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perhaps a really bad idea...but?
ahandykindaguy
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Alberta, Canada
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Posted: Friday, January 09, 2015 - 12:03 AM UTC
Hey everyone, since I've always told those that would listen to me that the only dumb question is the one you don't ask, here goes nothing....

I've been thinking about making a homemade spray booth, utilizing a used but still very functional range hood exhaust fan. I can easily wire in a plug to be used in a normal receptacle, and build a framework around it to hold a regular sized furnace filter to trap most of the overspray.

The average size of these fans is roughly 30x15 inches and are already designed to accept standard ducting for venting of the air they suck in.

Now here may be the stupid part, I'll let you guys decide.

My thoughts are, because I'm working in my basement which is unfinished and because I live in the Great White North where it is winter for 6 to 7 months of the year, that rather than venting out a window could I possibly run my venting to my furnace ' cold air return or even it's intake or reburn stack?

Okay, there it is... now to hit the post button and cross my fingers....
matt
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New York, United States
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Posted: Friday, January 09, 2015 - 12:21 AM UTC
I wouldn't tie it into the furnace in any way. I actually drilled a new exit for mine, just used the standard dryer vent flapper outside.
ejhammer
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Posted: Friday, January 09, 2015 - 12:27 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Hey everyone, since I've always told those that would listen to me that the only dumb question is the one you don't ask, here goes nothing....

I've been thinking about making a homemade spray booth, utilizing a used but still very functional range hood exhaust fan. I can easily wire in a plug to be used in a normal receptacle, and build a framework around it to hold a regular sized furnace filter to trap most of the overspray.

The average size of these fans is roughly 30x15 inches and are already designed to accept standard ducting for venting of the air they suck in.

Now here may be the stupid part, I'll let you guys decide.

My thoughts are, because I'm working in my basement which is unfinished and because I live in the Great White North where it is winter for 6 to 7 months of the year, that rather than venting out a window could I possibly run my venting to my furnace ' cold air return or even it's intake or reburn stack?

Okay, there it is... now to hit the post button and cross my fingers....



Here in Michigan it would be illegal by building/mechanical code to do that. All appliances must be vented separately. If you were to be spraying lacquer or solvent based enamels and venting it into the furnace cold air return, the fumes would be spread around the whole house. If hooked into the furnace combustion air or recirculating line it would put those fumes into the combustion chamber with possible explosion exposure. If connected to the furnace combustion chamber exhaust line, the existing line would be undersized to accept the total volume of discharge and would need to be entirely replaced with larger pipe, also with a check valve system on both lines to prevent backdrafting into each unit from the other - plus, the mechanical inspector would not approve it anyway. Just easier to go through the window or bore a hole in the building just like a dryer vent and vent it that way with it's own vent hood.

EJ
Retired building contractor
ahandykindaguy
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Alberta, Canada
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Posted: Friday, January 09, 2015 - 12:34 AM UTC

Quoted Text

I wouldn't tie it into the furnace in any way. I actually drilled a new exit for mine, just used the standard dryer vent flapper outside.



I would like to avoid having to cut another hole, but will if I have to I guess...

A little more info may help in the answering of my question. My furnace is 18 feet from my workbench, so i seriously doubt any flammable fumes would make it to the furnace if I tapped into the cold air return, which is directly above my proposed site for my paint booth.

Also, perhaps another option would be to vent out of the house from the main plumbing vent stack, which is also in close proximity to the paint booths proposed locale....

Thanks for your input Matt, I will take it " under advisement " as they say.

Dave
pseudorealityx
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Posted: Friday, January 09, 2015 - 12:35 AM UTC
The whole reason we use a spray booth is to remove the fumes from the air we're breathing. I would avoid then plumbing those fumes into the system that distributes air throughout your whole house. While the filter will remove most of the particulate from that air, the vapors are still present.

If you really want to do a closed loop filtration system, you need to look at a multiple filter setup that includes at least 2 different types of filters, and a fan that's designed for the static pressure drop associated with it.

But if designed correctly, you could likely spray lacquers in your living room without the wife complaining.
ahandykindaguy
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Alberta, Canada
Member Since: August 20, 2008
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Posted: Friday, January 09, 2015 - 12:45 AM UTC

Quoted Text


Quoted Text

Hey everyone, since I've always told those that would listen to me that the only dumb question is the one you don't ask, here goes nothing....

I've been thinking about making a homemade spray booth, utilizing a used but still very functional range hood exhaust fan. I can easily wire in a plug to be used in a normal receptacle, and build a framework around it to hold a regular sized furnace filter to trap most of the overspray.

The average size of these fans is roughly 30x15 inches and are already designed to accept standard ducting for venting of the air they suck in.

Now here may be the stupid part, I'll let you guys decide.

My thoughts are, because I'm working in my basement which is unfinished and because I live in the Great White North where it is winter for 6 to 7 months of the year, that rather than venting out a window could I possibly run my venting to my furnace ' cold air return or even it's intake or reburn stack?

Okay, there it is... now to hit the post button and cross my fingers....



Here in Michigan it would be illegal by building/mechanical code to do that. All appliances must be vented separately. If you were to be spraying lacquer or solvent based enamels and venting it into the furnace cold air return, the fumes would be spread around the whole house. If hooked into the furnace combustion air or recirculating line it would put those fumes into the combustion chamber with possible explosion exposure. If connected to the furnace combustion chamber exhaust line, the existing line would be undersized to accept the total volume of discharge and would need to be entirely replaced with larger pipe, also with a check valve system on both lines to prevent backdrafting into each unit from the other - plus, the mechanical inspector would not approve it anyway. Just easier to go through the window or bore a hole in the building just like a dryer vent and vent it that way with it's own vent hood.

EJ
Retired building contractor

.

Thanks Eugene. I would suppose the building codes would be pretty similar here in the GWN too. I very rarely do much spraying, and only use acrylics, never lacquer. Although I do use future occasionally.

I must say too that I have not really been able to tell I've been painting, when I do, upstairs if I go up between coats. So isn't it possible that I may not even need venting as long as my work area remains the entire unfinished basement?

Just wondering?

Good to get the opinion of a building contractor though, I know a few up here personally, but I'm pretty sure none of them have ever had time to build models so asking them didn't even cross my knoggin...

That said, I will continue to collect data and input.

Thanks again Eugene.

matt
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Posted: Friday, January 09, 2015 - 01:06 AM UTC
My spraybooth is 5 feet from the furnace... I was way more worried with the old one as the new one is a high efficiency model and it's sealed. I made sure to seal all the duct work as well when I installed it (Hey it saved almost $4500, other than the exhaustion from doing it myself)
ahandykindaguy
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Alberta, Canada
Member Since: August 20, 2008
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Posted: Friday, January 09, 2015 - 01:09 AM UTC

Quoted Text

The whole reason we use a spray booth is to remove the fumes from the air we're breathing. I would avoid then plumbing those fumes into the system that distributes air throughout your whole house. While the filter will remove most of the particulate from that air, the vapors are still present.

If you really want to do a closed loop filtration system, you need to look at a multiple filter setup that includes at least 2 different types of filters, and a fan that's designed for the static pressure drop associated with it.

But if designed correctly, you could likely spray lacquers in your living room without the wife complaining.



Thanks Jesse, my wife would actually love if I could do all my modelling up in the living room

She's funny that way... no, not that way, that way! My alternate work area is our dining room table so I can be a part of the family, but she does say I take up too much of it sometimes. It's a pretty small table, not even as big as my old school teachers desk I use in the basement. And the whole of the back end of our house is an open concept, with the kitchen, dining and living room basically one large room.

Ok again thanks for your input. Ignorance was bliss, but now it looks like I may have to do some work to do things right. I do like to do the right thing, no matter what it takes. Well, usually....

Later
ahandykindaguy
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Alberta, Canada
Member Since: August 20, 2008
entire network: 1,295 Posts
KitMaker Network: 93 Posts
Posted: Friday, January 09, 2015 - 01:21 AM UTC

Quoted Text

My spraybooth is 5 feet from the furnace... I was way more worried with the old one as the new one is a high efficiency model and it's sealed. I made sure to seal all the duct work as well when I installed it (Hey it saved almost $4500, other than the exhaustion from doing it myself)



How did you save $4500? I'm looking at maybe 50 dollars in parts total, I'm not putting in an auto body spray booth?

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