What are the reasons for water leakage in waterproof and soundproof vents?

1. Installation
Improper installation position: If the vent is installed in an area prone to water accumulation, or the installation angle is not good, rainwater will easily flow in, which will cause water leakage. For example, in some buildings, if the vent is installed in a low-lying area on the roof, water will easily seep in from the gaps around the vent when it rains.
Poor sealing: During installation, the sealing materials such as sealing strips and sealants between the vent and the surrounding building structure are of poor quality, aging or irregular construction, resulting in poor sealing performance, and water will seep in from these gaps. For example, after long-term use, the sealing strips will crack, deform, and lose their sealing effect.
2. Material
Vent material problem: If the quality of the vent material itself is not up to standard, there are defects such as sand holes and cracks, or the waterproof performance of the material is poor, it is easy to cause water leakage. For example, some inferior plastic vents may have tiny pores during the production process, and water leakage will occur after a period of use.
Aging of sealing materials: Sealing materials such as sealing strips and sealing rings will age, harden, and lose elasticity over time, resulting in poor sealing effect and water leakage. For example, in some buildings that have been used for many years, after the sealing strips of the vents have aged, the fit between the vents and the building structure is no longer tight, which is prone to water leakage.
3. Design
Lack of drainage system: If the design of the vents does not take drainage into consideration, or the drainage system is blocked or unsmooth, the accumulated water in the vents cannot be discharged in time, and it will overflow the edge of the vents and cause water leakage. For example, some vents that do not have drainage slopes or drainage pipes are prone to water accumulation and leakage when encountering a large amount of rainwater.
Inadequate waterproofing: In architectural design, if the waterproofing treatment around the vents is not perfect, there is no waterproof layer such as waterproof membrane, waterproof coating, etc. with sufficient height and width, or the waterproof layer is of poor construction quality, water will penetrate into the vents from these weak parts. For example, around some roof vents, the waterproof layer is not turned up to a certain height, and rainwater may penetrate from the side.
4. Use and maintenance
External force damage: In daily use, the vents may be hit or squeezed by external forces, causing deformation and damage to their structure, thereby destroying the original waterproof performance and causing water leakage. For example, the vents may be accidentally touched when carrying items, or the vents may be damaged during construction such as building maintenance and renovation.
Lack of regular maintenance: If the vents are not cleaned for a long time, dust, debris, etc. will accumulate in the vents, affecting the ventilation effect, and may also block the drainage channel, causing water accumulation and leakage. In addition, for some vents with moving parts, such as shutter vents, if the moving parts are rusted, stuck, and cannot be closed or opened normally, it will also affect the waterproof performance of the vents. For example, in some industrial plants, the vents are in a harsh environment for a long time, and it is easy to accumulate a lot of dust and dirt. If they are not cleaned in time, it may cause water leakage.
5. Environmental factors
Temperature changes: In some areas, the temperature difference between day and night is large, or the temperature changes significantly when the seasons change. This temperature change will cause the vent material to expand and contract. If the vent installation structure or sealing material cannot adapt to this change, cracks or gaps may occur, resulting in water leakage. For example, in the winter in the north, the metal parts of the vent may shrink due to low temperatures, causing gaps in the originally tight connection parts, causing water leakage.
Humidity effect: High humidity environment will accelerate the aging and corrosion of vent materials, especially for some metal vents. In addition, in a humid environment, moisture is more likely to condense into water droplets on the surface of the vent. If the drainage is not smooth, it will cause water leakage. For example, in some southern rainy seasons, the air humidity is very high, and the vent is prone to water leakage.
Natural disasters: In extreme weather conditions such as heavy rain, floods, and typhoons, a large amount of rain may exceed the drainage and waterproofing capabilities of the vent, resulting in water leakage. Even if the design and construction of the vent meet the standards, water leakage may occur in the face of rare high-intensity rainfall or floods.