How Necessary is a Vent Hood?

[Ghostnuke]

I'm planning an upgrade to an electric system soon. Everything I've read mentions a vent hood being necessary. But how necessary is it really?

I've been boiling in my garage on my propane system already, haven't noticed any issues. How would electric be different?

 

[HLSheppard]

I know in my situation my brewery moved to the basement when I went electric. In that setting I think it's completely necessary. If you plan on staying in your garage - maybe not so much.

I will tell you that an amazing amount of steam is generated when doing a batch of beer. I wouldn't want that to be trapped in a basement!

 

[JONNYROTTEN]

Well.... this was my kitchen one brew day.
As I was feeling my way around I heard jungle sounds and something fly by my head.

 

[303Dan]

I would say for MOST situations a hood is necessary. But there are scenarios where you don't need it. I live in Colorado where the air is very dry and I brew in a 2500 square foot basement. I don't use a hood, only a fan positioned above and behind the boil kettle to push steam out into the center of the room, then another fan pushing out a partially open window with another window partially open on the other side of the basement. I don't have any issues. I monitor the humidity and it goes up from about 20% to 30% on an average brew day and drops back to normal very quickly. I never get any visible steam build up or any condensation on any surface.

All that being said, I would never recommend going without a hood unless you had a scenario similar to what I have. Even then, I'd rather have one than not, I just happen to know that my setup is temporary in its current location so it didn't make any sense to run the ducts, cut the wall for the vent, etc.

Anyway, food for thought...

Dan

 

[Homercidal]

If you plan to continue to brew in your garage, then I'd say electric is just BETTER since you don't have to worry about Carbon Monoxide. Brewday moisture isn't a big deal unless you let it build up. Even a bit of condensation on your rafters isn't a big deal unless it's on there long enough to make mold. A couple of times a month isn't a big deal.

I've brewed 5 gallon batches in my kitchen and yes, there is *some* condensation on the windows, but generally the furnace pumps the air around enough to keep it the moisture form sticking to the walls and ceiling.

 

[drksky]

I tried brewing in my basement without a hood. Within 5 minutes of starting the boil, I had water dripping off the joists.

 

[Jaybird]

If you start to see condensation drops from the ceiling.....Then its needed. If you are in a big room and can move that 3 gallons of water around.... Not needed.

First batch I did in my new brewery I had massive water dripping from the ceiling and was like..Uhhhh, time for some serious ventilation.

Cheers
Jay

 

[TorMag]

I live in Atlanta, we have some humidity. I brew in my basement without a hood. But, like 303Dan, I have a fan pushing the air from my kettle to another box fan in my window pushing the air outside. I have had no problem with condensation. Like most people in Atlanta I have a dehumidifier in my basement to keep it dry and it does not kick on any more than normal when I am brewing.

So the answer is, if you keep the air moving and sucking it outside one way or another (and a hood is one way) you will be fine.

 

[Ghostnuke]

My garage does have finished walls/ceiling, as well as ceiling fans. Sounds like I ought to just try it without and see how it goes.

 

[Siberian]

I brew with a indoor electric system but I built it up for no boil off based on the Zymatic.

So I manage no venting in my house. But I don't recommend that it for normal systems.

 

[bkboiler]

If you're feeling nerdy you can determine exactly how necessary a vent hood is just by taking a guess at your avg relative humidity, air temp, volume of the room and then the average boiloff you'd get. If this generates a relative humidity >100% or if you're ceiling may be cooler than the other parts of the room, then you will likely have a condensation issue.

Here is a handy calculator for relative humidities:
http://www.lenntech.com/calculators/humidity/relative-humidity.htm

 

[PlexVector]

@Ghostnuke,
Funny you should ask. I was cleaning out my subscribed folder and found myself looking at this old thread:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=418665

 

[Ghostnuke]

I had 15 gallons boiling for 90 minutes over the long weekend, didn't notice any moisture anywhere.

I think I'll try it without a hood for a while and see how it goes. The only issue I can think of so far is that right know I boil out in the middle of the room. When I switch to electric, it'll be up closer to the wall so there may be some condensation there. Maybe I'll need to skin the wall with plastic or stainless or something.

In any case, I came up with a plan for a vent hood if I do eventually need one.