Shop Ventilation

[Richard Wolfgang]

So I'm in the process of adding a shop in my basement. Approx. 30'x30'. Framed walls, T1-11 skin, drop ceiling, exterior door entrance. Basically it'll be pretty airtight. There are no windows in this shop. I'll have a dust collector and an overhead collector for the fines. Do I need to provide any type of cross ventilation or is it a good thing that the shop is airtight?

[Jim Becker]

If you choose to have ventilation, it would necessarily be between the shop and the outside since you don't want dust migration to the house when you can avoid it. The question then comes down to your climate...your location isn't listed...because that can be the difference between just a simple vent all the way up to a formal ERV system to insure that you don't lose heat or cooling, depending upon your climate and its extremes.

[Doug Garson]

How is the area heated/cooled? Again not knowing your location I'll assume it requires at least heating part of the year. If your house is heated by a forced air system including the basement then the return air from your shop including fumes from solvent based finishes and dust from sanding will be circulated to the rest of the house. Don't have a basement shop so don't have that problem but assume a furnace filter over the cold air return solves the dust problem, not sure the best way to address the fumes other than venting outside at least when fumes are generated. Personally, in my attached garage shop in a mild climate I prefer the garage door open whenever possible to have lots of ventilation.

[Richard Wolfgang]

Thanks for the responses guys. Live in south central Pennsylvania. Basement is not heated or cooled but remains in the low to mid sixties most of the year. I do run a dehumidifier in the summer to keep the humidity down. Forced hot air system for remainder of house with furnace in basement. Furnace is outside the shop area.