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Is it feasible to use a dust filter in my garage?

C

Chevy-SS

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Feb 11, 2010
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Rhode Island
Is it feasible to use some sort of a HEPA dust filter in my garage? It's a big 2-car setup, ~1,000sf with high ceiling on one side (for a 4-post lift).

I seem to have a very dusty garage. I honestly don't know where all the dust comes from, lol. If I wash my truck, and park it in the garage, the truck is dusty as all get-out the next morning. Some is pollen (in certain seasons), for sure. I do have a woodwork area, but that is totally separate from the garage, so it is not wood dust.

Is this something I just need to live with, or are some of you guys successfully filtering the garage air? If so, how?

Thanks for any help....... 🇺🇸
 
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4xdog

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Santa Fe, NM
Fershure!

I run 20”x20” MERV14 air filters taped to the inlet side of the grille on common box fans in my two 2-car garages and my shop. Near HEPA class performance.

They work great here in dusty rural northern New Mexico, where the outside always wants to be inside. I usually have them on the floor pointing in various directions to mix up the airflow in the garage or shop. I can go weeks without needing to dust one of my four vehicles.

The box fan filters run constantly using notalot of electricity and filters typically last 6 months before I change ‘em. I usually run the fans max speed, but depending on where and how I'm working, I may set the speed low or high. I get the fans at any big-box store (HD had the best price of less than $25 for the last ones I got). I get 3M high efficiency MERV14 filters at Costco, but I've used similar filters from Rural King or anywhere one can find MERV13 or greater. I write an in-service date on the filter when they get put into use.

Interestingly, and not surprisingly when one thinks about it, I need to sweep the floors at least weekly. The large particles that don’t float on an air stream settle quickly and aren’t caught by the filters.

Updates:
1. Here's a link to a cost-performance study of this box fan mod in the context of Covid protection;

2. Here are some pix of how I have mine set up, including images of the filters on one box fan after about six months. It's easy to see how much schmutz the filter has removed from the air in my garages and shop.
i-Tp3SFzR-X5.jpg

i-SKwXWvz-X5.jpg
 
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Y

y'sguy

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May 1, 2010
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Location
Tulsa, Oklahoma
^^ I can confirm that this does do a decent job. I don't run mine constantly, just when I am working on a project that may warrant it. It would at least be worth a try to assess your needs. I have a black car, which is how I measure the dust level.
 

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P

Prospecter

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Maine
This is one of those deals where every air filtration box probably comes out of the same factory, just with different paint. I installed two WEN units, facing opposite directions. I also have my woodworking stuff connected to dust collection. Makes the air very nice.
 
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C

Chevy-SS

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Rhode Island
4xdog said:
Fershure!

I run 20”x20” MERV14 air filters taped to the fronts of common box fans in my two 2-car garages and my shop. Near HEPA class performance....
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'll try this setup right away, thanks. :thumbup: Cheap and easy.

Are you pushing the air through the filters, or pulling it through? You said the filters are on the front, so it sounds like you mean you are pushing air through the filters, is that correct?
 
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C

Chevy-SS

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Rhode Island
4xdog said:
......
2. Here are some pix of how I have mine set up, including images of the filters on one box fan after about six months. It's easy to see how much schmutz the filter has removed from the air in my garages and shop......
Click to expand...

Is this the air flow?? Thanks
 

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Jeepster04

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Jun 25, 2013
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I really like the box fan idea. It would be cool to 3D print some corners so you can set it down in them and only need to tape the edges...
 
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C

Chevy-SS

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Location
Rhode Island
4xdog said:
Just the opposite! Air gets pulled through the filter, so the stuff being filtered out doesn't get sucked through the motor and blades first.
Click to expand...

Yes, this ^^^^ is what I would have thought, similar to the filter in my home furnace (gas forced hot air).

Thanks
 
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racecougar

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Jan 26, 2021
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Missouri
Is this garage open-vented to the outdoors? Curious as to how that much pollen is making it inside the garage.

I run home made air scrubbers in my shops for metalwork & woodwork. They are just furnace blower fans with Merv 9 pre-filters and Merv 15 main filters. Likely overkill for your situation though.

 
N

nadogail

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Jan 23, 2009
Messages
31,959
Location
Coronado, CA
Jeepster04 said:
I really like the box fan idea. It would be cool to 3D print some corners so you can set it down in them and only need to tape the edges...
Click to expand...
I have Metal Backed Duct Tape, it holds the 5 filters on the suction side of m overhead box fan in place.

There was a TED Talk where we were shown how to use 5 filters and a repurposed box fan as an air cleaner. My unit was made with a perfectly good Box Fan that was abandoned by a departing tenant.

My filter is a "Knock Off" of the Corsi-Rosenthal box mentioned on other posts. I stumbled across the TED Talk Video and copied the idea.
 
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B

BillK

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Aug 24, 2006
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9,322
Location
Beautiful Southern Maryland
Chevy-SS said:
I seem to have a very dusty garage. I honestly don't know where all the dust comes from, lol. If I wash my truck, and park it in the garage, the truck is dusty as all get-out the next morning.

Thanks for any help....... 🇺🇸
Click to expand...
Lots of good suggestions but I would really have to wonder where the dust is coming from. I can park my Black Tahoe in my garage for a week and barely have any dust of any type on it ???

Somebody else already asked but ...... is your floor painted or sealed somehow ? What is the interior of your garage like ? Bare walls ? Finished ? etc ?
 
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BD55

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Joined
Aug 15, 2011
Messages
217
Location
Northern Utah
I thought this guy did a good job figuring out some really good diy solutions for dust extraction. I picked up one of the Caterpillar fans and some MERV 13 filters to build one but haven't had a chance to build it yet, so I can't report on how well his design works myself.
 
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S

Stuart in MN

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Sep 8, 2005
Messages
23,114
Location
Minneapolis
For people who want to build that DIY filter, the best box fan I've been able to find is an Air King, sold by Grainger. They're more durable and have more cfm than the ones you'll find at your local big box store.
 
C

cody1325

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Joined
Apr 17, 2024
Messages
1,093
Location
Southwest Virginia
4xdog said:
Fershure!

I run 20”x20” MERV14 air filters taped to the inlet side of the grille on common box fans in my two 2-car garages and my shop. Near HEPA class performance.

They work great here in dusty rural northern New Mexico, where the outside always wants to be inside. I usually have them on the floor pointing in various directions to mix up the airflow in the garage or shop. I can go weeks without needing to dust one of my four vehicles.

The box fan filters run constantly using notalot of electricity and filters typically last 6 months before I change ‘em. I usually run the fans max speed, but depending on where and how I'm working, I may set the speed low or high. I get the fans at any big-box store (HD had the best price of less than $25 for the last ones I got). I get 3M high efficiency MERV14 filters at Costco, but I've used similar filters from Rural King or anywhere one can find MERV13 or greater. I write an in-service date on the filter when they get put into use.

Interestingly, and not surprisingly when one thinks about it, I need to sweep the floors at least weekly. The large particles that don’t float on an air stream settle quickly and aren’t caught by the filters.

Updates:
1. Here's a link to a cost-performance study of this box fan mod in the context of Covid protection;

2. Here are some pix of how I have mine set up, including images of the filters on one box fan after about six months. It's easy to see how much schmutz the filter has removed from the air in my garages and shop.
i-Tp3SFzR-X5.jpg

i-SKwXWvz-X5.jpg
Click to expand...

Thanks for the link. I vaguely recall seeing something like that in a news article back when COVID was bad, and had recently thought of that as a cheap solution to an air purifier.

The basement has "who knows what" in the air (mold, mildew, probably insulation and dust too), as it's always messing up my sinuses, even before the 3D printer was bought (and I don't run it anywhere close to all the time. I run PLA probably 90% of the time; but I have an open printer.

Guess I need to pick up one of the filters and dig out my old box fan.
 
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