Odor from ventilation in the toilet: how to eliminate the causes?

Waffle iron Maunfeld MF-1434R, red

2490 ₽ More details

Waffle iron Maunfeld MF-1434R, red

2300 ₽ More details

Hobs Maunfeld

No one needs to be reminded that having proper ventilation in the toilet room is a very important point.

If an unpleasant odor begins to appear in the toilet, then the ventilation system is faulty or not working well.

In the event of a malfunction, after a certain time an unpleasant smell from the ventilation may appear in the toilet, and only then the question will arise of how to get rid of it.

How is proper ventilation arranged?

Proper ventilation system in the toilet.

When installing an exhaust system in a bathroom, you should know that the presence or absence of an unpleasant odor from the ventilation, as well as the formation of mold, directly depends on the correct installation.

When equipping your toilet with ventilation, you should take care of the system of supply and exhaust ducts. The use of forced ventilation, which comes with a fan, has become very popular.

For maximum ventilation performance, the exhaust and supply ducts must be located opposite each other. It is best to place the hole for extracting the smell opposite the door, under the ceiling surface itself, or on it, but observing the requirement of the opposite. If the hood is mounted above the entrance, then this threatens a stupor of moist air, which will cause the spread of mold, and this, in turn, leads to the appearance of an unpleasant odor.

How to check if the ventilation system in the toilet is working?

First of all, it is worth checking whether the problem really lies in the improper operation of the ventilation in the toilet; To do this, you can invite specialists to your home who can easily test the system for serviceability using professional equipment.

But there are more accessible and quicker ways to check the effectiveness of ventilation in the toilet, which you can use yourself:

You can bring a lit candle, match or lighter to the ventilation grille. If the system is working properly, the flame will tilt towards the grille, that is, the ventilation draws in air from the room. If, on the contrary, air flows from the ventilation into the toilet, the flame will deviate away from the grille.
You can also check the draft using a piece of paper attached to the grille. Provided the ventilation is working properly, it will stick to the surface of the grille and stick to it on its own. If there is no traction, this effect will not work and the leaf will fall.

In order for these tests to show the correct result, before they are carried out, it is necessary to close the door to the toilet and open the window, if there is one.

Causes of ventilation malfunction

Ventilation stops working if the flow of fresh air is lost. This can be caused by two reasons:

New doors have been installed in the toilet room, which close very tightly, which is why there is no access to air masses.
The apartment was “sealed” by installing metal-plastic doors, insulating the walls and replacing the front door with a metal model.

How can you solve the issue of ventilation? There are several ways to do this:

Installation diagram of a toilet door with a ventilation gap.

In order for there to be natural air movement, there must be a gap of 2 cm under the door. Or the door itself is equipped with door valves. In the case of a separate bathroom, the toilet and bathtub have a common ventilation duct, so you can leave the door to the bathroom open.
It is possible to install wall or window valves, and it is recommended to install the former above radiators, in this way air heating can be achieved.
In old houses, toilets were often equipped with small windows under the ceiling, which had the function of additional ventilation.

The fan plays the role of a supercharger. To choose it correctly, you need to know the cubic dimensions of the bathroom. When buying a fan, you need to find out its performance parameters from the seller. A specialist will always help you choose the right model.

In addition to the power rating, the fan should be easy to use. Since the toilet is visited quite often, especially when there are many people in the family, it should not create too much noise (no more than 40 dB).

The convenience of control is that it can be easily turned on and off. You can install models that are turned on using an ordinary switch. It can be general (that is, the light turns on in the toilet), then the device automatically starts working, or it can be a separate key. Accordingly, each individual case will require its own wiring.

And if you install a hydrostat or motion sensor in the bathroom, the ventilation system will turn on automatically, which is quite convenient. The entire device can be connected to the remote control, which, of course, will be more expensive, but it is also very comfortable. But ventilation systems with cords can be considered an economical option.

What causes unpleasant odor from ventilation?

The main reason for the lack of draft in the ventilation system is the lack of fresh air flow into the room. This may happen because:

The doors in the toilet were too tight and no air was allowed into the room.
The apartment is rarely ventilated, and the metal entrance and metal-plastic interior doors do not let air flow through.
The neighbors from the apartment below installed a very powerful fan in the ventilation.
The ventilation duct is clogged, resulting in poor air flow.

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These are the reasons that occur most often. Only a specialist will help you identify the problem and suggest a competent solution, because often the cause of the smell is unclear at first glance - the problem can even arise due to improper use of the system by neighbors.

Troubleshooting using a fan

The centrifugal axial fan has high power and operates silently.

To prevent foreign odors from appearing in the toilet, you need to know which fan to install there. Moreover, due to the presence of sewerage, this moment of occurrence is quite sensitive. Superchargers can be centrifugal-axial, simply centrifugal and axial, diametrical.

Experts note on the positive side mainly axial and centrifugal-axial models. Just for the bathroom, they have a suitable level of efficiency, without creating a lot of noise. But you should know that the second type has higher power and is applicable when the length of the ventilation pipe is at least 3 m.

In fact, power is a very important component. If you purchase a fan that is too powerful for a small toilet, it will contribute to a thin atmosphere, which is not very beneficial for human health.

There are also two mounting methods: to the ceiling and to the wall. There are also two installation methods: radial and channel. Today, some models have a check valve that prevents unwanted odors from entering from other rooms.

Correctness and nuances of installation

There is a certain algorithm that it is advisable to follow when installing a ventilation system to effectively eliminate odors:

Options for ventilation in the toilet.

Decide on the installation location.

As mentioned above, it is very important to choose the right location. In case of error, it can be corrected using round and rectangular pipes. There is no need to worry about the form, since this does not change anything.

Preparatory work stage.

At this stage, they are engaged in marking the ventilation hole and organizing the wiring (if mechanical ventilation is installed). Here you may encounter a problem that the dimensions of the fan do not exactly match the exhaust vent. Then it can be fixed using a small piece of pipe with the diameter required for the fan. Then he will sit securely in the “nest”.

To prevent the wires from sticking out in plain sight, it is, of course, better to do the wiring directly during the repair. Thus, it is possible to hide them. Although on the modern construction market there are special plastic panels that serve just to keep wires out of sight.

Direct fastening of the equipment itself.

Experts pay attention to such a moment as cleaning the air duct.

If it turns out to be clogged, then even the most powerful fan will only function halfway, since there will be no proper odor extraction.

How to recognize improper ventilation operation

According to the standards, in an apartment building, each room must be equipped with a ventilation shaft - this is a special structure for sucking and exhausting air from the premises.

Inoperative ventilation can be recognized by the following signs:

there is no flow of fresh air into the apartment;
smells from neighbors are felt;
mold forms;
laundry does not dry.

You can understand that the ventilation is not working or is working partially if the windows in the apartment constantly fog up.
To check the ventilation for functionality using a small (10x10 cm) piece of toilet paper, you need to slightly open the window in one of the rooms and bring the prepared piece of paper to the ventilation grille. Several options are possible:

The leaf is attracted - the ventilation is working properly.
The leaf is not fixed on the grille or falls - the ventilation does not cope with its task.
The leaf deviates - the ventilation does not work, and due to the reverse draft you breathe in an unpleasant odor from your neighbors.

An anemometer is a device that shows the speed of air movement in ventilation. The obtained values are compared with the table, and the figure indicates the volume of air passing through the ventilation of an apartment building per hour.

Fan Installation Tips

To secure the fan into the hole, the device must be coated with glue.

After the toilet room is prepared, you can install the device itself. This is so easy to do that the process will not take more than 15 minutes.

Required tools:

construction adhesive;
screwdriver.

The very first thing to do is remove the cover from the fan. After this, the place where the supercharger will be attached is treated with an adhesive solution. Next, take the device, which is installed in the appropriate place and kept under pressure for about five minutes. After the device is secured, it is connected to the electrical network. A special mosquito net is mounted on top, which will prevent unwanted guests from entering the room. All you need is a screwdriver and screws that are attached to the wall.

If the ventilation installation was carried out correctly, then you can forget about such problems as the presence of foreign odors and the appearance of mold.

How to fix ventilation problems?

The functionality of the ventilation system can be checked using a lit match.

Before qualifying the type of failure, it is advisable to check the ventilation system itself. Specialists usually solve this problem with the help of specialized equipment, although ordinary people do not need to spend money on it. An alternative is to use a lit match or candle.

To carry out such a check, you need to provide the necessary conditions: the door to the toilet is opened slightly (to create air draft) and the window is opened (this provides an influx of fresh air). Next, the selected source of fire is brought under the ventilation: you need to observe the flame. Accordingly, if the fire remains calm, then there are clearly some problems with the ventilation, and if the flame stretches towards the hood, then everything is in order. In the event of a malfunction, certain corrective measures must be taken.

The first method you can use is cleaning the ventilation ducts. After this, a second check is carried out using the above method. If nothing worked with the fix, then it’s time to think about forced ventilation, that is, a device with a fan.

You can also double-check yourself and do another test. Instead of everything opening, all doors and windows, on the contrary, close. Then manipulations with fire are carried out. If it remains motionless, then this is a problem with the flow of fresh air. Solving problems with inflow is very important, since the presence of foreign odors in the toilet directly depends on this.

There are a few tricks that can help solve this problem:

The simplest method for removing odor from a toilet is ventilation.

The presence of wooden windows in the premises, as they have cracks through which fresh air passes. Accordingly, the smell also partially goes away.
If everything in the house is sealed, it is recommended to install special valves on the walls and doors.
The most primitive way is ventilation. Also helps eliminate odor.

One of the above methods will help organize the influx of fresh air masses, but they must also enter the toilet.

To do this you need to do the following:

To avoid unnecessary effort, you can leave the doors open or ajar.
As noted above, you need a gap of 20 mm between the door leaf and the floor.
You can install special valves on the bathroom doors to allow air and unnecessary odors to pass through.

Of course, working with the ventilation system in a private house is much easier than in an apartment. In the first case, there is always free access to all channels, which allows you to eliminate any blockage. In addition, in this version, the ventilation system can be provided not only by a fan: it is also helped by natural wind, pressure, and ambient temperature.

How to solve the problem of unpleasant odor from the ventilation in the toilet?

After determining the cause of the problem, you can begin to solve it. Naturally, further actions will depend on whether you can cope with the smell yourself. For example, in case of serious contamination of the ventilation shaft, you will still have to contact specialists, since it will not be possible to clean it yourself.

What to do if the room is “sealed”:

Under the door in the toilet you need to leave a gap of about two centimeters.
If it is not possible to create a gap, then special valves can be installed in the doors that will allow air to flow into the room.
A window or just a small window between the toilet and another room in the apartment will help solve the problem with the supply of fresh air.

The supply ventilation of the room will improve if you install a special mechanism for photocatalytic filtration. Such a filter will purify the air to the point of sterility. The disadvantage of this system is that the price is too high.
As a last resort, you can leave the door to the toilet open or partially open.
If the ventilation in the bathroom and toilet is shared, then the bathroom door can also be left ajar when you are not using it.

If you cannot cope with the problem yourself, it is best to turn to professionals!

What can you do if the ventilation problem is related to your neighbors:

If your neighbors have installed a fan, your only option is to install an even more powerful exhaust fan.
Another option is to talk to your neighbors and come to an agreement that suits both parties.
If specialists find out that in one of the neighboring apartments the standards for the use of ventilation were violated (for example, a kitchen hood was connected to it), you should contact the person in charge of the house or the management company. Such actions are illegal and must be stopped.

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In any case, it is best to first resolve such issues directly with your neighbors. It is quite possible that they will understand what a mistake they made and remove all installations that interfere with normal air circulation in the house.

Summarizing

External ventilation pipe insulation diagram.

Finally, I would like to note that the ventilation of the toilet of an apartment and a private house still differs. Therefore, the features in the installation and organization of ventilation systems will also be different. Moreover, weather conditions have little effect on an apartment, while in a country house there is a possibility that the same ventilation ducts may freeze. This, in turn, leads to the formation of condensation. Therefore, houses still need to spend money on insulation for pipes. This material is wrapped around the ventilation ducts using wire.

But even here there is a peculiarity. If the ventilation hose is insulated, then, in addition to increased sound insulation and fire resistance, it also receives a decrease in throughput. Which entails the need to increase the diameter of the air duct.

Finally, I would like to say a few more words regarding the smell from the toilet ventilation. Sometimes it happens that due to certain circumstances, small animals (mice, sparrows, etc.) could get stuck there, which, in turn, leads to the appearance of odors. Therefore, if you smell a smell of this nature, it is better to call the appropriate specialists.

Causes of poor ventilation

In fact, there are not so many reasons why the ventilation system malfunctions. And the main thing is that most of them can be solved with small material and labor costs.

In addition to the main ventilation, additional channels can be installed

One of the main reasons today why there is a smell from the ventilation in a residential building is a violation of natural air exchange. This happens due to the installed metal-plastic windows that do not let air in from the street.
Contamination of the ventilation duct with soot, fatty deposits, bird residues, and construction waste.
Violation of the ventilation duct by one of the neighbors.
In winter, snow may clog into the ventilation duct, and due to temperature differences, it begins to melt and freeze again, forming ice.
A kitchen hood that is too powerful can absorb not only the fumes and odors of cooking food, but also interrupt the natural “escape” of air saturated with carbon dioxide from the ventilation holes in the sanitary rooms. The kitchen hood does not release it, and even tries to suck the smell from the ventilation from the neighbors, forming a reverse draft.
For residents of upper floors, a short (less than 6 meters) ventilation pipe may be a problem with ventilation. Its height does not allow the exhaust air from the entire riser to be “squeezed out” upward, and it finds a shorter path through the ventilation duct to those living on the top floor.