Exhaust ducts remove harmful fumes and particulate matter from work areas or buildings. They should be properly vented to prevent fire hazards and health risks. Exhaust ducts connect to range hoods or exhaust outlets and should be made of metal to reduce fire hazards. Proper installation is important to prevent damage to the building’s structure.
An exhaust duct is a pipe for conducting exhaust away from a work area or inside a building. The exhaust can create a fire hazard if it is not properly vented and can also pose risks to human health, as it can carry fumes and particulate matter which would be dangerous to inhale. Drains are important safety features and are usually required by building codes. Many hardware and home improvement stores carry exhaust ducts and parts and are usually very easy to install.
The exhaust duct is designed for connection to a range hood or exhaust outlet. Extractor hoods trap fumes rising from a work area such as a table where people work with glue and paint and often include a fan to pull the fumes up and away, preventing them from leaving them in the room. Exhaust outlets are mounted on the back of devices such as clothes dryers. The piping runs from the hood or outlet through a wall to the outdoors, where another hood prevents water from entering the pipes and provides a neat, clean look.
Ideally, the pipe for an exhaust duct should be straight, to limit interference with the free flow of air through the ducts. If bending is required, bends should be gentle, rather than sharp, and piping should be arranged to minimize the number of bends required. Some exhaust ducts are made with flexible piping, which allows people to do things like pull a dryer out of the wall for cleaning and maintenance without disconnecting the ducts. Others are stiff.
Metals are generally preferred for piping used in an exhaust duct. Metal is less likely to catch fire and, when surrounded by insulation, will be a poor conductor of heat, limiting the chances of heat transfer to the surrounding structure. This reduces fire hazards caused by situations such as melting the insulation on electrical wires and causing a short circuit. If plastic is used it should be rated for the intended application. It is also important to install the outside hood flush with the wall so that water cannot run behind it and damage the cladding or drip into the walls.
Placing an exhaust duct requires finding a space between the joists if the duct is small, or working with a contractor to drill a hole while providing adequate support for the surrounding joists. People should not cut joists without preparing in advance by adding other structural supports, as this may compromise the structural integrity of the building.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
