Paint Box Ventilation Question

[Bruce Poage]

I am completing a new basement hobby room. My spray booth will be on the wall opposite the workbench. I will vent the box outside. The easiest route for the vent pipe will make it about 6 feet long to get outside. I will use smooth walled metal ducting. Due to a gas pipe and the wrong direction for floor joists the hardest route would be two feet up and out. Is there any concern about the efficiency of the vent as it relates to the length of the vent pipe? Thanks in advance for the insight!!

[Andy Wyatt]

My guess would be 6 feet of duct won't hurt the efficiency of the vent. You mentioned this is in your basement. If you have a gas or oil fired water heater and or furnace in the basement make sure you have a source of fresh air entering the basement. A window on the other side of the room would be sufficient. If the room is sealed well enough you could actually draw carbon monoxide OUT of your water heater or furnace. Opening a window will counter any vaccuum effect.

[Bruce Poage]

Thanks for your info. While my water heater and furnace are gas fired, my hobby room is completely enclosed and insulated. The hobby room also has a window. So when I am painting the window will be open to the north. The vent will run to the west. While my wife supports nd encourages my hobby she also has a super-sensitive nose. I think my many precautions will be good for me and the environment!!!.

[Klaus]

Bruce, whether or not 6' of duct will hurt the airflow of your booth depends on several things: fan/blower output, efficiency, and the diameter/length of the duct. With a quality fan/blower it may not make a difference. On the other hand, you could have overspray rolling out of your booth rather than being sucked into the filters.

Take a look at the information at this link: http://modelpaint.tripod.com/booth2.htm

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Klaus

[Guest zebm1]

depending on tha quality of yur air filter before yur fan...go to Radio Shack and get one of their 110 Volt Axial fans, ifn yu have tha bucks yu can buy a speed controller and vary tha suction.

Zebm1-----ifn life didn't present problems, life wuld just suck air.