Venting a communications closet - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

flashheatingand · 09-11-2009, 08:50 PM

The homeowner complained about the heat in his closet that holds what appears to be household communications (TV, Sound, and Maybe something to do with computers) The plan was to install a vent fan above. On second thought, I remember hearing you guys mention interference with high voltage and communications wiring.

One can install a remote fan, but it is more money. If necessary, fine. But, it's not the first choice. Remote fan? or bath fan?

480sparky · 09-11-2009, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashheatingand

........On second thought, I remember hearing you guys mention interference with high voltage and communications wiring...........

Only if they're in close proximity with each other. And by close, I don't mean in the same room. I mean in the same hole drilled through a stud or joist.

glassman · 09-11-2009, 10:10 PM

Is the homeowner receptive to changing out the closet door to one that has louvers?

flashheatingand · 09-12-2009, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by glassman

Is the homeowner receptive to changing out the closet door to one that has louvers?

No, he doesn't like the aesthetics

flashheatingand · 09-12-2009, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 480sparky

Only if they're in close proximity with each other. And by close, I don't mean in the same room. I mean in the same hole drilled through a stud or joist.

There are a lot of wires penetrating through the wall in question. Looks a bit like spaghetti

ABLE1 · 09-12-2009, 11:43 AM

Depending on the specific layout or location it would be best to install a return duct in the ceiling and direct to the HVAC trunk line.
Then cut about 2" off the bottom of the door.
Install a in line fan to keep a positive air flow.

Or Vice Versa

A louvered door may increase the sound (if any) to the living space.

High temps will kill electronics.

Good Luck,

Les

Bubbles · 09-12-2009, 12:06 PM

You look like one of my relatives able. I'm not for sure cause I drink heavily at the family functions to avoid the empty conversations

flashheatingand · 09-12-2009, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABLE1

Depending on the specific layout or location it would be best to install a return duct in the ceiling and direct to the HVAC trunk line.
Then cut about 2" off the bottom of the door.
Install a in line fan to keep a positive air flow.

Or Vice Versa

A louvered door may increase the sound (if any) to the living space.

High temps will kill electronics.

Good Luck,

Les

2" gap from the bottom of the door? Ok, I checked the gap and thought perhaps it was a little tight (1/2-1"), and the h/o said that was fine. If 2" is the recommended distance, that is good to know.

Installing the cut out and making in another return run is a clever idea, but, would it suck out all the heat? Seeing the fan only energizes upon a call for heat/cool. I was thinking to take that heat, and dump it in the garage.

ABLE1 · 09-12-2009, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashheatingand

2" gap from the bottom of the door? Ok, I checked the gap and thought perhaps it was a little tight (1/2-1"), and the h/o said that was fine. If 2" is the recommended distance, that is good to know.

Installing the cut out and making in another return run is a clever idea, but, would it suck out all the heat? Seeing the fan only energizes upon a call for heat/cool. I was thinking to take that heat, and dump it in the garage.

Think about it. First heat rises. So in a small closet the hottest spot is at the top. That is where you put the grill with a duct to the HVAC trunk.

The 2" at the bottom is to give an equal amount of cool air coming in to the space. If it is presently 1/2 to 1" the calculate the square inches of the area. If you are in the HVAC business you should know how many sq in or sq ft you will need in a opening for a given duct that will move X amount of cfm.

The 2" gap is not set in stone just my best guess to make sure you are not sucking the door shut. Depending upon the amount of air flow this may not be a big issue.

The main point is that even if you are going to vent to the garage where is that air coming from???? The conditioned space??

Yes??

So why not include the heated air into the HVAC and condition it like the rest of the house??

Again Good Luck,

Les

ABLE1 · 09-12-2009, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bubbles

You look like one of my relatives able. I'm not for sure cause I drink heavily at the family functions to avoid the empty conversations

Bubbles,

If you have relatives that look my avatar I have a boat load of sympathy for you.

Then again if you are 3 sheets to the wind then maybe they look pretty good under normal conditions.

The truth is that the avatar is a picture of me in disguise when I went to my cousins wedding last year. The only one at the wedding that knew me was my cousin out of about 80 family members of her soon to be husband. I was asked to leave a number of times, thinking I was a wedding party crasher until I produced my invitation. Took a little over 1/2 hour for my cousin to finally realize that of all the nuts in our family tree I would have been the only one crazy enough to travel 600 miles, and show up at a family reunion/wedding party with 80 Cajuns. At one point I thought I might be fed to the closest alligator. All had a good time. Lots of fun. Just received the invite to this years bash for both my wife and I. Haven't made plans as yet.

Any chance you were in South Carolina last October, 2008???? If you were it might explain your remembrance.

BTW the avatar/picture make me look much much better.

Have a good weekend.

Les

Inner10 · 09-12-2009, 07:13 PM

I use these alot and they rock.

http://www.middleatlantic.com/rackac...ol.htm#clscool

Scrool down to the Closet Cool. Throw some stain on the oak vent and it looks sexy! I've even put the closet cooler on cabnits.

ABLE1 · 09-12-2009, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inner10

I use these alot and they rock.

http://www.middleatlantic.com/rackac...ol.htm#clscool

Scrool down to the Closet Cool. Throw some stain on the oak vent and it looks sexy! I've even put the closet cooler on cabnits.

Well leave it up to a Canadian to come up with a super link. Thanks!!!

BTW they have a very nice calculator.
http://repnet.middleatlantic.com/COM...lc/TMCalc3.asp

Have a good rest of the weekend.

Les

flashheatingand · 09-13-2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ABLE1

Think about it. First heat rises. So in a small closet the hottest spot is at the top. That is where you put the grill with a duct to the HVAC trunk.

The 2" at the bottom is to give an equal amount of cool air coming in to the space. If it is presently 1/2 to 1" the calculate the square inches of the area. If you are in the HVAC business you should know how many sq in or sq ft you will need in a opening for a given duct that will move X amount of cfm.

The 2" gap is not set in stone just my best guess to make sure you are not sucking the door shut. Depending upon the amount of air flow this may not be a big issue.

The main point is that even if you are going to vent to the garage where is that air coming from???? The conditioned space??

Yes??

So why not include the heated air into the HVAC and condition it like the rest of the house??

Again Good Luck,

Les

First of all, I want to thank you for getting my head out of my Butt, I should have known the distance thing about the door. Simple math

.

As for tying the heated air into the return line. It's a simple effective idea, and honestly, that is the way I would recommend for the $$. However, the homeowner wants a fan with a t-stat(we will see when he compares prices). Tap into the homes hvac system or into the garage, it's 6 to a half dozen. It likely won't help that much in heating the home nor the garage. My thinking is that by adding heat to the garage, it will more effectively lower the heat load on the house.

Perhaps the engineers can more accurately answer that, but the original question was in regards to high voltage clearance from all the spaghetti.

Once again, thanks for the input. I didn't consider tapping into the return, and I didn't even think about the math in determining the correct spacing.

Security101 · 09-13-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

The truth is that the avatar is a picture of me in disguise

Dang, and I thought it was a pic some rock star that I should probably know

Jim

ABLE1 · 09-13-2009, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashheatingand

First of all, I want to thank you for getting my head out of my Butt, I should have known the distance thing about the door. Simple math

.

You are welcome. Always trying to help a fellow CT guy. BTW isn't it a ratio of about 4 times the duct size for a grill opening to not restrict the air flow??

Concerning the separation from the spaghetti, the general rule is 1 foot. However give it as much as you can and if they have to cross always do it at 90 degrees.

Have a good week.

Les