Air compressor in small room
- Thread starter BOOT
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aptdweller
Well-known member
You're fine. If the room truly was hermetically sealed and you were pumping the air outside, you would have an hour before you were in any trouble. It would also be an incredibly difficult endeavor to make such a large sealed area.
As long as there is some connection (such as a quarter inch below a door), you won't ever create a pressure differential.
As long as there is some connection (such as a quarter inch below a door), you won't ever create a pressure differential.
Yah figured after my post I'd be recycling the air. Forgot to ask this but I'm mainly not sure if that air is good to breath, even if I piped in the compressed air from another room. Mainly why I wanted to ask about a vent, but I just read something about the vac and didn't think it out.
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wkearney99
Well-known member
Sealed? And you're planning on doing what in there? Or is it just lacking any vents or windows of it's own? Regardless, if you're using anything that's going to put chemicals or dirt/dust into the air you'd do well to have a plan for it.
K'ledgeBldr
Well-known member
It's probably not a bad idea to vent the space- one vent low, one high; creates convection. The problem isn't "air" it's heat.
The other thing to consider (especially for noise) plumb the intake to the exterior and use a Solemberg silencer/filter.
The other thing to consider (especially for noise) plumb the intake to the exterior and use a Solemberg silencer/filter.
matt_i
Well-known member
I would just put it in there and not worry about anything unless its a metal skin roof with no insulation like a garden shed that might get super hot under the sun load. At that point I would think about venting it. In my mind, its literally impossible for a mortal to create a cube-type room with regular stick framing that would be tight enough to create any type of vacuum that the air compressor would notice.
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I'll be doing all sorts of metal chip/dust making(some wood) and wearing a dust mask(resp if chem). I don't want to over vent the room because I'm using it mainly in the winter & it has no heat. I'll use a small heater if needed but now I'm thinking maybe I won't need one if it's not vented to the outside. No windows but two doors, one seal to inside of house and other is a new door to the outside(I'll leave open in warm weather). Chemicals I don't plan on using really but I can open the door & air the room out in warm weather. Seal to the house isn't perfect and partly why I am redoing this old sunroom so the house is a bit warmer as well.
I just sealed/caulked around the new door last night and left it open till it got nice & cold, then shut it and when I went out there today the room was warmer than outside, but not as warm as the house(still gotta insulate the outer two walls as well). So it's not air tight but will be sealed up well from outside.
I was also wondering about some small vent that could be caped off when the room is not in use.
sry just kinda thinking aloud
I just sealed/caulked around the new door last night and left it open till it got nice & cold, then shut it and when I went out there today the room was warmer than outside, but not as warm as the house(still gotta insulate the outer two walls as well). So it's not air tight but will be sealed up well from outside.
I was also wondering about some small vent that could be caped off when the room is not in use.
sry just kinda thinking aloud
wkearney99
Well-known member
Well, when doing woodworking you really do want to have something more than just a mask dealing with fine dust. Lots of folks ignore it but the long term risks to your lungs make it worth considering some kind of recirculating filter. If not that at least a dust collector (not just a shopvac) attached to the tools or worktable.
finn
Well-known member
Invest in hearing protection.
Way ahead of yah!
I was considering putting the compressor in it's own cabinet to help with sound for the neighbors If I dod some late night work, but if I gotta vent it out side that kinda defeats that. If I can vent it inside then I still may once I see how well the foam board insulation does for the room.redmondjp
Well-known member
When I was younger, I just laughed this off. But after reading too many testimonials of people who have gotten COPD or some other fatal lung disease from prolonged exposure to something as seemingly benign as wood dust, my opinion has changed completely.
Over the past few years, I have purchased a number of tools and supplies from a retired wood shop teacher. Guess what disease he has? It's going to do him in eventually.
Any particulate matter small enough to get deep into your lung tissue never comes back out. That eventually causes damage and potentially disease, years later.
I'll get off the soapbox now, but if this makes one person think about using a respirator or getting a proper dust removal system, then it's worth it. And as stated above, those inexpensive "dust" masks that most people wear aren't good enough because they don't completely to your face and thus leak too much dirty air.
Hearing protection and a good respirator, and you're good to go. You can get a decent respirator for $40-60 (and up) at the local box store.