Ventilation Extractors: Regulations and Hygiene

Current Spanish regulations focus on the initial components of ventilation systems, namely, the extractors, from both the perspective of their location in buildings and the types of rooms they serve. The extractors in bathrooms, kitchens, and toilets (wet rooms) are a key element in the ventilation system of homes, as they are responsible for extracting stale air from the interior, connecting the room with the outside (either directly or through an extraction duct).

According to the CTE DB HS 3 Air Quality, air should circulate from dry rooms to wet rooms, thanks to the arrangement of admission openings (which connect the room with the outside in dining rooms, bedrooms, and living rooms) and extraction openings (in toilets, kitchens, and bathrooms). The partitions separating these rooms will have passage openings that allow air circulation.

Regulations Influencing Extractors in Terms of Hygiene

The UNE standards that must be followed for the hygiene of extractors are the UNE 100012:2005 Standard on Hygiene of Air Conditioning Systems and the UNE 171330-2:2014 Standard on Indoor Environmental Quality.

Requirements Regarding Cleaning

• Cleaning of the entire system that comes into contact with outside air must be carried out. This affects everything from outside air grills to internal elements (grills, diffusers, or nozzles).

• It is important to perform inspections to facilitate the corresponding mandatory cleanings mandated by the RITE.

• It is mandatory to carry out microbiological sampling (taking samples for laboratory analysis).

• Regarding the chemical products used for hygiene, safety data sheets must be requested.

Evaluation or Inspection Frequencies

Regulations recommend minimum evaluation frequencies according to the use of the building. If it is necessary to increase these frequencies, environmental conditions, the activities carried out inside the premises, and mechanical and human conditions (of the building and its surroundings) will be taken into account.

Minimum evaluation frequencies:

• Industrial buildings: 1 year for both UTAs (air treatment units) and duct networks.

• Residential buildings: 1 year for UTAs and 2 years for duct networks.

• Office buildings: 1 year for UTAs and 1 year for duct networks.

• Commercial buildings: 1 year for UTAs and 2 years for duct networks.

• Hospital buildings: 6 months for UTAs and 1 year for duct networks.

• Restaurants, cafes, bars, etc.: 1 year for both UTAs and duct networks.

Extractors in the Market

Made of polystyrene, they consist of a body, an adjustable central shutter, and a central grille that allows various flow rate adjustments. They are elements that can be easily mounted (on ceilings or vertical walls) directly to a duct or associated with a sleeve or adapter.

There are humidity-regulatable extraction grilles available in the market that ensure variable flow according to the relative humidity of the room and a complementary timer-controlled flow (30 minutes) managed through presence detection (3 × 1.5 V electric control). Power supply is provided either by LR6 batteries or through electric control (12V).

This type of extractor is part of humidity-regulatable mechanical ventilation systems. This is a system designed for the individual extraction of stale air and the renewal of air in homes based on detected humidity levels (humidity-regulatable system) or with constant flow rates (self-regulating system). Its operation is based on the air sweeping principle within the homes and is completely independent among them, offering an excellent balance between guaranteeing indoor air quality and consumption autonomy according to occupancy and usage.