temporary ventilation

meadowesky · #1 2007-01-29, 8:29am

any ideas?? My studio is on the second floor. I can not cut holes in anything. Can not mount anything crazy to the walls, cant do so many things.
We have an appraisal in April and I will be removing any signs of studio from the room prior to the appraisal.
I am completly at a loss for ideas. Thanks!!

Dale M. · #2 2007-01-29, 9:12am

A box fan in window would suffice for exhaust.... As for make up air if there is no other window in room, you have to rely on air drawn through house, the problem here is any time a door or window ( in make up air path) is closed it will cut off make up air, if weather is cold, this will also cool down house... Its a dilemma no doubt about it... Is there a garage you can work in, it would be easier to deal with issues...

Dale

meadowesky · #3 2007-01-29, 12:30pm

Thanks Dale!!

There is a garage but it is unheated, filled to the brim with saws and other tools, and it has poor lighting. Im hoping to make due until after april up here and then install ventilation.

DarleenMB · #4 2007-01-30, 6:35am

I know I'm going to get thumped by some for saying this, but SOME ventilation is better than NONE. Use the flexible dryer duct and flop it out the window.

I'm in the same boat. After talking with one of my suppliers I feel confident that what I have (while not up to SOME standards) is good enough for now. I'm having a metal enclosure/hood built for the new studio and will have smooth wall ducting installed WHEN we move. right now it's either the flexible stuff or no torching at all.

Since I use a Mini CC and 2 concentrators and only torch a few hours a day, I'm not worried about causing myself any damage.

MikeAurelius · #5 2007-01-30, 6:49am

You are going to be far better off putting a box fan in the window and blocking off the bypass (sides) with cardboard than you are "flopping flexible dryer duct out the window".

Not only is dryer duct too damn small (usually no more than 2-4 inches in diameter), but the hideously huge corrigations will result in probably under 100 CFM of air moved and will burn out your fan motor very quickly.

A box fan in the window is far more efficient than flex duct out the window. That will be my recommendation.

DarleenMB · #6 2007-01-30, 10:23am

Mine's been hooked up that way for almost 5 years and the fan is still going strong. I'm not going to argue just to point out that OTHER professionals have told me that it may not be the best but it's still better than nothing. Esp if you are using a small torch like a minor or a mini cc.

MikeAurelius · #7 2007-01-30, 11:14am

Well, there are professionals, and then there are professionals who know what the hell they are talking about.

krfteldy · #8 2007-01-30, 12:07pm

I have a question about ventilation. I had a roof fan installed in my garage that handles 1600 c?? to cool my garage off during the summer and for ventilation. Is this sufficient ventilation for working with glass? I've been working this way but would like to make sure I'm not going to make myself sick in the long run. Anybody?

Nancy

Cosmo · #9 2007-01-30, 12:56pm

The size of that fan is probably okay, but the problem is that it draws from the area next to the roof. You need something to draw the fumes out of your immediate area.

MikeAurelius · #10 2007-01-30, 1:09pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by krfteldy

I have a question about ventilation. I had a roof fan installed in my garage that handles 1600 c?? to cool my garage off during the summer and for ventilation. Is this sufficient ventilation for working with glass? I've been working this way but would like to make sure I'm not going to make myself sick in the long run. Anybody?

Nancy

Nancy - the main problem is that with this type of fan set up, as Chad states, you are pulling air from the ceiling area of the garage, not specifically from the workstation area. And depending on where the fresh air supply is, you may not be doing any ventilation at all in the workstation.

To properly ventilate a lampworking workstation, you need some some sort of hood to trap the fumes, a fan and duct work to pull them away and exhaust them outside, and a source of fresh air to replace the air that has been exhausted.

It is a 3 part system and won't work properly with any of the parts missing.

uniqueleigh · #11 2007-02-16, 6:42am

Okay, now I know many may view this as a dumb question but, jeeze I might as well ask anyway. Because others may already assume that it can be done and safely. And if this isn't the case need to be for warned.

I am working on building a seperate room for my self in the house. It will be a walled in room of about 8 ft by 6 ft. There will be a door that leads into this room from the rest of the house. I will only have one window in this room. Currently I have been working in a standard room of the house directly in front of the window with a strong box fan in a window with the sides around the fan blocked by cardboard when torching. I have stopped torching currently as the wind here has shifted for the last week or so and seriously blowing the air right back through the fan. (you can even hear the fan change speeds during this time)

So, my question is - when I get my room built I can set my torch where I want and it probably will not be directly in front of the window. Even though I will be moving to the other side of the house where the wind direction will not matter as much because of structures around our home. So, I will be setting up some kind of venting system. I will have to leave the door closed while torching because of heating and cooling the rest of the house. Hubby has a fit when the heater is on and the window is open. LOL So, what can I use as a back air source?

And if I have to use the window until different measures can be taken can one rig up the window as an exhaust for the ventilation and as a source for back air at the same time.

Thanks, Leigh

MikeAurelius · #12 2007-02-16, 6:54am

This is a quandry most home studios face. There are no easy answers unfortunately.

The biggest problem is that the source of fresh air absolutely, positively, without a doubt, *MUST* come from a minimum of 10 linear feet away from the exhaust. Any less than that and you risk pulling air contaminated with combustion byproducts back in through the fresh air ducting.

Since this is going to be a room dedicated to the studio, will it be possible to cut a hole in the outside wall? If so, I'd strongly recommend that you do that for the exhaust system. Use the existing window for fresh air (remembering the 10 foot rule!).

If you cannot put a hole through the wall, you are going to have to use the single window, and there is going to have to be ducting outside the window in order to get the 10 foot separation. There's no other way around it.

uniqueleigh · #13 2007-02-16, 9:31am

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeAurelius

This is a quandry most home studios face. There are no easy answers unfortunately.

The biggest problem is that the source of fresh air absolutely, positively, without a doubt, *MUST* come from a minimum of 10 linear feet away from the exhaust. Any less than that and you risk pulling air contaminated with combustion byproducts back in through the fresh air ducting.

Since this is going to be a room dedicated to the studio, will it be possible to cut a hole in the outside wall? If so, I'd strongly recommend that you do that for the exhaust system. Use the existing window for fresh air (remembering the 10 foot rule!).

If you cannot put a hole through the wall, you are going to have to use the single window, and there is going to have to be ducting outside the window in order to get the 10 foot separation. There's no other way around it.

I can cut a hole in the wall just not right away. But, even with the hole in the wall you are right I will still have to run some type of duct work. And I will have to have a minimum of 2-3 elbows in it. Does it matter if I use pvc or does it have to be metal duct on the outside? It will have to come out the wall and along side the house and then elbowed down to keep the rain and what not out. And pvc I have and not much in the way of budget $$$$ really. hmmmmm to think this through some.

danelady · #14 2007-02-16, 9:50am

If you look at the picture below you'll see a window fan. It has side extensions which completely prevent any recirc on the sides. There are another two windows to the left of that window, they TOO have the same fans installed. They are all set to Draw OUT and are set on HIGH when I am working. There is a sliding glass door about 12-14 feet behind me which is left open while I am working. I also have a CO monitor and fire/heat sensor over my head.

This was my solution for an in home studio. I know it isn't perfect, but so far, I have had LOTS of clean air and no symptoms ever...

Oh and instead of a canary I use my cat Becky (joking!)
Hugs
Lynnie

MikeAurelius · #15 2007-02-16, 11:20am

I would *not* use PVC. You don't get enough square inches out of PVC pipe.

Use standard 8 or 10 inch ducting, available at most home improvement or hardware stores.