Winter Smoking Lair

[Chibearsv]

I thought it might be interesting to see what kinds of winter smoking lairs were out there.  I installed a garage heater (top left of the photo with the car) which pumps in a good amount of heat; and can keep my garage around 70 degrees F no matter how cold it is outside (as long as the rest of the garage is closed up).  Unfortunately, the heater pushes a lot of air into the garage which creates pressure and causes seepage into the house.  If there's smoke in the garage, at a minimum, the smell works its way into the house.  I installed a ceiling exhaust fan but I don't think it's strong enough to pull air out at the same rate the heater pushes it in.  I'm currently upgrading that fan to see if I can get some pressure equilibrium and also retain the heat.  Opening the garage door helps with the pressure equilibrium but even it it's barely open, the winter air takes over the temperature.  Enough about my setup, let's see what other ideas are out there.  I'm curious to see or hear about the different solutions.

[SmokyFontaine]

The TV is a great touch. I've mostly converted my garage into a home gym. Weight bench, treadmill, heavybag, athletic mats for grappling and stuff like that, so that leaves me with a narrow slice of space. In years' past I just bundled up and smoked on the back deck, but even in the Pacific NW that's horrible, not to mention it can be rainy on any given day. 

So I've migrated to the garage for the winter months. I have a space heater I can plugin when I feel like it, but usually I just crack the door, run a fan right next to me, and between those two details, almost all of the smoke is out of the garage, and the next morning you can't smell a thing. The only wrinkle is when it's particularly windy. You pretty much watch the smoke leave the fan, then blow right back in next to it.   Haven't had too many of those nights thankfully. If it was that gusty and nasty, I'd probably just submit to the circumstances and wait for a better night. 

[HarveyBoulevard]

When it gets real cold I actually have to put on long pants...

[The Squiggler]

  On 11/23/2019 at 3:45 AM, HarveyBoulevard said:

When it gets real cold I actually have to put on long pants...

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...and the potted plant is a sign that you're really roughing it out there ?

[Chibearsv]

  On 11/23/2019 at 3:45 AM, HarveyBoulevard said:

When it gets real cold I actually have to put on long pants...

 

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Ouch - that looks like a pretty comfortable setup.

[Akela3rd]

UK Southerners and those from warmer parts of the world stay indoors, don't smoke for a few months. Others ingeniously create these lairs.
I'm Northern, I'll get me big coat out.

Sent from 47171 Lempo 

[FireMedic]

I just smoke outside year round, it's never that cold here 

[stogieluver]

Sounds like a crazy idea, but try opening the door to the house a couple of inches.  It's all about creating positive pressure in the garage which will result in air flowing from inside the house into the garage.  If your exhaust fan is strong enough, it will pull air from inside the house into the garage, and if it does, you'll need to put a door stop of some kind to keep the door from closing due to the positive pressure.  If it doesn't pull air from the house into the garage, get a stronger exhaust fan.  Your return air vent inside your house may overpower the exhaust fan in the garage, depending on where it is in relation to the door leading into the house. 

This is what I did in my man cave in my house.  I have a 140cfm exhaust have vented to the outside and I keep the door cracked open about three inches.  The exhaust fan creates positive pressure in the room which draws air from inside the house into the room and keeps the smoke from entering the rest of the house.  Works great.

[Chibearsv]

  On 11/24/2019 at 12:18 AM, stogieluver said:

Sounds like a crazy idea, but try opening the door to the house a couple of inches.  It's all about creating positive pressure in the garage which will result in air flowing from inside the house into the garage.  If your exhaust fan is strong enough, it will pull air from inside the house into the garage, and if it does, you'll need to put a door stop of some kind to keep the door from closing due to the positive pressure.  If it doesn't pull air from the house into the garage, get a stronger exhaust fan.  Your return air vent inside your house may overpower the exhaust fan in the garage, depending on where it is in relation to the door leading into the house. 

This is what I did in my man cave in my house.  I have a 140cfm exhaust have vented to the outside and I keep the door cracked open about three inches.  The exhaust fan creates positive pressure in the room which draws air from inside the house into the room and keeps the smoke from entering the rest of the house.  Works great.

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Thank you, I'll give it a try.?

[Chibearsv]

I definitely need a stronger exhaust fan and I think that will solve my problem.  The heater is pushing much more air into the garage than the exhaust fan is extracting.  Opening the garage door a crack helps with smoke removal but almost instantly negates the effect of the heater.  The exhaust fan I'm using now is a powder room fan and I'm thinking i need more of a auto shop exhaust fan.  The struggle for warmth and no smoke in the house continues....

[Wookie]

  On 12/3/2019 at 11:06 PM, Chibearsv said:

I definitely need a stronger exhaust fan and I think that will solve my problem.  The heater is pushing much more air into the garage than the exhaust fan is extracting.  Opening the garage door a crack helps with smoke removal but almost instantly negates the effect of the heater.  The exhaust fan I'm using now is a powder room fan and I'm thinking i need more of a auto shop exhaust fan.  The struggle for warmth and no smoke in the house continues....

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Do you have a window you can put a box fan in? Works great in my shop with my Modine heater.

[Chibearsv]

  On 12/3/2019 at 11:38 PM, Wookie said:

Do you have a window you can put a box fan in? Works great in my shop with my Modine heater.

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Unfortunately no and since the outside of the garage is brick, I'm not really up for trying to install one. Maybe I can cut room for a fan into the side door which is never used...that might do the trick. Thank you

[Arctic Dude]

Just converted a spare bedroom in the basement into my wee smoking lounge!! No more freezing in the shed for me!! ?

[Wookie]

  On 12/4/2019 at 12:05 AM, Chibearsv said:

Unfortunately no and since the outside of the garage is brick, I'm not really up for trying to install one. Maybe I can cut room for a fan into the side door which is never used...that might do the trick. Thank you

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This method really (only?) works best if you can park the ashtray next to the fan for efficient ventilation and the chair within easy reach of the ashtray. (That way you won't pull a muscle).

[BrightonCorgi]

  On 12/4/2019 at 12:33 AM, Wookie said:

This method really (only?) works best if you can park the ashtray next to the fan for efficient ventilation and the chair within easy reach of the ashtray. (That way you won't pull a muscle).

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Works like a charm.

[SigmundChurchill]

I had a similar problem when I installed my two heaters in the garage.  I also have two big air filters running when I smoke.  

I’m not sure how your heater is pushing more air into the garage though, because the heater can only put out as much air as it takes in, so it should be in equilibrium already.  What is more likely happening is that the heater is circulating the smokey air around the garage.  Plus, the back of your unit is very close to the door, so it is drawing the smokey air in the direction of the door.  Between those two things, a lot of the smokey air is reaching the door leading into the house and getting through the cracks.

Negative pressure should work though.  We use a negative pressure system in operating suits so that air is always flowing out of the operating rooms rather than in, so it makes for a more sterile environment for the surgery.  But you need the vent fan to be very very strong to overcome the pull of air from the back of the heater.

My fix was pretty simple.  I noticed the smokey air was getting trapped in the doorway, so I bought a large fan and hung it in the doorway.  It keeps the air from getting trapped in the doorway where it can start to seep into the house.  Not only that, but when one of the kids opens the door, it draws air out of the house, and into the garage.  My wife was constantly complaining about the smell coming in until I did this.  She hasn’t complained since.

[SigmundChurchill]

Also, I notice that the heaters only put out air that smells like cigar now.  So if they are off, and I am not smoking, there is no smoke smell.  But if I turn them on, the air starts to smell like cigar, even if I am not smoking one.

Does anyone know of a fix for this?  I was thinking about spraying Ozeum in the air entry area while it is turned on?

[pure_lunatic]

I installed a Tjernlund X-changer in the center of my garage side wall, both fans exhausting out. Using the accessory speed control. Garage door cracked when smoking and full speed fans; dial it back to low speed afterwards and leave it on via outlet timer for 8 hrs. I also run a HealthMate air purifier on low, continuously. Minor odors for a day perhaps, nothing off putting. After two days there’s basically no odors left unless you directly smell fabrics or soft surfaces stored in the garage. 

[noreaster]

Former unused attic...

[Chibearsv]

  On 12/4/2019 at 1:00 AM, SigmundChurchill said:

I had a similar problem when I installed my two heaters in the garage.  I also have two big air filters running when I smoke.  

I’m not sure how your heater is pushing more air into the garage though, because the heater can only put out as much air as it takes in, so it should be in equilibrium already.  What is more likely happening is that the heater is circulating the smokey air around the garage.  Plus, the back of your unit is very close to the door, so it is drawing the smokey air in the direction of the door.  Between those two things, a lot of the smokey air is reaching the door leading into the house and getting through the cracks.

Negative pressure should work though.  We use a negative pressure system in operating suits so that air is always flowing out of the operating rooms rather than in, so it makes for a more sterile environment for the surgery.  But you need the vent fan to be very very strong to overcome the pull of air from the back of the heater.

My fix was pretty simple.  I noticed the smokey air was getting trapped in the doorway, so I bought a large fan and hung it in the doorway.  It keeps the air from getting trapped in the doorway where it can start to seep into the house.  Not only that, but when one of the kids opens the door, it draws air out of the house, and into the garage.  My wife was constantly complaining about the smell coming in until I did this.  She hasn’t complained since.

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The heater I installed pulls air from outside, heats it and blows it into the garage so I've got to get that positive pressure neutralized somehow without opening the garage door. There have been a lot of good ideas here. I'm gonna try a bunch until get it sorted out. Thank you!

[wineguy]

I will edit to show a photo tomorrow but I build a wood fire in the fireplace and sit next to it in a chair with the ashtray 15 or so inches from the fire screen and smoke away and it was worked great.   I am also divorced and single so that may help slightly.....

 

 

[SigmundChurchill]

  On 12/4/2019 at 2:38 AM, Chibearsv said:

The heater I installed pulls air from outside, heats it and blows it into the garage so I've got to get that positive pressure neutralized somehow without opening the garage door. There have been a lot of good ideas here. I'm gonna try a bunch until get it sorted out. Thank you!

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Really?  That would solve the problem I am having with the cigar smell coming from inside the units.  You cant see the intake from the picture.  What does it look like?

[Rhinoww]

I’m out in the great outdoors by my fire pit. 
 

waited until after deer season last year and bought some blaze insulated overalls and a jacket. In France a smoking jacket is called “le smoking”. In the states for the winter it’s clearance deer hunting gear. 
 

Keeps me warm. When done I leave the set in my workshop to air out so my wife isn’t upset. 
 

photos for illustration only. My kit cost about $80 in total. 
 

 

[Chibearsv]

  On 12/4/2019 at 3:09 AM, SigmundChurchill said:

Really?  That would solve the problem I am having with the cigar smell coming from inside the units.  You cant see the intake from the picture.  What does it look like?

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I was incorrect on the air flow from the heater.  It's just sucking air in from the back and blowing out the front.  I think you are right, that heater location may be the culprit.   I'm going to try putting a fan in front of the door to the house like you did.  That may help.  Ultimately, I just need a more efficient way of removing smoke - stronger fan - or smoking closer to a wall mounted exhaust.  Thank you for the advice

[Wookie]

  On 12/4/2019 at 1:07 AM, SigmundChurchill said:

Also, I notice that the heaters only put out air that smells like cigar now.  So if they are off, and I am not smoking, there is no smoke smell.  But if I turn them on, the air starts to smell like cigar, even if I am not smoking one.

Does anyone know of a fix for this?  I was thinking about spraying Ozeum in the air entry area while it is turned on?

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I've found the key is to have an exhaust fan pointed directly outside and park the ashtray next to that fan.  Any other way and the smoke seems to linger and get caught in air filters and anything else it can adhere itself to....resulting in the consistent odor issues. Can you find a way to vent directly outside instead of using an air scrubber?