Adequate ventilation for brewing indoors

[wfowlks]

So I just moved into a new house, and I have natural gas at the new house and was hoping to be able to brew indoors. However currently there is a 30 inch recirculate range hood installed, but I was thinking that I would need to install a ducted range hood. Its an interior wall, so its not as easy as just cutting a hole to the outside.

But what I was wondering is if you guys have any experience with what CFM I would need, I was thinking probably in the range of 6-700. But any input would be appreciated.

 

[Calypso]

Out of curiosity, what are you particularly concerned with venting? I brew indoors, in my apartment, on an electric range without ventilation. I've never had any problems. The biggest issue is that I get condensation on the ceiling, which I occasionally wipe off with a towel so it doesn't drip into anything it shouldn't.

 

[beernbourbon]

see if this helps
http://www.askthebuilder.com/sizing-an-exhaust-fan-/

(loves me the google on the internet machine )

 

[max384]

So I just moved into a new house, and I have natural gas at the new house and was hoping to be able to brew indoors. However currently there is a 30 inch recirculate range hood installed, but I was thinking that I would need to install a ducted range hood. Its an interior wall, so its not as easy as just cutting a hole to the outside.

But what I was wondering is if you guys have any experience with what CFM I would need, I was thinking probably in the range of 6-700. But any input would be appreciated.

A general rule of thumb is to take your heat output in BTUs and divide by 100. So, if you have a 50,000 BTU burner, you'd need at a minimum 500 CFM. Also, add 25 CFM for each elbow in your exhaust duct work.

This is assuming that you've got a single burner going. If you have multiple burners going, you'll have to take into account the physical dimensions of your burners. I don't recall how to do that off the top of my head, but if you Google it, you should be able to find it easily enough. And you also need to keep in mind distance from the fan as well, which again, I can't recall exactly.

Also, I haven't brewed indoors or set up an exhaust fan. I just did my own research when I was looking into doing something similar. Personally though, when I go this route (if I go this route), I'd probably double the calculated CFM just to be safe...

Most importantly is to have a carbon monoxide detector or two while brewing indoors like this. CO can rapidly kill if you're not careful.

Out of curiosity, what are you particularly concerned with venting? I brew indoors, in my apartment, on an electric range without ventilation. I've never had any problems. The biggest issue is that I get condensation on the ceiling, which I occasionally wipe off with a towel so it doesn't drip into anything it shouldn't.

Carbon monoxide!

Brewers doing 5+ gallon all grain batches can't brew on their electric stoves. Most of us use propane or natural gas, and do it outside or in a garage. For those of us contemplating brewing indoors with flame, condensation is the least of our concerns.

 

[max384]

see if this helps
http://www.askthebuilder.com/sizing-an-exhaust-fan-/

(loves me the google on the internet machine )

DO NOT use this guide for sizing an exhaust fan for an indoor brewing burner!!!

This is only an exhaust fan for an average kitchen. This will not move enough air to safely vent the CO produced in this application.

 

[Calypso]

Carbon monoxide!

Brewers doing 5+ gallon all grain batches can't brew on their electric stoves. Most of us use propane or natural gas, and do it outside or in a garage. For those of us contemplating brewing indoors with flame, condensation is the least of our concerns.

Huh. I do 5 gallon batches (which requires bringing 7.5 gallons of water to a boil) without issue. But I'm sure you guys know what you're doing, so I'll be off.

 

[max384]

Huh. I do 5 gallon batches (which requires bringing 7.5 gallons of water to a boil) without issue. But I'm sure you guys know what you're doing, so I'll be off.

You've either got one hell of a great stove, or you're just more patient than most of us are. I'm not willing to wait for each step along the way, to heat up my strike water, then my sparge water, then my wort. Brew day would take forever if I did that. I did my first few five gallon extract brews on my stovetop, and it was very time consuming, and I never got a vigorous enough boil. I just don't see it working for me for AG.

 

[wfowlks]

Out of curiosity, what are you particularly concerned with venting? I brew indoors, in my apartment, on an electric range without ventilation. I've never had any problems. The biggest issue is that I get condensation on the ceiling, which I occasionally wipe off with a towel so it doesn't drip into anything it shouldn't.

Yes, the house has ventilation issues, and traps moisture, the sellers just had the attic treated for mold and they had said that the humidity in the rooms was ridiculous. So I am a little humidity paranoid now, that is the main purpose for my venting paranoia.

I'm not really worried about the CO2 output by the NG burners.

 

[beernbourbon]

DO NOT use this guide for sizing an exhaust fan for an indoor brewing burner!!!

This is only an exhaust fan for an average kitchen. This will not move enough air to safely vent the CO produced in this application.

Well then, while I may have been a bit quick to respond to OP's question without asking a couple of crucial questions (such as does he/she intend to use a standard stove vs. a burner set up specifically for brewing), it probably is not necessary to blow the font up to such a ridiculous size to get ones point across.
However, I consider myself duly chastised "Doc", and will let the 'experts' in such matters argue the finer points of brewing indoors. I too shall be off.

 

[Hello]

Yes, the house has ventilation issues, and traps moisture, the sellers just had the attic treated for mold and they had said that the humidity in the rooms was ridiculous. So I am a little humidity paranoid now, that is the main purpose for my venting paranoia.

I'm not really worried about the CO2 output by the NG burners.

It's not CO2, it's carbon monoxide CO. There could be a concern.

@max384 you are assuming the guy wants to hook a NG line to a brewing burner whereas @beernbourbon seems to assume the same thing I have; a stove top is being used. As a result, the doomsday ventilation concerns if the guy is using a stove top and NOT a dedicated burner is quite possibility invalid here.

If the OP is using a standard stove top burner powered by NG, then I think the link provided about range hoods and such is correct. If the OP is looking to use a more powerful burner and hard plum it into a NG connection, then I think your assessment is way more accurate.

So @wfowlks do you intend to brew on your stove or did you intend to get a dedicated burner that outputs a **** ton of BTUs but still hooked into your NG line?

As for @Calypso , If brewing with an electric stove then you do want to worry about condensation. Wiping it EVERY TIME would be advantageous. I found moisture in my cabinets above the recirculated air fan as well. Just a quick wipe and all should be pretty okay. I can only do 1 gallon batches on the stove as boiling 2-3 gallons is incredibly difficult as-is.

There are electric stoves that apparently can handle 7-8 gallons of water. It's been posted here a handful of times that people can do AG full boil batches on their electric stoves no issue. I just feel lucky that mine will boil an egg.

 

[max384]

Well then, while I may have been a bit quick to respond to OP's question without asking a couple of crucial questions (such as does he/she intend to use a standard stove vs. a burner set up specifically for brewing), it probably is not necessary to blow the font up to such a ridiculous size to get ones point across.
However, I consider myself duly chastised "Doc", and will let the 'experts' in such matters argue the finer points of brewing indoors. I too shall be off.

I wasn't yelling at you or chastising you. I was just making sure my reply was seen, since I saw it as a safety issue. However, it appears that I may have misread what he wrote in the OP. I thought he was putting in a big NG burner for brewing, in which case my large warning would be appropriate. I click through a bunch of threads, and only post in some, so sometimes I get some of the details mixed up. My apologies for offending you.

 

[beernbourbon]

Nah....no worries my friend. No offense taken. Maybe just hit me a little off right then. The warnings for the noobs who don't think of such issues are very important, and I think your heart was in the right place....none of us want to hear of a fellow brewer (or anyone for that matter) meeting their demise because we didn't adequately warn them, and if rubbin' me the wrong way saved a life, well, then I guess my skin needs to get a bit thicker so we can save a few more.

 

[rodwha]

I've had natural gas stoves and never heard of CO issues, and SWMBO has lived in homes with gas and no vent-a-hood. Google says there can be issues though.

I have always brewed indoors on electric and straddling 2 burners on a sorry glass top gets 5.75 gals boiling if I partially cover the pot.

 

[ken05]

An electric stove will boil water much faster than a gas stove and produce much less water vapor. The heat transference on an electric stove is much more efficient than gas and a natural by product of gas combustion is water vapor.

Open a window.

 

[CJ-3]

Yes, the house has ventilation issues, and traps moisture, the sellers just had the attic treated for mold and they had said that the humidity in the rooms was ridiculous. So I am a little humidity paranoid now, that is the main purpose for my venting paranoia.

I'm not really worried about the CO2 output by the NG burners.

If your house has ventilation issues, and a previous mold problem, you may want to have a licensed HVAC contractor size the hood for you - purely for safety reasons.

It may cost a few extra dollars to have it professionally sized (and perhaps installed) but at least you con be certain it is done correctly.

 

[Hello]

I wasn't yelling at you or chastising you. I was just making sure my reply was seen, since I saw it as a safety issue. However, it appears that I may have misread what he wrote in the OP. I thought he was putting in a big NG burner for brewing, in which case my large warning would be appropriate. I click through a bunch of threads, and only post in some, so sometimes I get some of the details mixed up. My apologies for offending you.

I don't think you misread, he hasn't said if he intended to use the stove or a dedicated burner. My assumption is the stove based on what he has told us, but he hasn't returned to pony up any definitive answer.

You're not wrong in telling people about not brewing indoors with propane and NG burners. People do dumb things and especially when the weather is unbearably hot or unbearably cold, people tend to think they can do something and just open a window. That is, until they're found passed out on the floor in their kitchen. Even brewing just at the threshold of my garage, I try to stay outside of the garage more and I have a CO detector in the garage by the interior door just to ensure it's not building up in there.

 

[wfowlks]

Sorry for the delayed response, I do intend to use the stove, however I was debating whether or not to swap out one of the burners with something thats more like a wok-jet.

I have been looking at the KAB6 on Amazon, and I like it because I often do 10 gallon BIAB, so that should speed things up, but in NE brewing in the winter will be painful, and that's when I'll need to brew indoors, probably on the stove.

But per the suggestion of getting the HVAC person to size it up, I may just do that. Because the previous owner of the home was a DIY'er or a Jack of all trades and a master of none, and its really starting to pop up everywhere... Like he installed cabinets over a Central air vent and now the cabinets are warping...

#NewHomeStruggles

But thanks guys for the input!