Garage Ventilation

pingwin77 · 10-21-2011, 08:56 PM

I'm not quite sure where to put this thread, but I figured since it was going to end up being a DIY project, this might be as good of a place as any.

I line in MN and as most of you know, it can get awefully cold here in the winter. I love my brewing and plan on doing it all year long, but I'm tired of having to layer on the clothes to stay warm in the winter. I know that I could switch over to electric brewing and just stay indoors, but I do not want to make that kind of investment in equipment.

My question is about ventilation and any suggestions you guys might have about how to get my garage set-up? I have a 1 car attached garage with a window on the back wall. If I just open the window and put a fan in there to suck out the all the crap that come from the burner (carbon monoxide?) would that be enough or would I need to go with something a bit more industrial? I do not know much about this kind of stuff and was hoping to find some good info from fellow brewers about how they have handled similar issues.

Thanks!

mavrick1903 · 10-21-2011, 09:21 PM

There have been threads to this effect, but suffice to say, you should be fine. Crack a window if you want, or the garage door itself. I'd suggest only a portion of the door (close it on a 2x4 that does not go the whole distance.

Personally, I heat my garage shop for woodworking in the winter with propane blue flame (basically the same as what we use for brew heat if not electric) and it's fine.

if you get a headache, open up or leave. use common sense and you should be ok.

Put in an Carbon Monoxide alarm and have a home brew.

vtchuck · 10-21-2011, 09:38 PM

I brew all winter in my garage using a gable vent fan that I wired to a wall switch... after disconnecting the thermostat. Have used it for 3 winters, and I'm pretty sure any lost brain cells are the result of the consuming the final product, not carbon monoxide.

shortyjacobs · 10-22-2011, 12:03 AM

I'm in MN as well. I brew all winter, garage door shut. I have a CO sensor in there, right next to me, but it's never gone off. The garage is heated first by my garage heater, (NG, looks like this, but it's bolted to the wall, puts out (I think), 40000 BTU, and cost me something like $80 (again, I think, might have been $140)). Once I start brewing, especially when both burners are running (propane burners), I usually shut the garage heater off, or else it gets above 80* in there.

Garages are leaky, it'll take a lot to build up enough CO to hurt you. Keep a monitor in there, crack the door or window if it makes you feel better, but don't go apesh!t with big fans and stuff.

(My evidence is anecdotal, make sure you use a CO monitor, and don't sue me if you die).