Maintenance of ventilation systems: do it yourself or entrust it to professionals?

Ventilation plays one of the most important roles in creating a good microclimate in the home and directly affects the quality and cleanliness of the air. But for the ventilation system to operate properly, it requires mandatory maintenance, in compliance with all planned technical measures, the implementation of which is aimed at supporting its optimal operation. Maintenance of ventilation systems includes work to prevent possible emergency situations.

What is included in routine maintenance

All activities are strictly regulated and must take place at least once every 6 months. Such work includes:

• Inspection of the ventilation system, which includes checking the condition of air ducts, lines, operation and serviceability of all units.
• In case of detection of malfunctions, they are repaired or work is carried out to completely replace them.
• Carrying out cleaning activities for air ducts and air intakes.
• Cleaning or replacing filter elements.
• Cleaning of dirt, dust and grease deposits, and, if necessary, disinfection of the ventilation system.

Maintenance of ventilation systems

But many companies that have the right to service ventilation systems provide ventilation service, performed on the basis of an agreement between the service company and the consumer of the services. Service companies that service ventilation usually offer additional services, namely:

• Measuring air pressure and temperature in the ventilation system.
• Checking the operation and technical condition of electrical wiring and automation systems.
• Measurement of operating and starting current in electrical equipment.
• Inspecting the condition, cleaning, and, if necessary, carrying out work on balancing the fans.
• They check and debug the operation of the air cooler and air heater valves.
• Video diagnostics of the ventilation system.

What can a lack of maintenance lead to?

Lack of maintenance of ventilation in the home leads to sad consequences:

• This is a poor removal of combustion products in the kitchen, and as a result - the accumulation of carbon monoxide in the air.
• Poor ventilation in the bathroom makes it difficult to remove moisture from the air, thereby facilitating the development of mold and mildew.
• “will help” you to fully feel like you are in a public latrine, due to the fact that all the odors from the bathrooms of neighboring apartments will now come from your ventilation grille.

But if this happens, it does not mean at all that you can get rid of the blockage in the ventilation system on your own.

Important!
It is strictly prohibited to clean the ventilation shaft and air ducts yourself, as this relates to common property! If there is no draft, first of all, you need to contact the management company or the company that services the ventilation system of your home.

But some work can and even should be done independently.

Self-maintenance of the ventilation system

Do-it-yourself ventilation maintenance work comes down to periodic cleaning of the ventilation grilles located inside your home and the ventilation duct that leads to the common house shaft.

To carry out this work, you will first need to make sure that ventilation is poor or completely absent. Bring a lit lighter to the grate: if the flame leans to its side, it means there is ventilation; if it deviates from the grate or the flame of the lighter burns strictly vertically, then the ventilation grate is dirty or the shaft is clogged. What to do in these cases.

1. Remove the ventilation grille. To do this, you will need a shaped screwdriver, which you need to unscrew the screws securing the ventilation grille, and a small dustpan. This is the only vent cleaning equipment you will need.
2. If it gets dirty and has fatty deposits on it, it needs to be washed. Regular dishwashing detergent, which dissolves grease, works well for this. If you can’t wash it, it’s better to replace it with a new one.
3. Wear protective gloves and use a small scoop to try to remove any accumulated debris you find in the channel. If you can't find a small dustpan, use a spatula, but never use your hands to scoop out the debris. It may contain: nails, glass, dead birds and mice.
4. If there is small debris left in the channel, you can use a vacuum cleaner.
5. The last step will be to install the ventilation grille in its original place and check the operation of the ventilation with the window or door open.

Important!
The first sign of decreased draft in a mine is the formation of cobwebs near the ventilation grille. Never use fire to remove it, as this can lead to a serious fire, and draft will only increase the possibility of a fire.

Sometimes this procedure helps, but if positive changes have not occurred, then you need to contact the management company for diagnosis and cleaning.

Why do most people prefer professional service?

Maintenance involves the periodic performance of a certain type of work, for which a remuneration is due. Some consider this a waste of their hard-earned money, but in vain, because ventilation systems require professional care. Based on a mutually beneficial agreement, service companies not only clean air duct shafts using the most modern specialized equipment, but also disinfect air ducts, which is simply impossible to do on your own. This must be done for several reasons.

1. In the deposits settling on the walls of ventilation shafts and air ducts, a huge number of microorganisms and bacteria accumulate, which are the causative agents of quite dangerous diseases. Professional cleaning of ventilation equipment followed by disinfection effectively protects people in the premises from the negative effects of microbes, fungal spores and mold on the human body and pets.
2. Timely cleaning of the ventilation system prevents its sudden fire.
3. High-quality disinfection of ventilation ducts creates the appropriate sanitary conditions required by law and various regulatory documents for each room in the building.

Equipment and materials used for cleaning and disinfection

These activities can be carried out either without disassembly or with partial disassembly of the air ducts, using special innovative equipment for cleaning ventilation. As a rule, highly efficient brushing machines and certified disinfectants that are safe for human health are used for this purpose. As evidence of the quality and scope of the work performed, most companies providing maintenance services for ventilation systems provide video recordings before and after cleaning.

Based on the above, we can conclude that servicing the ventilation of your building will ensure a healthy microclimate in each of its rooms, which is impossible to do with independent maintenance.