Spray foam and vents?

[FL Guy]

I installed 3 of these vents in my garage to help with air circulation along with my exhaust fan.

Next week I’m getting the garage spray foamed and I’m 90% sure I’ll be installing a mini split in the future.
Ideas I’m considering… and open to others as well.

Leave the vents in place and build a removable cover for them to seal them off from the inside? Fall and winter months I can remove the cover? I live in Cen FL

Remove vents entirely and patch the outside with left over siding?

 

[jkeyser14]

Cut some stryofoam and stick it on with magnets in the winter? Or maybe some latches that hold it in place?

 

[dfiler2]

I would make some jamb extensions to bring it even with your framing then do the styrofoam covers. The foamers can then get the proper thickness around the vent and it will be easy to cover or uncover when you want.

 

[CraigStu]

My gut feeling is that adding insulation has no effect on proper airflow designed to try to keep the building from being an oven. But could you fill us in on the location of those vents? Are they inlets or outlets?

 

[FL Guy]

My gut feeling is that adding insulation has no effect on proper airflow designed to try to keep the building from being an oven. But could you fill us in on the location of those vents? Are they inlets or outlets?

All 3 are located near the front ground level of the garage. They are intakes for the exhaust fan

 

[FredWanaker]

if there is natural gas in the garage then leave them open. Gas is heavier than air and it needs a path out in case of a leak.

 

[FL Guy]

if there is natural gas in the garage then leave them open. Gas is heavier than air and it needs a path out in case of a leak.

There is no gas

 

[CraigStu]

I'd stick w/ keeping them usable. Making an easy to remove blocking cover might be useful. I have never had a garage w/ an exhaust fan so no real experience. But I do know that an exhaust fan does almost nothing w/o intake vents like you have. Also, experience w/ a whole house exhaust fan we found opening a window to let air in what mattered was the window location compared to the sun. If we opened a window that was in direct sunlight it was real questionable if we gained anything overall. So we always opened windows that were shaded.

 

[dcg9381]

My gut feeling is that adding insulation has no effect on proper airflow designed to try to keep the building from being an oven. But could you fill us in on the location of those vents? Are they inlets or outlets?

Foam buildings are designed to be closed envelope. It's different if you're actually trying to pull air in and need a place for it to go. Personally, I'd frame that in on the inside and make it easy to open up.

if there is natural gas in the garage then leave them open. Gas is heavier than air and it needs a path out in case of a leak.

Residential done in foam doesn't have "gas leak" vents. I do agree that a propane/NG detector would be a good idea (if you have such installed)