Electric ventilation

[Pintabone]

I just went through my first electric brew session, still brewing in the garage, and I need to come up with ventilation solution for all the steam. I've searched through some threads but wondering what success people have had with cheap range hoods that are near 400 CFM?

I see some online for around $100 - $150 which is pretty reasonable. Any thoughts?

 

[tofuguy]

I would recommend reading up on this, before making a decision:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...-no-overhead-ventilation-needed.636955/unread

You can buy a preassembled kit if you want:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/steamslayer.htm

 

[NewJersey]

I would recommend reading up on this, before making a decision:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/...-no-overhead-ventilation-needed.636955/unread

You can buy a preassembled kit if you want:
https://www.brewhardware.com/product_p/steamslayer.htm

He's brewing in his garage tho.
I think he'll be fine with the cheap hood posted. It's not like he's brewing in his living room

 

[Pintabone]

Yeah, this is still in the garage. I'm just trying to keep the steam in check. Half of my garage ceiling is not yet dry walled so the wood took on a ton of moisture. I will be drywalling and finishing it at some point but still want to put in an exhaust solution. I should only have to run one elbow and 5 feet max of exhaust tubing to the outside wall of the garage. So I think the simplest solution for me would be a range hood assuming it can move the steam well enough.

 

[verboten]

That is what I'll be doing eventually. A hood just over the Robobrew with a vent outside. something like this

 

[kevin58]

In the garage just use a cheap house fan, box fan, oscillating fan etc.

 

[tofuguy]

I like the condenser since I can keep my garage closed during the winter.

 

[Goowa]

I like the condenser since I can keep my garage closed during the winter.

Here's me agreeing with you! That make up air from the exhaust is going to have to come from somewhere. In the winter that means more frigid western NY air in my brew space.

 

[Quadrider]

I should only have to run one elbow and 5 feet max of exhaust tubing to the outside wall of the garage. So I think the simplest solution for me would be a range hood assuming it can move the steam well enough.

Pretty much same situation here. Here's an awesome thread and I strongly considered doing this as a resolution:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/easy-cheap-stainless-vent-hood.418665/

After browsing FB Marketplace though, I found a brand new $850 Bertazonni 400 CFM 36" Stainless kitchen hood for $250 that I couldn't pass up. Going to pick it up today and hopefully mount this weekend. Although it's only a standard higher-end kitchen hood fan, I'm hoping it will have enough CFM's to clear all the steam from my 15G EBiab system. Will post an update when done

 

[mongoose33]

I did the exhaust-the-steam-through-the-window-in-garage thing, and it worked. However, there has to be makeup air (coming in through the service door), and when it's cold outside, I need to put a propane heater to counter that incoming air. Kind of a pain.

My garage is insulated and I don't want steam collecting in that insulation, so some method to remove steam was needed. I went with the steam slayer noted above. If you don't have an easy source of water this isn't the best solution, but now I brew with the garage door closed and it's more than comfortable in the garaqe.

And no hole cut in the wall to accommodate a hood. BTW, doing electric brewing.

 

[Pintabone]

Is makeup air really that big of a concern with one of these range hoods in a garage? I found someone selling new Haier 450 CFM wall mount range hoods for $80. Seems like a better solution that the mixing bowl DIY at that price.

I'm fine brewing in a garage that maintains about 50 degrees in the winter. The garage door isn't a perfect seal so air can move in through there. Also have a window that can be cracked if needed.

 

[Tartan1]

Is makeup air really that big of a concern with one of these range hoods in a garage

Maybe a bit off topic but I've often wondered the same with respect to kitchen range hoods, bathroom exhaust fans etc... inside the house. I have installed both types over the years (DIY) and have followed the manufacturers installation instructions as well as local code requirements but I've never come across a provision to make allowances for makeup air. Maybe this is buried elsewhere in a code somewhere however you would think the manufacturer would make mention of this somewhere in the installation guide?
I could see this being a concern for a commercial application as the volumes of air being exhausted would be substantially more than the amounts a typical household would be.

 

[mongoose33]

Is makeup air really that big of a concern with one of these range hoods in a garage? I found someone selling new Haier 450 CFM wall mount range hoods for $80. Seems like a better solution that the mixing bowl DIY at that price.

I'm fine brewing in a garage that maintains about 50 degrees in the winter. The garage door isn't a perfect seal so air can move in through there. Also have a window that can be cracked if needed.

In a word...yes. You simply can't move air out if there's no way for it to be replaced. Imagine you had a perfect seal in your garage, everywhere except the opening for the fan. You'd be trying to pull a vacuum! It doesn't matter how strong the fan is. In fact, if it's very strong, you'll be pulling air back around the fan itself. If you want to exhaust the steam, you have to reduce the resistance to being exhausted.

So you have to have makeup air from someplace. Your window, depending on its location, may be perfect for that.

BTW, range hoods are notorious, at least in my experience, for having very weak exhaust fans.

 

[mongoose33]

Maybe a bit off topic but I've often wondered the same with respect to kitchen range hoods, bathroom exhaust fans etc... inside the house. I have installed both types over the years (DIY) and have followed the manufacturers installation instructions as well as local code requirements but I've never come across a provision to make allowances for makeup air. Maybe this is buried elsewhere in a code somewhere however you would think the manufacturer would make mention of this somewhere in the installation guide?
I could see this being a concern for a commercial application as the volumes of air being exhausted would be substantially more than the amounts a typical household would be.

That's because most houses are not built tight enough for that to be an issue. If you have a dryer with an exhaust hose, guess what? You're pulling air back in (to some degree) through that. Usually there is a louvered arrangement to reduce blowback when it's windy, but it's not perfect.

Same with cracks around windows and doors, in the frame construction, almost everywhere. Unless the house has been specifically constructed to take into account issues of air leaks, you've got them.

***********

BTW, I have some familiarity with all this. Up to half the heating load in a house can be air infiltration, i.e., cold air leaking in and pushing out heated air. When we had our house built I personally did all the insulation, all of it. That way I knew nobody was taking shortcuts. This home is so tight that I need an air-exchange heat recovery ventilator to provide fresh air. That's not a problem--I wanted a home that tight so I wouldn't be constantly heating outside air.

And it is. The bathroom fans and range hood don't work particularly well. The house isn't 100 percent--there's air pulled back inside through the openings for those fans, as well as the dryer, as well as despite my best effort's the envelope seal isn't perfect--but they don't exhaust like I wish they would. It's the price I pay for having a very, very tight house.

BTW, last year, coldest month of the year (Dec-Jan) heating bill, 3000-sf house: $75. That's in southern Wisconsin.

 

[Soulshine2]

I just went through my first electric brew session, still brewing in the garage, and I need to come up with ventilation solution for all the steam. I've searched through some threads but wondering what success people have had with cheap range hoods that are near 400 CFM?

I see some online for around $100 - $150 which is pretty reasonable. Any thoughts?

bathroom exhaust fan , duct it outside.
use greenboard and a plastic vapor barrier under it when you sheetrock it if youre that worried about moisture.

 

[Quadrider]

Mounted the Bertazonni 400 cfm Hood Fan this weekend and piped it in using all 6" Duct. I didn't want to drill through the brick or roof for the discharge exhaust, and luckily had a casement window directly next to the fan. Removed the screen, and Cut a piece of acrylic to fit, and mounted the discharge. Boiled 5 Gal. to test and the fan worked excellent. Very high powered and more then enough suction to remove 90-95% of the steam even with the (3) 90 degree elbows. However, within the first 10-15 minutes of boil, the fan started to condense quite a bit and leak down to the table. I ended up mounting 2 shelf brackets with a bowl underneath to collect the condensation water, which worked terrific. Had I mounted the fan higher, I probably wouldn't have had this problem as bad. After 45 Minutes I noticed the lower exhaust 90 degree elbow starting to leak as well... which sucks but maybe some silicone or duct tape would resolve. Overall, I'm very happy. Total invested with fan, pipe, and fittings $315.00. Yes I could've went with something way cheaper, but we're going to be in the home a while, and I wanted to do it right the first time... or at least attempt to within a reasonable budget.

 

[Goowa]

Mounted the Bertazonni 400 cfm Hood Fan this weekend and piped it in using all 6" Duct. I didn't want to drill through the brick or roof for the discharge exhaust, and luckily had a casement window directly next to the fan. Removed the screen, and Cut a piece of acrylic to fit, and mounted the discharge. Boiled 5 Gal. to test and the fan worked excellent. Very high powered and more then enough suction to remove 90-95% of the steam even with the (3) 90 degree elbows. However, within the first 10-15 minutes of boil, the fan started to condense quite a bit and leak down to the table. I ended up mounting 2 shelf brackets with a bowl underneath to collect the condensation water, which worked terrific. Had I mounted the fan higher, I probably wouldn't have had this problem as bad. After 45 Minutes I noticed the lower exhaust 90 degree elbow starting to leak as well... which sucks but maybe some silicone or duct tape would resolve. Overall, I'm very happy. Total invested with fan, pipe, and fittings $315.00. Yes I could've went with something way cheaper, but we're going to be in the home a while, and I wanted to do it right the first time... or at least attempt to within a reasonable budget.

Man that is hot. Nice work!