Workshop talk

[Jhawth]

I have a heated garage that I also use as my workshop space. During the winter outside Temps can get a little chilly. Early/late winter is in the 10-20F +/- a few, middle of winter we can see weeks on end of single digit temperatures with extremes getting in the -30F. I enjoy being in my garage making stuff, but most of the fun things also create fumes and vapors that are not so good to be breathing in.

Traditionally in the past I have a man door on the back of my garage I'll crack open to get fresh air in, but then the heater runs almost constantly. I want to put some sort of ventilation system in my garage. I was thinking about installing an air exchanger so I could pull fresh air in and use the hot air leaving to help warm up the fresh air that's coming in. After doing some Google searches I'm not sure if that is even a good idea or not.

Any members on here also live in the Great North with a heated garage / shop with some sort of ventilation system? Could you please share what you're using, pros / cons and If you could do it again would you go a different route or do everything the same?

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[Pinion]

Start with getting a few CO monitors to see where you're at with your current heating system if you're using combustion. If they don't go off, you should be fine.

You can use a dog door and a fan that fits in it for exhaust.

If I'm spraying something really funky, I'll do it differently. When I'm done, I will open the garage door for a minute or so when I'm done and point my high CFM fan from the middle of the garage to the open garage door. It gets everything out and then I close the door.

You can also get a full face respirator that filters organics, then do what I suggested above to change the air when you're done. Open the door, use the fan, and use the time the air changes to go in the house to get more beers and take a leak.

 

[Jhawth]

Start with getting a few CO monitors to see where you're at with your current heating system if you're using combustion. If they don't go off, you should be fine.

You can use a dog door and a fan that fits in it for exhaust.

If I'm spraying something really funky, I'll do it differently. When I'm done, I will open the garage door for a minute or so when I'm done and point my high CFM fan from the middle of the garage to the open garage door. It gets everything out and then I close the door.

You can also get a full face respirator that filters organics, then do what I suggested above to change the air when you're done. Open the door, use the fan, and use the time the air changes to go in the house to get more beers and take a leak.

I got a couple CO detectors in the garage already, everything has been good there. I do a method similar to your fan / garage door combo but I just hate doing that when it's 5°F outside. Also depending on what I'm doing the open door fan method can end up blowing junk all over what I'm working on which can be bad if it's paint or lacquer for example.

Doggy door W/ fan would let so much cold air in. I keep my garage minimum of 45°f all winter except when I'm out there working I set it to 60°f.

 

[Pinion]

I'd just use the dog door as an exhaust.

What are you heating with right now? I use electric, but it's only because the garage came with it when we bought the house. I have a propane torpedo heater that I normally use.

 

[Jhawth]

I'd just use the dog door as an exhaust.

What are you heating with right now? I use electric, but it's only because the garage came with it when we bought the house. I have a propane torpedo heater that I normally use.

I have a reznor natural gas heater hanging from the ceiling, came with the house which is why I bought it lol, I wanted a heated garage that bad!

I'll keep the doggy door / fan in mind, I would really like to see if someone on here put in a HRV or something.

 

[Kidvette]

I have a heated garage that I also use as my workshop space. During the winter outside Temps can get a little chilly. Early/late winter is in the 10-20F +/- a few, middle of winter we can see weeks on end of single digit temperatures with extremes getting in the -30F. I enjoy being in my garage making stuff, but most of the fun things also create fumes and vapors that are not so good to be breathing in.

Traditionally in the past I have a man door on the back of my garage I'll crack open to get fresh air in, but then the heater runs almost constantly. I want to put some sort of ventilation system in my garage. I was thinking about installing an air exchanger so I could pull fresh air in and use the hot air leaving to help warm up the fresh air that's coming in. After doing some Google searches I'm not sure if that is even a good idea or not.

Any members on here also live in the Great North with a heated garage / shop with some sort of ventilation system? Could you please share what you're using, pros / cons and If you could do it again would you go a different route or do everything the same?

You can install an attic wall mount ventilation fan in your wall and wire it to a manual switch and just turn it on when you feel you need it. When its off the louvers close so you wont loose to much heat.. I used them in my hot garage during the summer months. Good luck.

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