Debi Rudman on thu 30 nov 00
Hi,
I'm looking for a way to install an electric kiln in my home and am running
up against a different problem than the one recently posted. I live in a
ranch home and the bedrooms are above the garage. The garage is the best and
only spot for the kiln - there's a window that goes to the outside and cinder
block walls, etc. My problem is, that venting out of the garage is do-able -
but, the fumes that are vented out are vented directly into the area near the
bedroom windows above. My husband thinks that installing the kiln will kill
us while we sleep. Is he right?
Thanks!
Debi Rudman
Ceramics Instructor, duCret School of Art
Plainfield, NJ
Cindy Strnad on thu 30 nov 00
Hi, Debi.
Venting your kiln to the outside, directly under your bedroom windows is
better than not venting it at all, however . . . .
I know you'll sometimes smell the burning paraffin if you wax with that,
particularly if you like the windows open.. If you can smell paraffin, then
other things are making their way inside as well. Worse things, possibly,
though you can't smell them.
Whether you have fumes drifting into your bedroom will depend on the weather
conditions--how quickly the fumes are dispersed on exiting your garage.
I suggest you talk to the manufacturer. Maybe a longer exit "flue" would
allow you to vent the gasses at your roof line? I'm not sure whether this
would work--it might be too much to expect the gasses to travel through that
much ductwork, but it's something to ask about.
Cindy Strnad
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730
USA
earthenv@gwtc.net
http://www.earthenvesselssd.com
ARTISTINSC@AOL.COM on thu 30 nov 00
Dear Debi,
Having seen many a kiln that had problems and being a cautious person at
heart I would tend to agree with your husband. I personally have seen kilns
of every age and brand malfunction and potentially cause dangerous situations
and would not care to take such chances. The fumes would infiltrate your
environment and at the very least you must have a fire escape from upstairs
not in the path of potential flame path. You would be wise to consider never
firing when the kiln is not watched and all are asleep. There is a device now
very inexpensive on the market that was sold for a baby's nursery that is a
camera and TV monitor with sound. It can have several feeds. I also think you
should make certain you check on delivery systems that take the exhaust far
out from the dwelling to avoid sending it directly into the living quarters.
A number of detectors for smoke, flame and carbon monoxide should be used
freely if you insist. Make sure any exits are multiple over or near the kiln.
There might be devices to sample the air in the living quarters and some here
may know of them.
Make certain the wiring is the safest possible-all copper, properly matched
breakers and wire sizes, shortest possible distances so on. Make sure there
never is anything possibly flammable anywhere near the kiln. Consider more
than 1 venting system. Make sure your home does not have an air return in the
kiln area for home heat/cooling system. Even with all these precautions there
can be firing accidents with load shifting, post failures, glazes that
splatter into tube and devices that control kiln on and on that cannot be
anticipated. i saw the cord on a relatively new kiln burn from the box to the
kiln at Arrowmont and we in the classroom next door knew nothing as it
happened and were lucky the room was all concrete block where the kilns were
located. If you have the possibility of using an outdoor shed with its own
power that would be ideal. Your home owners insurance also may be something
to check out as well as the kiln might invalidate payment on some situations.
Good luck and be careful.
M.
Snail Scott on thu 30 nov 00
Metal chimney flue sections are very inexpensive at the
hardware store, and hot air rises! It would probably vent
even better with a tall flue.
-Snail
At 12:34 PM 11/30/00 -0700, you wrote:
>I suggest you talk to the manufacturer. Maybe a longer exit "flue" would
>allow you to vent the gasses at your roof line? I'm not sure whether this
>would work--it might be too much to expect the gasses to travel through that
>much ductwork, but it's something to ask about.
>
>Cindy Strnad
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