Exhausting through the wall?

OneHit

Well-Known Member
Im thinking about cutting a hole in my closet, and exhausting the filtered air through the walls of the condo. Is there any problems with doing this?
 

desertrat

Well-Known Member
if at all possible you should vent to the outside - directly or by connecting to a household conduit that already goes outside. venting into the wall can cause mold problems
 

OneHit

Well-Known Member
I dont think thats an option. The closet is smack dab in the middle of the condo.
How is venting into the walls different from venting into a normal room with a cab?
 

AsbestosToast

Well-Known Member
Venting into a room, or to the outdoors, the moisture dissipates in to the air, but venting into the wall, all the wood and insulation and shit will absorb the moisture and shit your pumping into it. More moisture and heat = mold.
 

desertrat

Well-Known Member
How is venting into the walls different from venting into a normal room with a cab?
good question, simple answer. when you vent into the room the heating/cooling system in your house will distribute the moisture enough to not matter. in the wall you will be creating an enclosed, moist and warm area which is just what mold likes.
 

bearo420

Well-Known Member
good question, simple answer. when you vent into the room the heating/cooling system in your house will distribute the moisture enough to not matter. in the wall you will be creating an enclosed, moist and warm area which is just what mold likes.

perfect answer.
 

homerdog

Well-Known Member
Another problem with venting into the wall is the general construction. Most of the time there is a board running across the top of the studs, this means with a wall on each side of the studs, sitting on the floor (actually another board), and a board across the top, you have a sealed box. If this is your condo and you really want to pursue this, you would need to go into the attic and cut a hole in the board that runs across the top and drop some 4" dryer vent down to where you have cut a hole in the wall. Or you could do the opposite and vent into the basement depending on what floor it is on.

The best option would be to remove the drywall between two studs cut a hole through the top and the bottom (to draw in cool air from basement/crawl space) and cut holes into the replacement drywall to fit the vent tubing. Should be about a 3hr job if you have the right tools and materials.

Good luck.
 

homerdog

Well-Known Member
Oh I almost forgot, make sure the fan noise is isolated from the wall or your neighbors will want to know what the hell that buzzing noise is.
 

OneHit

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the replys. Homerdog, what if I dont have a attic or a basement? Since its a condo, the floor above that is the bedrooms, and there no basement at all. I dont think I would know how to run a new 4 inch duct throughout all the walls.

How do people typically exhaust air in a closet? The closet is smack dab in the center of the floorplan, its not close to the outside
 

atombomb

Well-Known Member
I am growing in a closet with bi fold doors and also had a heat problem, here is my solution. A 3" inlet with 50cfm fan going through the wall in the closet and out the wall in the room that houses the closet to get fresh air with only an outdoor vent like for your dryer to cover it, and a 3" outlet with a 50cfm exhaust fan connected to a homemade carbon filter on the outside. Both fans are rated to clear a 9x5 room in minutes, my closet is 2x4.5 so I would say that should be enough, save the holes you cut from the drywall for an easy patch job if you move or have an emergency shut down. I own my condo, so no one can tell me shit about what goes inside.
 

OneHit

Well-Known Member
Atombomb, think you could take a picture? im having a hard time seeing how it works. Is it totally stealth once you close the door? No wierd holes or anything?
 

homerdog

Well-Known Member
An alternate Idea, which may be what you are suggesting, is creating holes from the closet into the room one at the top and one at the bottom (exhuast/in) and make the holes look like a regular HVAC vent. If you really want to go stealth, make the closet "disappear" with a large bookcase/secret door. Safer and more fun when no one can tell its right in front of them.

You could still exhaust through the wall just more difficult. You would have to cut the studs and the floor on the second floor and the top of that stud wall. You would need a hell of fan to push it though.
 

-=4:20=-Guy

Well-Known Member
Vent into the ceiling, works much better. If you do this you need a GOOD HIGH PRESSURE FAN not a $20 duct fan.
 

NewGrowth

Well-Known Member
Another problem with venting into the wall is the general construction. Most of the time there is a board running across the top of the studs, this means with a wall on each side of the studs, sitting on the floor (actually another board), and a board across the top, you have a sealed box. If this is your condo and you really want to pursue this, you would need to go into the attic and cut a hole in the board that runs across the top and drop some 4" dryer vent down to where you have cut a hole in the wall. Or you could do the opposite and vent into the basement depending on what floor it is on.

The best option would be to remove the drywall between two studs cut a hole through the top and the bottom (to draw in cool air from basement/crawl space) and cut holes into the replacement drywall to fit the vent tubing. Should be about a 3hr job if you have the right tools and materials.

Good luck.
Good points here, try to access your ducting system or vent to the outside I'm sure with some thought you can figure out a way to do it. :peace:
 

-=4:20=-Guy

Well-Known Member
O wait; Condo means you own it, so no venting into walls ceilings attics or anywhere but outside. The moisture from the room will cause mold growth in your home. In an apartment most people don't live there long enough to experience the effects but in a home you will mess things up.
 

OneHit

Well-Known Member
Since I cant run vents throughout the home into the closet, It seems like my only option is to create holes in the walls, and disguise it with some sort of vent. Though it would look wierd having some vent coming from the side of the walls, rather than the ceiling or the floor for a central air vent.

I wish I could vent into the ceiling somehow, right above the ceiling is the stairs. There's no drop ceilings for me to use. So I cant cut above it at all.

Homer, I cant create a secret book case, as the closet/storage area is right next to the kitchen, theres no room to put anything in front of it.

Any other ideas? This has to be a common problem. This cant be the only closet grow that is situated in the middle of the house, not near the outside.

Another thought, is it possible to not exhaust the air? What if I just opened the door once every 6 hours during the light period for air exchange?
 
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