Kiln location - basement?

[tripper]

I am planning to use my tax return to invest in my first kiln. I think I will be getting a Jen Ken from a local shop. Right now my stained glass workshop is in a room in my basement. However, I am concerned about putting the kiln down there because of the venting issue I think there might be.

Those of you with kilns in your homes where do you put them? How do you vent them? Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks

[Cynthia]

You want to place the kiln at least 12" away from the walls or any other objects. As far as venting, you can get a kiln mounted vent that you can then funnel the fumes through a hose like a dryer vent out a window. You only need to vent if you are painting or burning off organics from fiber papers or if you are including non glass items in your firing. For just plain old firing of glass, you don't need to vent.

Some place a box fan in a window and circulate the air in a contained space like your basement to vent fumes out doors. I wouldn't worry too much about the venting issue unless you are painting, burning out rigidizer or are firing anything that would create toxic fumes. Under those conditions a mounted venting system to get those fumes out of doors would be preferable or even necessary.

[Jim Robins]

I have two in my garage. I can vent by opening the door a little. If you put it in your basement you will need to vent it. Most manufactures offer add on kiln vents.

Jim

[Mary Kay Nitchie]

In our basement, there is a box fan blowing toward the outdoors most of the time in a window that is behind my back as I work at the worktable. The kiln is somewhat between me and the window with the box fan. I can open a window on the other end of the basement to have fresh air flowing toward me and continue to flow out the window behind me.

It can be a little drafty but we like a lot of ventilation in the house and the weather is relatively mild here.

Mary Kay in Portland

[Cliff Swanson]

I recently purchased a Jen-Ken 23x11 kiln and placed it in a corner of a room in my house. I set it up on top of cement backer board, and it's positioned 18" away from the 2 walls that form the corner. I also purchased an Orton vent (stand model) because I knew I would be firing fiberboard and other materials that burn out. I cut a piece of 1/2" plywood top fit into a window, mounted a dryer vent outlet to it, and I run the 4" diameter flex hose from the vent motor to the outlet. I don't use the vent for routine firing, only when needed; and when I do, I simply open the window, install the dryer vent-in-plywood apparatus, and have at it. I've prefired 110J to burn out the binder using this vent system, and the house was odor/smoke free. I even fitted weather strip foam on the edges of the plywood so that the window seals on it when lowered into position. All of this is pretty simple in execution, and very effective IMO.

Don't hesitate to email if you have questions you'd like to pursue about this for your situation.

Cliff

[tripper]

Thanks everyone - good info!

[watershed]

I'm using a 4" pancake fan (+-$30 Grainger) runs 105cfm, out of a similar plywood window. Works OK, but I do burn some wax at times. I will be upgrading both the hood and the fan shortly.

Greg

[Steve Immerman]

I have a set up like Cliff's. A fan set in the basement window right over the kiln (a bathroom vent fan). I almost never need to turn it on. There is very little smell or smoke unless firing lots of fiber material.

Steve

[The Hobbyist]

Be careful that you don't do too good of a job. If the fan pulling air from the basement is too strong and adequate fresh air inlet is not provided, you can draw furnace exhaust gases down the chimney. This can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning.

G'pa Jim

[JimBolesDesigns]

For me it doesn't matter if the kiln is in the house or in a shop, I vent my kilns using Orton's kiln vents. For the most part, I guess fusers don't do things that send off a lot of noxious chemicals, but burning off various binders in some fiber products is really stinky.

Kiln vents also help in creating an even circulation of heat when working on big panels. In the cool down segment under 300 degrees or so the vent can circulate cooling air evenly and slow enough to let you get into the kiln a little more quickly so to see your master pieces.... or flops as the case may be.

The vent's hose could be run out of a window or if permanent out the wall.