Air Cleaning

[Mike Minto]

In the pursuit of cleaner air, I installed an attic fan in my very small (10x14) wood shop (aka, 'the hut'), in the hope of directing very fine, air-suspended dust outside. i wonder - will this work well, anyone know? how will this affect my 5000 btu AC unit, and overhead air cleaner? Anyone with experience in this regard please chime in.

[Todd Carpenter]

Hi Mike,

It will work, but you will need to have some sort of make up air - open door, window, or even a scuttle unit, but being a "hut", I'm guessing that part's easy - unless it's during the winter, which can make for some cold work sessions. The tricky part is figuring out which path the air is taking through the shop - you'll want your make up air to be down low - if the air is coming in above your work surfaces, it may not move enough of the dust floating down low. You may also want it coming from a variety of openings, you want to flow throught the entire shop - not just a particular path - unless you want to place all your dust makers in the path...

Keep us posted on how it works

[Aaron Wingert]

If you're talking about a whole house-type attic fan (3' diameter), it'll pull so hard in a 10x14' shop your hair will stand on end. It would suck the conditioned air and dust out in short order...Mere seconds. As mentioned, you'd need to fully open a window or door to allow it to function. I think it would be great on nice days!

If you're talking about a smaller attic ventilation fan (like the kind that mount in gable ends), I don't think it will do too much to remove much but the fine airborne dust, but that's what you're trying to do. It'll also work against your AC unit and will pull the cool air out. A cracked window or door would give it enough make up air.

[Lee Schierer]

As noted you will need to let air in to get air out of the building. Plus if you run the fan when the A/C is on with an air inlet the A/C will have to cool lots more air so your costs will go up.

[glenn bradley]

I've been doing this for years except for the very cold (as defined by natives) California winter month-and-a-half when I cover the opening with a moving pad and a bungee. I have an ambient cleaner and other DC's. I believe it helps. My return air is via the many cracks and crevices that are allowed by our weak California building codes. I can't speak to the AC as I never really use mine (only when guests from places that consider 85* warm are visiting).

[Jeff Sudmeier]

It will work, however all that nice Air Conditioned air that you had will go out with the dust.. Only time will tell if it matters enough for you.

[Chris Damm]

All you are doing is moving the dust somewhere else (along with your air conditioned air). Not a practical solution in my opinion. You need to filter the dust, A filter in front of a box fan would be a better solution. I made a small air cleaner for about $20 (I used 3 filters) out of a small furnace blower and some plywood scraps. I put a spring loaded timer on it so it continues to run after I leave the shop for the day.