Exhaust Valve Cleaning – Does Paper Crumble? Take action soon!

Keeping the house clean of dirt and dust and giving the house proper ventilation is important for a fresh and healthy indoor climate.

But it is not easy to remember to clean all the places in the house. For example, the exhaust valve in the bathroom and laundry room.

And if we forget this, it could have very unfortunate consequences in the long run.

Therefore, there will be “bloat spots”

Exhaust valves are used in bathrooms and wet rooms in the home to remove used, damp, and smelly air, explains John Daley, Flexit’s marketing director.

Stains can form around the exhaust valves that look like some kind of soot stain.

– This can happen when the air moves. A voltage is then induced around the valve that attracts dust from the surroundings and then trips. Dehli says this phenomenon is called dust reduction in technical parlance and is a common problem.

Could be a problem

Dust deposits are made up of the dust content in the room, and the velocity of the air entering the room, upon meeting the indoor air, tends to give the indoor air’s dust content a constant charge, says the expert.

This charged dust will in turn get stuck near the exhaust valve, where the air is extracted, says Daley.

But here there are several preventative measures, he suggests:

• The lowest possible dust content in the room air. Vacuum and remove dust regularly.
• Tobacco smoke and candle smoke are among the worst sources of deposits around the exhaust valve.
• Get the lowest possible temperature differences between the air and the ceiling/walls.

New homes are also under attack

Important with air supply

To get the exhaust from the bathroom, air is required. Dehli explains that this means that the air must come into the bathroom from the next room.

– Air enters the bathroom most often under the door using threshold-free doors with an air gap of at least 10-20 mm. He explains that if the outside air in the next room passes through a fresh air valve in the outside wall, it is important to ensure that the valve is open all year round.

– If you have a balanced ventilation system, fresh air enters through the supply air valve in the next room, says the expert.

May cause moisture damage

If damp, hot, dusty rooms are not well ventilated or ventilated after a shower or other activity that produces moisture, mold will have good growing conditions on damp surfaces, says Kai Gustafsen, head of indoor climate at the Norwegian Asthma and Allergy Association.

In addition to moisture damage in the home, clogged valves can also have other serious consequences, according to Helge Myklebust, general manager at Renere Luft AS:

Clogged ducts will increase the load on the fans in the unit and thus reduce the service life, says Myklebust.

The reason for the bad smell in the house

How to wash the valve

Gustavsen recommends, even if you don’t have to do this every week, you should at least clean the exhaust valve regularly so that no dust remains outside the valve and around the roof.

The so-called dust search, which Dahli mentions, can be washed off, as with ordinary cleaning:

– Vacuum first, then you can use regular dish soap and water on a rag, then wash the valve and wipe it with clean water, Myklebust suggests.

He adds that if there is a ring of soot around the valve, it can also be washed with the same detergent.

However, if there are gypsum boards with a matte finish on the ceiling, it can be difficult to get rid of soot spots, says the expert. Then you should consult a paint dealer about what is best for cleaning matte painted surfaces, he advises.

It can make children sick

Take the paper test

If you notice that the hood is not working better after cleaning the valve, you should check if the bathroom has enough air for the suction fan to work as it should.

– If you do not operate the extractor, it makes sense to contact a company with experience to do a ventilation check and possibly clean the exhaust duct inside and the outside grille, advises Gustavsen.

If you are not sure if the ventilation is working properly, you can try the trick that according to Gustafsen can detect if the valve is clogged or not:

Put a piece of paper under the valve. If the paper hangs on its own, this means that the ventilation is working properly. He says that if the paper falls, then something in the system is clogged.

Cautions: As bad as smoking

Clean the airway

Daily stresses that soot and dust deposits around the valve and the valve itself are not dangerous, but they should be removed when you discover it.

Even if you have washed the outside and around the valve, dirt and dust may have settled inside, in the duct.

Then a more thorough cleaning is needed:

Then you have to unscrew the cup in the middle of the valve. Remember to note the number of revolutions when you unscrew the cup so that you screw it back in with the same number—then you get the same airflow over the valve as before, Daily advises.

Most dirt settles in the first meter inside the tube, and you can use a brush and a vacuum cleaner to remove the dirt, says the expert.

– If there is a lot of dirt in the duct, the companies that offer duct cleaning can be contacted. The exhaust valves are part of a balanced exhaust or ventilation system, says Daily.