • Holes should be made in parallel walls. They should definitely be cut in front of each other;
  • The pitch of the vents in the formwork must be between 2.5 and 3 metres;
  • If the main perimeter has lintels, they must also have vents.

Tools and Materials Required For Making the Perfume

Special tools and materials should be used during the organization of ventilation. Their choice can be influenced by the material from which the formwork is made.
In order to organize ventilation and make it at the highest level, the following tools will be needed:

  • Sledgehammer;
  • A hammer;
  • A metal work drill with a length of 12-14 mm;
  • Wood drill, the size of its length must be slightly larger than the width of the base of the house;
  • Straight and semicircular shape;
  • Pipe with diameters from 110 to 130 mm;
  • Grilles for protection against rodents and pests;
  • Sand.

These tools and materials will help make holes in the foundation even when the construction is complete. 

When You Can Do Without The Perfume

According to international building standards, the ventilation of the floor of a wooden house may not be done specifically, if:

The soil in the underfloor is covered with a vapour-proof material, which is laid overlapping (15 cm) and its edges are glued;

There is ventilation in the sub-floor, which provides 500 ml. per second for 5 meters of basement area, and the foundation is insulated;

The underfloor is connected to the upper rooms and is used as a storage area.

Recommendations for the Production of Vents

It is not desirable to use a wooden bar for the manufacture of vents. Sometimes bars with dimensions 10x10 cm are installed along the whole length of the foundation in order to extract them later.


However, during the hardening of concrete bars intentionally stick to it, and they become very difficult to pull out of there.If you have no other choice, then you will have to work hard.


But to facilitate the whole process, the right tools and material must be used. After the concrete has completely dried, it will be possible to start making vents.


Manufacturing Recommendations:

  • Use the metal drill to drill the bar on both sides. The hole should be made in the central part;
  • Next, use the wood drill bit to cut through the holes. It is desirable that their dimensions should not exceed 25 mm;
  • With a semicircular chisel, expand the holes to either of the four sides;
  • Then chisel the hardened sides and the two corners with a straight chisel;
  • With a sledgehammer we beat off the remains of the bar. But still this method is very difficult, so you can apply a lighter method.

Also suitable pipes made of plastic or asbestos cement. But before filling them with cement, they need to be covered with sand. This will keep them strong, and they will not burst during operation.


Do we have to close the vents for the winter?That's an important question, because many people don't know if the vents need to be closed in the winter. Since this is ventilation and should be used all year round, it is not recommended to close the vents in the winter.
If you want your floor to be warm, you should insulate it beforehand.


If you have not had time to insulate your floor for any reason and are going to do it later, you can only close some of the vents located opposite each other on opposite sides of the foundation.
You can use foam or rags to close the vents.

Ventilation Is a Must for Every House

Therefore, when building, take this into account and make sure you make sure to make vents in the foundation. They will make your home last much longer.


Be sure to follow all recommendations and manufacturing rules when cutting holes. Remember that the ventilation openings in the base will permanently rid your home of moisture and mold.
Underfloors in private homes can be severely trapped in the walls, but more often than not they are made "floating". This means that the perimeter of the house is tied together in a solid structure, and the floors are built on their own foundation of posts and/or intermediate walls. Even if they are supported by grilles, they are not fixed rigidly, precisely because it is necessary to arrange ventilation of the underground space, including through the gaps between the floor and the wall, hiding behind the skirting boards. 

Conclusion

Ventilation of the foundation will protect your basement from premature damage caused by decomposition of building materials impregnated with condensed water vapors. After all, it is in the condensate that those colonies of aggressive microflora (mold, fungus, etc.) "live", which, sooner or later, will destroy the entire basement structure.

That is why it is customary to arrange ventilation openings - perfume - in the body of each base, except, perhaps, for the plate variant of the foundation.