Ventilation in basement question

zoomerpop · #1 2007-01-17, 5:15pm

I have my studio in my garage at the moment, but am hoping to move it into my basement. I have to ventilate through the basement block window, (I think I can do that), I want to hook up to natural gas (I can get that done) but my question is I have no windows in the basement to open, so can I leave the door to the upstairs open for adequate ventilation (that is quite a distance from where the torch would be set up)? If someone can answer this I would appreciate the input.
Thanks.
Roy

Dale M. · #2 2007-01-17, 5:54pm

Actually with all the issues of ventilation for a basement and if there is a gas furnace and water heater in there it may be easier to keep "studio" in garage....

You SHOULD have direct replacement air into basement from WINDOW or DOOR or DUCTED in directly from outside! Lack or doors or windows directly to outside makes this more difficult.

The issue is, if there is furnace or gas water heater in basement you must supply enough makeup air for both appliances and torch IF the all are in operation at same time. The danger here is if you are using a fan to pull fumes out of torch area without sufficient make up air, you stand a danger of reverse flowing furnace and gas water heater flues and actually pulling their fumes out of their respective flues and into basement. This aggravates the very condition you are trying to eliminate. IF done wrong it is more dangerous to you...

A lot of already presented information in SAFETY FORUM.... Check it out!

Dale

zoomerpop · #3 2007-01-18, 6:15am

Thanks, Dale. I was wondering about that type of problem. You're right, I'll stay safe and cold in the garage for a few months!!
Thanks for taking time to respond. I will check out the safety forum also.
Roy

MikeAurelius · #4 2007-01-18, 7:29am

I purposely made the choice to work out in the garage instead of the basement, and it was from purely safety/ventilation reasons.

My house has a partially finished basement - the walls are insulated and sheet rocked, but no carpeting on the floor. I'm in a very rural area and use propane to heat the house and cook with. My utility room is packed with propane burning appliances - 3 hot water heaters (two domestic hot water and 1 for the hydronic heat in the basement) and the furnace. There is plenty of fresh air being brought in for those appliances, but not enough for a ventilation fan, so I'd have to open a window.

Minnesota is darn cold - if you were watching the weather the other day, you saw that not too far from me there was -20 F temps (approx 100 miles). We don't open windows in that temp

. Ducting the fresh air to the bench would have been a nightmare because the basement is broken up into bedrooms and recreational areas.

The garage on the other hand was a no-brainer. Since my divorce, I've got an empty stall in the garage, it's insulated and heated, although I keep it at a chilly 53 F temp, just enough to keep the bedroom above the garage warm.

My bench is along the side wall, and I exhaust out through the door - I replaced the "people" door going to the backyard with a painted wooden door and mounted my exhaust fan to that. The fresh air supply is also ducted through the door, but then turns 180 degrees and runs along the outside wall to approximately 10 feet from the exhaust fan duct.

Garages are good places to put your studio. If you have some extra money, insulating and sheet rocking a garage can be a weekend project, and putting a unit heater in the garage will make it lots more comfortable.

When I'm going to work at the torch, I bump the temp up to 65, turn on the kiln, and go in the house to change clothes or grab a soda. It usually takes about 30 minutes or so for the garage to get up to temp (although the concrete still stays cold - I've put a rug scrap under my chair to keep the cold from radiating up my legs), and I'm ready to go to work.

Allie_T · #5 2007-01-19, 1:26am

We're thinking of moving my studio into the basement. We have an above ground basement (I have often wondered why it is actually called a basement) so I would think that, since there are full sized windows and doors down there I shouldn't have a ventilation problem when I have my exhaust on for the torch. Right?

MikeAurelius · #6 2007-01-19, 5:25am

That's called a "patio" basement around here -- and pefectly safe for ventilation purposes.

Allie_T · #7 2007-01-19, 6:24am

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeAurelius

That's called a "patio" basement around here -- and pefectly safe for ventilation purposes.

That does sound better than basement when it's above ground. I like it. Must list it as such when we try to sell.