Mold on the slopes, stuffiness and "crying" windows are the consequences of the tightness of modern plastic windows. Problems are solved by installing a supply ventilation valve for plastic windows.
Ventilation supply valves for PVC windows are mounted on the upper part of the window sash, creating an air supply to the room. The special design of ventilated windows prevents the noise from the street, providing peace and quiet without creating drafts. Existing vent valve designs are suitable for aluminum windows, plastic and wood.
Having some skills and using our instructions, you can organize the supply ventilation of plastic windows with your own hands.
How the supply valve works
It is only possible to properly equip window supply ventilation by understanding the mechanism of its operation. This is especially important, since to install the most common valve design, it will be necessary to cut a hole 1 cm wide and about 30 cm long in the window. At the end of the work, it is closed by the valve body. It will not be possible to remove the valve, so as not to open the ventilation slot on the window profile.
The inlet valve for PVC windows is part of the passive ventilation. Cold air is sucked into the room and pushes warmer air into the exhaust ventilation ducts. The movement is provided due to the pressure difference, so natural ventilation works when the outside air temperature is less than +5 degrees. In summer, passive ventilation will only work with forced draft.
Thus, for the operation of the supply valve, the following conditions are necessary:
- Exhaust natural ventilation must be in good working order in the apartment. To check its work, you should close the door to the apartment, open the window in the room as far as possible from the ventilation duct and attach a piece of paper to the grate. If he holds on, the hood is fine. Even when the hood pulls poorly, the valve will slightly improve the air condition in the apartment, but its efficiency will be low;
- The air temperature outside is less than +5 degrees;
- There should be free air exchange between the rooms in the apartment. That is, the doors are open or there are 2 cm wide gaps under them. You can make ventilation holes in the lower part of the doors with a total area of 130 sq. see for bathroom doors and 200 sq. see for the kitchen;
- To prevent air leaks from the entrance, the front door should be sealed as much as possible.
Many owners are afraid of freezing of the ventilation inlet valve for PVC windows. Indeed, if the supply ventilation valve is adjusted incorrectly, the phenomenon is possible. This is evidenced by numerous reviews of the owners of plastic windows. In severe frosts, the valve must not be closed completely.
Then it will be warmed up by warm air from the room and the icing of the plastic window with ventilation is excluded.
If the ventilation valve needs to be closed completely, the air supply gap is sealed from the outside. The slit closes very carefully, ensuring complete impermeability.
But the increase in noise in the apartment after installing the supply ventilation valve on the plastic window should not be scared.The slot for the air supply is very small, so the sound insulation will decrease slightly, which is confirmed by the reviews on the supply ventilation valves for plastic windows.
Supply valve efficiency
This question certainly arises for every apartment owner with metal-plastic windows without ventilation. To avoid wasting money, check the expected performance before purchasing the valve.
Remove the seal from the top of the sash. No need to cut it, just leave it hanging. To reduce the flow of air, slide a piece of the elastic back into place. Leave the window in this state for a few days. Pay attention to the following parameters:
- room temperature;
- the presence of condensation on the glass;
- whether there is street noise;
- is there a draft.
After the experiment, the seal is inserted into place.
By the way, the air temperature in the room after installing the supply ventilation valve for plastic windows will be lower. After all, cold outside air enters the room. If the apartment has excellent heating, the owners will not even notice the difference of 2-3 degrees. Otherwise, you will have to abandon the installation of a ventilation valve for a plastic window and think about purchasing a supply unit with air heating.
The need for supply valves on plastic windows
There are owners who prefer warmth to fresh air. And they are wrong. In America and Europe, using plastic windows for 30 years, there is the term "unhealthy building syndrome". It refers specifically to sealed buildings with poor air exchange. Being in such rooms is harmful to humans. According to the WHO, diseases caused by poor indoor air quality kill 5,000 people every day. It is the internal air, not the polluted street air! In America, up to 30 thousand people a year die from diseases caused by an increase in the concentration of radon in apartments. Gas is released from the ground, building materials and accumulates in houses that are not equipped with plastic windows with ventilation. Radon is completely invisible without special devices.
Air conditioning does not replace the ventilation of plastic windows!
Supply window handle
The ventilation valve for plastic windows is installed instead of the standard handle. Many PVC window owners do not want to install ventilation inlet valves that protrude beyond the sash. For them, a convenient solution has been created that allows you to ventilate the room without disturbing the appearance.
Advantages of window ventilation in the form of a handle valve:
- The ventilation valve is located in the place where condensation usually appears on the plastic window. The valve creates a natural air movement, especially important in the cold season;
- The combination of a handle valve and an exhaust ventilation system creates a healthy indoor climate, removes excess moisture;
- The supply ventilation valve in the form of a handle for plastic windows is a direct-flow design. According to the laws of physics, penetrating into a warm room, cold air does not create condensation. That is, the valve will not freeze in winter;
- The valve is equipped with an air filter that keeps dust out of the room. The filter is changed every six months.
There are still few reviews on the handle-shaped supply ventilation valve, because this is a novelty. But the principle of its operation is similar to the well-proven ventilation devices for metal-plastic windows. This design is also suitable as a ventilation valve for aluminum windows.
It is not difficult to install a valve for ventilation of a plastic window with your own hands. The kit includes detailed instructions and a diagram of the location of the holes in the air chambers of the window sash. All fasteners are included.
Do-it-yourself installation of a supply valve on a window
You can install the supply ventilation valve on the plastic window yourself. An experienced home craftsman will spend no more than an hour on this.
You will need the following tools:
- ruler;
- screwdriver or screwdriver;
- sharp knife;
- valve.
The do-it-yourself supply valve for plastic windows is installed on the flap of the window. First, you need to make a mark in the middle of the upper part of the sash using a ruler. The order of work depends on the valve design. So in some cases, for equipping a window with ventilation, you only need to replace the seal section with the one included in the kit. For other models, you will have to make a gap in the profile. When choosing a ventilation valve for aluminum windows, it is preferable to stay on the first option, since it is difficult to cut the supply slot neatly at home.
Manufacturing firms usually supply their devices with detailed instructions that allow you to equip the ventilation of a plastic window with your own hands.
Step-by-step instructions on how to install the supply valve for window ventilation in the video:
