Exhaust fan suggestions

[homeowner72]

Hello,

I'm looking for an exhaust fan for my garage. Keep the stale air flowing in the summer. I thought about an HRV, but that is probably a bit too much. So just a small exhaust fan would be perfect. Garage is heated but only just above freezing in winter.

Problem is that the ceiling is the fire wall. So I can not penetrate the ceiling with a regular bathroom fan. Ideally I'm looking for something that:

- Goes through the wall;
- Does not leave an ugly 12x12 box on the outside of my garage (such as the Dragon fans). Just a grill would be nice;
- Has a proper damper, so that it is sealed nice when not in use. In other words, not a barn fan.

Any suggestions? What are you all using?

Thanks for your help!

 

[brewchief]

Panasonic offers a least one wall fan, I've not seen one myself but the other panasonic fans I've dealt with have been about as nice as I've seen.

 

[homeowner72]

Panasonic offers a least one wall fan, I've not seen one myself but the other panasonic fans I've dealt with have been about as nice as I've seen.

Thanks for your quick reply.

I looked at that one (FV-08WQ1). It is only 70cfm and almost the same price as a basic HRV (at least in Canada). Probably the best option that I found up to now. Especially if I installed two or three.... My garage is around 1100 sqft. 70cfm is typically used for a small powder room.

The Vent-Axia TX6WLM is nice too, but is lists at around $950 !

The Broan 508 is another one that I came across, but it seems to be rather loud.

Sorry, I'm not easy to satisfy when it comes to my garage!

 

[pseudorealityx]

Where are you deriving the make up air?

You can't remove 70 cfm of air without bringing in 70 cfm of air from somewhere else.

 

[homeowner72]

Where are you deriving the make up air?
You can't remove 70 cfm of air without bringing in 70 cfm of air from somewhere else.

There probably is enough leakage around the 4 garage doors. There typically is no make-up intake for range hoods or dryers either.

 

[nieman]

I have an exhaust fan from delta, I've had it for maybe three years now and its the best one we've had so far to be honest. I got it cheap at http://carlsfan.com but shop around and compare and find one that you might work for you.

 

[pseudorealityx]

Panasonic makes larger fans, as do any of the other manufacturers. Broan, Greenheck, Penn, etc.

The larger ones can typically be installed as an inline fan with a small louver on the exterior. Keep in mind that most louvers are only about 60% free, so if you don't increase the size, you'll choke the fan down pretty good.

It's true that most residential dryers and range hoods are not provided with make up air. That doesn't make it a good idea. It's also why you see an increasing number of residential builds providing ventilation air into the HVAC system, keeping the house slightly pressurized, etc. Not that you'll bring in enough to deal with a 400 cfm range hood, but it still helps.

 

[pattenp]

This exhaust fan is fire rated for ceiling mount.

http://www.rewci.com/gfgacovesy.html

 

[Gary S]

Is the garage well insulated? If not, do that first. Then you won't ever want an exhaust fan.

My garage is well insulated. In the summer when outside temps go past 100 degrees F, my garage stays in the 80s. Running an exhaust fan would pull in 100 degree air and heat up the garage to 100 degrees!

 

[JakeKohl]

These guys have some nice looking wall-mount ventilators for garages. If you could find an exterior dryer vent for a 6 or 8" duct, you would be all set (I think the standard box-store varieties are 4").

http://www.tamtech.com/store/garage-fans-ventilation-exhaust,category.asp

 

[homeowner72]

Thanks everyone.

My wife likes to park the car inside the garage. Because of our winters, that means a lot of slush and humidity gets in the garage in the winter. The garage is so well insulated/vapor barrier'ed, that humidity stays in. Similar to taking a shower and not running the bathroom fan. Yes, I asked her to park outside, but the answer is 'no'. ;-)

A through the ceiling duct like the GF-14 Garage Fan is just asking for trouble in our climate. All those pounds of water would end up in the attic. Condense and cause mold.

The Tamtech units are re-branded Soler and Palau SWF Sidewall Series. For anyone interested. The box outside it too big for my liking...

I keep looking...

 

[homeowner72]

I ended up with a Panasonic FV-08WQ1. Not a lot of flow, but very quiet and very low power. Very happy with the quality.

Thanks all.

 

[DrJaymez]

How is the Panasonic working out?

At 70cfm, that fan makes me leery that it simply wouldn't move enough air for my 17x22 garage.

It looks like that would change out my air every 48 minutes, which might be fine for ventilating the sort of chronic garage smells which we all find comforting but that my wife doesn't want infiltrating the stuff stored in the garage.

 

[Jackfre]

Www.tjernlund.com Check out their Xchanger system.

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

You can use any of these ceiling mounted fans (higher cfm are better) and duct it through the roof with metal ducting to maintain your fire rating. This will look better than going out a side wall.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

For "cooling" a garage or shop in the summer, I doubt a 70 cfm fan would have any effect at all. I would be thinking along the lines of a 24" to 36" attic or gable mounted louvered/shuttered exhaust fan, such as a greenhouse fan or chicken house fan.

Charles

 

[DPelletier]

Old thead but;

An exhaust fan is a good idea. 70 CFM is pretty weak; I used a 300 CFM Broan 1.5 sone insulated cabinet fan and ducted it through the wall. My garage is 650 sq. ft with an 11' ceiling. I use a fresh air intake hood with a backdraft damper on other end of the opposite wall for makeup air.

There are a myriad of manufacturers and fan types/configurations. a ceiling or inline fan is likely the most cost effective. Avoid the cheap "builders pack" bathroom fans or you'll have a fan that is noisy and too small.

 

[pseudorealityx]

Old thead but;

An exhaust fan is a good idea. 70 CFM is pretty weak; I used a 300 CFM Broan 1.5 sone insulated cabinet fan and ducted it through the wall. My garage is 650 sq. ft with an 11' ceiling. I use a fresh air intake hood with a backdraft damper on other end of the opposite wall for makeup air.

There are a myriad of manufacturers and fan types/configurations. a ceiling or inline fan is likely the most cost effective. Avoid the cheap "builders pack" bathroom fans or you'll have a fan that is noisy and too small.

2.5 ACH is enough to remove some mild fumes and stuffiness. That's a good solution IMO.

 

[DrJaymez]

Sounds like I need about 140 CFM to achieve 2.5 ACH. Looking at the Broan 509. 6.5 Sones at full blast. It sounds like this would be my best bet for a low wall installation, which may be best in a garage. That said, I would have a lot more options for quieter fans, i.e. the panasonic that moves 290 CFM and is whisper quiet...

Any thoughts on high vs low placement?

 

[Tim The Tool Man]

Another thing to try is one of these: I have two and the air movement they create prevents any stale smell...

 

[kbs2244]

If you want to home brew I would go with the fan from a curbside clothes dryer.
They come with a 4 inch duct that would look fine on the outside.
Hook it up to a humindstat.

 

[dave67fd]

1400 cfm for under $150

http://carlsfan.com/maxxair-if14-review

 

[Thruxton]

1400 cfm for under $150

http://carlsfan.com/maxxair-if14-review

Put one like this in my barn last year, effective but VERY noisy.