How to Remove Shop Exhaust
Working on an engine in a closed shop can be deadly. The exhaust fumes produced by burning high-octane fuel should be removed by installing proper ventilation -- especially when engines are running.
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Things You'll Need
- Shop vents
- Jigsaw (hand tool)
- Drill (with bits and screwdriver adapter)
- Shop vacuum
- Metal garbage can
- Floor fan
- Wall fan
Instructions
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Install wall vents at one end of the shop. Most garage shops have a thin tin shell that can be cut with a jigsaw to attach wall vents. Install vent tubes through the insulation or sheet rock, if necessary. Install one tube every 12 feet per running vehicle. If more running vehicles are contained in the shop, install additional vents as needed to pipe fresh air in the enclosed space.
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Install wall vents at the other end of the shop. This wall will be the exhaust wall and will have a wall fan to continuously draw toxic fumes out from the shop. Cut a hole through the wall with your jig saw and mount the exhaust fan directly to the metal or wood frame of the wall using screws.
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Position a floor fan to blow toward the exhaust vents. Place it near the intake vents and let it blow through the work area and towards the exhaust wall at the other side of the shop. Turn on the wall exhaust fan to displace more CFM (cubic feet per minute) of shop exhaust when running the engine in the enclosed shop.
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Collect dangerous exhaust directly from the tailpipe using a metal garbage can, Cut a hole in the bottom of the can big enough to fit the end of a hose on an industrial vacuum cleaner. Place the base of the vacuum outside and run the end of the hose to the can, pointing it at the exhaust pipe. Run the vacuum and use the can to remove shop exhaust.
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Tips & Warnings
A shop door can be screened to allow only outside air to enter the building. Shop vacuums are used as ventilators to remove debris from bead blasters, grinders, and drills.
Wear proper ventilators when working around fuel that contains alcohol or nitro-methane.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Colin Anderson/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
