I thought it might be helpful to myself and others to discuss room ventilation where we vape heavily for long periods of time and there is poor ventilation. I’m finding myself in this situation in my home office.I spend most of my time in a 18’x18’ room which has no windows nor central heat and air. The only ventilation is a open door to another room. I have decided what I need is a exhaust fan to draw all the vapor out and help draw in air from the other room with the added air movement. Question is, how powerful of a exhaust fan do I need? Anyone in the know as to how powerful of a exhaust fan (CFMs) I will need for a 18’x18’ room?
Here’s a link that might help you out…
Personally, I use a smaller single room HEPA air cleaner (the filter size is approx. 8"x12"x1"). Works a treat for me in my 6’x10’ office area.
10 Likes
cfm= (volume times the number of air changes per hr) divided by 60. 6 air changes per hr is plenty if you also want to consider utilities. if your taking heat/ac from the other room, you don’t want to throw it all outside.
btw, thats a hell of an office.
7 Likes
I had a 4 inch computer fan running over a pan of water I was evaporating next to my desk and noticed all the vapor being sucked in the fan was vanishing as it hit the water surface so I started blowing right at it to find virtually all the vapor was disappearing as fast as it hit the water. Tried it with a damp scrap of toweling over the fan output and it works just about as well. Might be a stopgap solution until you set up a real vent.
Been using it when I have to share space with the wife like the garage where the washer-dryer is. I tend to cloud it up well when I’m doing a mix session and it’s kept the wife’s snide remarks about the fog to a rare minimum lately so it’s having an effect and keeping the vapor to a minimum.
9 Likes
Yeah, that was one of my reasons for recommending filtration rather than expulsion. Can’t afford to blow AC outside! lol
Also have to 2nd the “thats a hell of an office” sentiment. Oh the havoc I could wreak in an 18x18’ room! (Electronics repair gear and guitar gear everywhere!).
. /cue dreamy eyed drooling
4 Likes
Actually found something specific to exhaust fans. Bathrooms and other rooms actually vary so this looks to be a handy little charts…
6 Likes
Actually, I’m considering having a Honeywell Room Purifier as well IN ADDITION…
4 Likes
According to this formula I come up with 266 CFM. According to the chart I just posted, this appears about right for other rooms, Which I Did Not Even Notice Was On The Chart…lol. As far as losing heat/ac, this should actually benefit in my situation. Layout is a 16’x18’ room with windows, and window type AC, next my office 18’x18’, but then yet another small Approximately 18’x8’ room. at this time that small room gets hot in the summer and cold in the winter. The wall which separates it from the office is not insulated. By pushing the exhaust into the small room I am insulating the office from the extremes of the small room. Makes more sense now, doesn’t it…
3 Likes
So which unit did you buy?
1 Like
not 100% on this, but if you are venting into a conditioned space, the air has to go somewhere; meaning if the room you vent into is sealed up, the air wont have nowhere to go and your fan will increase rpm but wont move the cfm it’s intended to.
4 Likes
Hmmmmm; never really thought about that. Though no room is completely sealed off that leads outdoors, you’re probably right though. Question is, how much of a effect do you think it would make. I think I have a solution should I need one. There is a cat door in that smaller room (Vent Into Room) which I can vent. All I should have to do is relieve the pressure I would think…
4 Likes
I actually have 3. All are Honeywell (though IIRC 2 are rebranded).
I’m in Illinois BBQing with family at the moment (remembering our lost heroes, RIP Dad), but I’ll hit you up in a few hours when I get home and get more info for you.
What I can say now though is the two larger ones are awesome! (Back when I smoked, I actually had guests over that remarked “You smoke inside?” when I lit up… Then they commented that “I couldn’t tell when I walked in…”
I kinda went erm… Ok. I’m guessing their sense of smell wasn’t the best lol, but still, it was nice to know they were effective enough to warrant a comment! (Though I have to point out, I changed filters, and pre-filters religiously)
The only thing I was concerned about when I made the switch was vg buildup (like you see in huge vape shop windows), but so far, I haven’t noticed any issues on that front.
7 Likes
it might not really be an issue, depending on the layout bc the room you are taking the new air from will build up a negative pressure and maybe pull air from the room you are venting into. also, like you said, houses are not airtight so the pressure should be able to go Somewhere. it’s just what came to mind when you mentioned venting into a room bc the cfm is rated without pressure buildup. that’s one reason you have to keep a clean filter in your air handler(furnace /ac) bc if the filter blocks airflow, there is significantly less weight of air the fan is moving. if the fan isn’t moving air, there is no resistance on the fanblade and the rpm speeds up bc nothing stopping it and the motor can heat up from the high rpm and melt the resin on the windings and ruin the blower. I’ve replaced a few blower motors for people bc they didn’t change the filter for a few years.
5 Likes
This is the Exhaust Fan I’ll probably get. Not overly expensive and the 6" version weighs in at 265 CFM, just one CFM less than my estimated need. This fan is available up to 12’ and 965 CFM. Hopeing to finds some actual reviews of this model specifically before I buy. The seller has good ratings but I still like product reviews as well…
4 Likes
I just thought of something. The door that goes into the room (Being Vented Into), it’s door has a 3/4" gap at the bottom. It’s gonna just do a little bit of recirculating. Should work out just fine…
I used to do AC/Heat work too. Don’t think I ever seen someone who didn’t change a filter for years though. It’s a wonder the evaporator wasn’t caked up as well…
3 Likes
Just got home. Seems I was close, but off by 1. lol
The two larger units are Honeywell (model 52000, and model 53000), but the smaller one is by Hunter (model 30055).
The 53000 originally had a monster single filter (currently replaced by 3 of their smaller “ring style” filters, as they were cheaper the last time I bought AND I would have had to special order & prepay for one identical to the original).
The 52000 had a single filter originally, but could use two of the more prevalent “ring style” filters in place of the single (so it’s a tad smaller than the other, but still moves serious air).
The Hunter is the one I use in the office.
3 Likes
I use this one in the winter and it actually helps a great deal.
4 Likes
Hmm – my window AC unit seems to be taking care of things. If, for some reason, it isn’t hot just turn it on fan. Like when it turns of because my room is down to the mark temperature I get build-up.
so guess there’s an advantage to not having central air after all.
3 Likes
This is the purifier I am considering. Little more than I prefer to spend but the less expensive purifiers just don’t seem to last very long. It’s time for a decent purifier…
5 Likes
I vape in my room most often and it doesn’t have anything either. I have windows but they don’t have screens so I don’t like to open them (bugs, ugh). I bought a little desktop dehumidifier when I started to notice my carpet feeling a little damp and sticky. Made me worry about my electronics, especially my laptop, which sits on the desk as well. I turn the dehumidifier on when I’m sitting at the desk and between it and a ceiling fan, it seems to keep the fog pretty well cleared. Carpet isn’t sticky anymore. 
This is the one I got if anyone is interested:
5 Likes