How to make ventilation in an animal shed: norms and requirements + instructions for arrangement

In autumn, winter, and most of spring, animals are constantly indoors. Their waste products release a dangerous substance - ammonia. In addition, the concentration of carbon dioxide in the barn is significantly increased. Agree that constant airing is not an option, especially in a twenty-degree frost. But ventilation in an animal shed is just as important as heating.

Drafts do not have the best effect on the health and offspring of animals. At the same time, air circulation is indispensable. Therefore, in addition to insulating the building, it is also necessary to take care of the ventilation system. The latter must provide normal microclimatic conditions, including air temperature, cleanliness and freshness.

In this article, we examined the basic rules for ventilation in animal sheds, resulted in the standard values ​​of temperature and humidity indicators for rooms in which animals are kept. We also described the procedure for arranging an effective air exchange system, providing instructions with visual photos and useful videos.

The value of the microclimate in the barn

Often, the owners do not bother to create optimal conditions in the barn. In the best case, they make holes in the wall indoors.

But you cannot underestimate the importance of oxygen in a closed room, because animals should live in a warmed and well-ventilated barn. During the construction of which it is advisable to use sawdust, hay or straw. Natural materials perfectly absorb and retain moisture.

Maintaining proper air exchange reduces the morbidity of animals, improves weight gain and the number of offspring.

In the warm season, you can prevent the appearance of a musty smell in the room and the spread of mold by ventilation.

It is undesirable to open doors and windows in winter. After all, the temperature should be maintained within + 18- + 22 degrees Celsius. Deviation of indicators from the norm increases the risk of colds.

Typical construction mistakes

The shed can be a detached building or an attached building to the house. As a rule, the premises are built according to the principle of “how to save money”. They often build it independently and in a short time.

There are several main problems of such an object:

1. Cheap foundation. Blocks, tires with concrete are used as the basis of the premises. In the best case, they make a strip foundation. Waterproofing and insulation of this part of the building is practically not done. And this causes free transfer of cold and moisture from the ground to the room.
2. The floor often remains earthen. If you do not raise it a little higher, the air inside will be cold in winter.
3. There is also no external waterproofing, wall insulation. Or they do it in the simplest way with big mistakes. As a result, significant costs will be required for heating, and the building cools down very quickly.
4. Insufficient natural light or its complete absence. One small window is made in the shed. And the importance of sunlight is difficult to overestimate, because ultraviolet radiation repels mold.

The presence in the building of all of the listed shortcomings or some of them leads to an increase in the level of humidity, violation of air exchange, which is manifested by a complete absence or lack of fresh air, strong cold.

Destructive consequences for the building

The listed violations will affect directly the utility block:

1. High humidity and regular temperature changes, especially if the structure is built of wooden materials, will accelerate the destruction of the shed. The finish will also suffer, of course, if it was done. Unfavorable climatic conditions lead to damage, shedding of building materials. It will be necessary to carry out restoration repair work.
2. The spread of mold also leads to the destruction of the premises. Disputes can be transferred to other premises, including a residential building.

Insufficient air exchange causes the accumulation of gases from the manure. And this is fraught with the creation of an unpleasant odor, which is extremely dangerous for human health.

If part of the barn is to be used as storage space, the property can quickly deteriorate.

This especially applies to wood products, in particular firewood and furniture, metal objects prone to rust. Fabrics will also suffer, such as old clothes that are often stored in sheds.

Norms and principles of ventilation

In a non-residential area where things will be kept, the ventilation system must be a multiple of 1. This means that within 60 minutes the air in the barn must completely change. Ventilation according to this technology should have a performance that exceeds the volume by 15-30 points. If items are stored inside that become unusable from a high level of humidity, the circulation rate should be increased by one and a half or two times. For more information on the norms of warehouse ventilation, we have reviewed this material.

In the case of small private farms, when various animals are kept in the room, from bulls to sheep, the air exchange rate should be 4. This indicator can also be used by owners of mini-farms, where there are only two or three cows or ten rabbits.

But for a large number of livestock, creating optimal conditions involves not only focusing on air exchange rate. In this case, temperature and humidity. The optimum humidity level is around 80. You can determine the coefficient using a psychrometer.

The level of indicators will differ for different animals - for example, the standard temperature for keeping cattle is 8-10 degrees with a humidity level of 70%. More details about barn ventilation can be read in our other article.

The given data are used in large livestock complexes with modern ventilation and heating systems. In an ordinary shed at a summer cottage, creating similar conditions will be much more expensive and more difficult.

Arrangement of natural air exchange

This option can be called the simplest and cheapest, but also the least effective. After all, natural ventilation largely depends on the location of the building, as well as weather conditions.

You can equip it as follows:

1. Air supply is provided through a gap under a door or window. Also, the ventilation system may include supply valveplaced at the bottom of the wall or grill in the door.
2. As a hood, it is advisable to use a pipe brought out into the street through the roof or wall under the ceiling. The outer opening must be above the roof ridge. To improve traction on the top of the hole, you should install deflector.

But the natural ventilation scheme is not suitable for all rooms. In some cases, it will only make the problem worse.

It is undesirable to choose this method of air exchange in the following cases:

1. If the area of ​​the barn is more than 30 square meters.
2. Taller buildings are located around the building or branchy trees grow. Exhaust ventilation will not work well if the area where the utility yard is located is low.
3. There is no foundation or it is not waterproofed or insulated.
4. There is a high level of humidity inside the room. With natural ventilation, humidity will increase even more during precipitation.
5. Moisture condenses on the ceiling and walls of the building, which means that the problem can only be solved with the help of external insulation of the building.

It is also undesirable to use only this type of ventilation if animals will live in the room all year round or items that are afraid of mold are stored.

Forced ventilation scheme

The mechanical system provides forced air circulation regardless of weather conditions.

In sheds with a small area, you can arrange ventilation with your own hands: mount a fan on the hood, and leave the inflow natural.

In an animal shed, it is not so difficult to make ventilation yourself:

1. The inflow is provided through a window or a gap under the door. At the bottom of the wall, you can install a supply valve or mount a grill in the door.
2. To remove air, a pipe is used, which is desirable to be installed through the wall under the ceiling or roof. A duct fan must be placed in the interior. Cover the element from above with a protective cap.

Self-installation of the chimney is easiest to accomplish as follows - bring the pipe through the wall under the ceiling. In this case, it is not necessary to seal the opening through the roof. Install a forced draft in a small shed opposite the inflow, that is, on the opposite wall.

In fact, the only difference compared to the natural system is the installation of a fan in the chimney. For a shed of small quadrature, a device with a low power is sufficient, the price of such a unit will be about 5 thousand rubles. Even with its continuous operation, electricity costs will amount to only a couple of hundred rubles per month.

Automation of ventilation systems in a barn

It is advisable to improve the ventilation system if animals are constantly in the room or valuable property is stored.

There are several options for how to properly ventilate the barn:

• using a humidity sensor;
• using a temperature sensor.

If you configure the start of the exhaust fan using a humidity sensor, then in this case the device will turn off at a normal psychrometer reading. And increase the speed if the fan runs at minimum speed at the permissible value of air humidity.

You can start or stop the fan and change its speed using a temperature sensor. Especially if the building will be used for keeping animals. During the summer season, the fan will turn on or increase the speed during the heat.

In winter, on the contrary, when the room temperature drops, the fan will stop working altogether or slow down the speed.

There are several ways to keep the temperature at the proper level:

1. Ventilation units are combined with air heaters - steam, water and electric.
2. The heating and ventilation device is installed in a special chamber or under the guise of a monoblock directly in the room.
3. It is also possible to save heat energy with the help of heat recovery units built into the ventilation system.
4. By installing supply and exhaust ventilation with recuperation and heat recirculation.

After installing the ventilation, it is important to test it before starting operation.

Recommendations for choosing the type of ventilation

Each type of air exchange has its own advantages and disadvantages, several factors should be taken into account before installation:

1. The amount of fresh air entering the room - in the warm season, the flow increases.
2. Influence on the ventilation system of natural conditions, including the average annual temperature and wind direction.
3. The location of the barn is in a lowland or on a hill.
4. The dimensions of the utility room.
5. Number of livestock.

And only after finding out the climatic features and how the air circulates inside the building, you can start installing one of the types of ventilation systems.

In addition to animals, do you also have poultry on your farm? In this case, we recommend that you read our other article about the device. ventilation in the chicken coop.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

Helpful information on how to deal with high humidity in a barn:

More details about the principles of natural ventilation in the plot:

Without a ventilation system, maintaining the proper level of humidity, air temperature, and freshness in the room is problematic. To ensure proper air exchange in the animal shed, it is necessary to equip a ventilation system, taking into account the regulatory requirements for the room.

If you have any difficulty in creating optimal microclimatic conditions, tell your story. The comment can be left in the block below the text. Here, ask your questions regarding the correct arrangement of ventilation in the barn or utility rooms.