Susan Park on wed 28 jul 99
What about the safety of firing a kiln in a basement? Anyone have experience
or insights on this?
Thanks.
Susan in Seattle
wschran@erols.com on fri 30 jul 99
wrote:
original article:http://www.egroups.com/group/clayart/?start=48881
> ----------------------------Original message-------------------------
---
> What about the safety of firing a kiln in a basement? Anyone have
experience
> or insights on this?
> Thanks.
> Susan in Seattle
>
>Susan - Have had kiln in basement of townhouse for years, no problems
if you follow some common sense stuff. Keep kiln at least 12" (prefer
more) from any combustible surface (wallboard, etc and don't forget to
include floor surface in thinking about this). Best if near window,
sliding glass door, etc. (for venting). Not too far from circuit
breaker. Have qualified electritian do hook up (all connections need to
be good to prevent shorts, arcs or premature failure). Contact kiln
manufacturer for recommended line (wire) size for your kiln (better to
over size than undersize).
Definitely use a vent system to vent kiln fumes to outside! A must when
kiln is in basement. Many bad fumes can come from firing (sulphur
dioxide & carbon monoxide!) I use a vent which goes out through a board
I have propped up in the sliding glass door while firing.
Lastly - NEVER leave the kiln to shut itself off! Have had 2 kilns (not
at home) fail to shut off using kiln sitters.
Bill
Mike Gordon on fri 30 jul 99
Susan,
I'm guessing you have an electric kiln. The main thing you want to keep
in mind is safety. Keep the kiln away from any combustible walls.I have
mine about a foot away from the wall. The wall has 5/8ths sheet rock
covering the wooden studs.I do only bisque and low fire glaze, and have
not felt any hot surfaces on the wall during firing. Also get a very
good ventilation system, open doors, fans,etc. Be sure and have an
electrician do all the electrical work, and check your wiring to see
that it will takethe load of the kiln while in use.Mike
douglas adams on fri 30 jul 99
I've got four that I fire all the time. I have orton down draft vent systems
installed and vent to the out side. I have a HEPA air filtration system that
I use in the studio, and a Large window fan that runs during the cooler
months to exhaust all the nasties.(mostly glaze componets) I have poured
concrete foundation with poured walls, and I have the kilns spaced 18 inches
from the wall and 24 inches from each other. I also have 9 ft. celing. When
I fire to cone 8 or ten the temp. stays about 82 degrees, without the kilns
on the basement stays a comfortable 68 without airconditioning. (advantage
of an underground basement.) Stays 68 in the winter too!
Douglas in hotlanta where it's 98 and 80% percent humidity.
Melts in the wrapper before it gets to your hand!
At 02:18 PM 7/28/99 EDT, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>What about the safety of firing a kiln in a basement? Anyone have experience
>or insights on this?
>Thanks.
>Susan in Seattle
>
Herb Moses on thu 5 aug 99
Susan. I fired for a long time in the basement of my circa 1885 (former)
house. You always work with less than ideal (safe) conditions. I fired
electric kilns. I had two, and purposely only had one plug so I would never
be tempted to fire them at the same time (too much heat generated; not
enough amperage in house). A few other comments.
- I always left the windows open.
- I vented them.
- I had to stop using paraffin. The burn off smell was too intense and
filled three stories of house above.
- the kitchen anove the kiln always had a nice warm floor
- I checked the wood joists above the kiln very often the first few firings
to make sure they were not getting hot.
- I tried (but did not succeed) to always be at home when the kiln was on
- I always worried just a little because I knew these were not ideal
conditions
Herb
Oh, and keep a pair of shoes at the bottom of the stairs to minimize dust
tracking upstairs.
http://www.usapottery.com
Palm Springs Pottery
198 S. Indian Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
----- Original Message -----
From: Susan Park
To:
Sent: Wednesday, July 28, 1999 11:18 AM
Subject: Re: Home Studio Safety - kiln firing
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> What about the safety of firing a kiln in a basement? Anyone have
experience
> or insights on this?
> Thanks.
> Susan in Seattle
>
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