AmyW Posted November 12, 2023 Report Share Posted November 12, 2023 I've ordered an Olympic Doll E/Test E kiln and will have it in a few weeks. I have three options about where to put it, and I'm curious about venting it. The kiln is small - 17" x 17.5" x 22.5" outside dimensions. What kind of vent would I need, if any? I plan to use it for bisque and glaze firing. See options below. Option A: Spare room. I can keep a window open when firing but I feel like that's not the safest as far as fumes, since it's part of the house. If I need a vent, though, the bedroom would be very convenient. Option B: Basement. There's only 1 window in the basement, but wiring the outlet I need would be cost-effective since the breaker box is in the basement, and near the window. What about venting? Option C: Garage. I can leave the garage door open a little, or leave a side door open. Would I need to buy a vent system in addition to that? Also, how do I keep small animals from going into the garage to get warm in winter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hulk Posted November 13, 2023 Report Share Posted November 13, 2023 Hi Amy, Welcome to the Forum! Good question. My opinion, kiln venting breaks down to i) direct, where a small stream of superheated kiln atmosphere is sucked through small holes (typically in the kiln floor), mixed with ambient air, and routed outside via a 4 or 6 inch vent, or ii) overhead, where a hood pulls air from above the kiln and routs it outside via a 6 or 8 inch vent Furthermore (my opinion, observation and experience), option i doesn't get all the fumes out of the area/room but does a better job of removing moisture and caustic fumes from the kiln. I ended up doing both for my first kiln setup - direct powered vent AND an overhead vent - then I felt comfortable being in the Studio while the kiln was firing. My current setup is on the protected porch - no connection to indoors - where I'm using the direct vent only. Either way, provision for "make up" air, that's essential (for any enclosed area)! There must be a clear path for air to enter the area, to make up for what is being expelled. More Kiln Venting - The Ceramic Shop Kiln venting system (digitalfire.com) Kiln Vent Guide: How and Why to Vent Your Kiln (ceramicartsnetwork.org) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyW Posted November 13, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2023 1 hour ago, Hulk said: Welcome to the Forum! Good question. My opinion, kiln venting breaks down to i) direct, where a small stream of superheated kiln atmosphere is sucked through small holes (typically in the kiln floor), mixed with ambient air, and routed outside via a 4 or 6 inch vent, or ii) overhead, where a hood pulls air from above the kiln and routs it outside via a 6 or 8 inch vent Furthermore (my opinion, observation and experience), option i doesn't get all the fumes out of the area/room but does a better job of removing moisture and caustic fumes from the kiln. I ended up doing both for my first kiln setup - direct powered vent AND an overhead vent - then I felt comfortable being in the Studio while the kiln was firing. My current setup is on the protected porch - no connection to indoors - where I'm using the direct vent only. Either way, provision for "make up" air, that's essential (for any enclosed area)! There must be a clear path for air to enter the area, to make up for what is being expelled. More Kiln Venting - The Ceramic Shop Kiln venting system (digitalfire.com) Kiln Vent Guide: How and Why to Vent Your Kiln (ceramicartsnetwork.org) Thanks for the welcome. I've been wondering about using a 4" or 6" vent on a kiln that's only 11.25" x 7" x 9" on the inside. Will it pull too much air out of such a small space? I have an uncovered paver patio that I can run the kiln on, weather permitting. I could create an enclosure from cinder blocks (leaving the openings on the sides for air flow) if that would make any kind of difference, and figure out some type of roof. Thoughts on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilestrick Posted November 13, 2023 Report Share Posted November 13, 2023 With a baby kiln, as long as you're not firing lusters or similar materials that make for very toxic fumes, simply running a fan out a window will most likely do the job. A full downdraft system should not be necessary. Put it in the basement near the window, and get a window fan to pull out the small amount of fumes the kiln will produce. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmyW Posted November 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2023 On 11/13/2023 at 2:20 PM, neilestrick said: With a baby kiln, as long as you're not firing lusters or similar materials that make for very toxic fumes, simply running a fan out a window will most likely do the job. A full downdraft system should not be necessary. Put it in the basement near the window, and get a window fan to pull out the small amount of fumes the kiln will produce. Thank you. I think I’ll give this a try first. Hulk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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