Air vents in the foundation: why are they needed

  • Apr 06, 2021

Good afternoon, my reader. When erecting a foundation, special holes must be located in it, which serve as ventilation in the underground space. If there are no such vents, then hazardous gas accumulates in the basement of the building and excessive humidity is formed.

 Air vents in the foundation. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com
Air vents in the foundation. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com
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Why do you need to equip vents

When building a house on his own, the owner asks the question whether ventilation holes in the foundation are really necessary, and what is their task.

Air vents are the main structural element in the foundation ventilation system, their installation prolongs the operational terms of the building, helps to create a rather pleasant microclimate, besides, it protects households from diseases. Air is considered a necessary building component when building a foundation in a wooden house.

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When the air temperature rises from the ground into the underground space, moisture evaporates, in such cases, even good high-quality waterproofing will not be able to protect wooden structures from impact water vapor. Steam emissions settle on all elements of the building, while moistening them, which leads to rapid deterioration of the entire structure.

With the help of vents, the underground space is ventilated, which prevents the deposition of evaporated moisture on the main structures. Also, the ventilation holes contain the appearance of fungal infections that cause the appearance of rot in floor slabs, which reduces the strength of structures and significantly reduces durability houses.

Is there any alternative to vents

When using modern vapor barrier materials, it is possible to abandon the device of air vents in the foundation, which leads to a significant reduction in heat loss in the building during the winter.

The refusal to arrange ventilation holes in the foundation requires the creation of ventilation by operating the main hood. To organize such a system, it is necessary to get acquainted with the basics of thermodynamics and heat engineering, as well as with the installation of ventilation systems. When using a central hood for ventilation of the subfloor, excess dampness is eliminated, but it cannot be used to release poisonous gases.

Ventilation. Illustration for this article is used under a standard license © ofazende.com
Arrangement of vents is not required if the subfloor is occupied by a concrete slab laid on the sand. Air vents are not needed if a heated subfloor is constructed.

If the vapor barrier of the ground located in the underground room is made in accordance with all the rules and does not allow gases or moisture, then the holes are not needed.

Do I need to close the ventilation holes in the fall?

The main function of the holes in the foundation is the natural ventilation of the basement of the building. In the cold season, the need for ventilation remains. This is due to the fact that even in autumn and winter, gas and moisture are released from the soil.

So before you cover the vents, weigh the pros and cons. It will be better if the ventilation remains open, but take care of additional insulation of the floor covering of the first floor.

If, nevertheless, you decide to cover the vents, follow some tips:

  1. Leave some vents located opposite each other open.
  2. Equip the holes with dampers to protect the underground space from snow sweeping.
  3. The vents can be covered with improvised means: bricks, small pieces of insulation material.
Experts advise using mineral wool or expanded polystyrene to temporarily close the holes.

Pay special attention when preparing for the winter period to protect the foundation from harmful rodents. To do this, fit into the holes a fine grid with cells no larger than 5 mm. You can do it yourself using a wire. Ready-made nets are sold in specialized stores.

Do you know why you need an outlet in the foundation of a house?

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