Hello smart people!
I have bought a kiln. And a kiln vent kit:
https://skutt.com/ceramic-kilns/kiln-accessories/envirovent-2/
We are two hobbyists and the kiln will live in the basement. We are in a block foundation bungalow with vinyl siding, and the basement extends above grade such that it has a variety of 24" (I think??) windows. The basement is unfinished and we are not looking to finish it. That works well for the kiln which likes a nice concrete floor lol.
I would like to install the duct on the kiln to vent out of one of the windows. I could make a new hole in the wall and install it as per the illustrations on the website, but every time I am reminded of how thin my walls are, I want to throw up. It would also be under my nice bay window in the living room and I’m not super into having it vent there.
My thoughts are to hang the duct along the ceiling to the window and to create an insert that I can place into the window frame with clips or something that would connect to the hose.
I guess these types of windows are commercially available: https://www.bestlouver.com/product_info.php?products_id=176&srsltid=AfmBOopOt16bNT3fGDBNVBRfXd4rXaRLBy_OH-xcBIZ6HRgnpYQ3xRyG but I’m not looking to replace the window and it would be ideal to be able to remove the insert if needed. Or even just disconnect the hose, if removing the insert isn’t ideal.
The hose would have to snake around the well pump room, and I’m not totally sure I want to put the hose in the rafters (or whatever they are called) because the electrical wiring is there and the hose will be hot. I was going to have hangers to suspend the hose but ideally we would disassemble the assembly when the kiln was not in use. I can’t imagine we would be firing more than twice a month, at least until my husband convinces me to offer kiln space to others.
Pests are an issue so we would need to seal it well. The vent outlet would end up being maybe a foot or two off the ground max, which is another reason I want to disassemble and possibly remove the insert. I would potentially make something that sticks out on the outside a bit more so we could still use the sliding glass pane to close it off when not in use.
I guess what I wanted to ask is if the community has any sage advice? Anything we should look out for or keep in mind?
A kiln is not a high efficiency appliance - the effluent gasses will be extremely hot. You need double walled vent (or stove) pipe and the appropriate fittings.
Honestly, this is not something to install in your domicile by yourself without the appropriate expertise. You need to hire an HVAC professional.
Repeat: you will cause a fire. In your home. In your basement which is underneath where you sleep. It will spread and cause you and your loved ones serious risk of property damage and death. Do not do this yourself.
This is not accurate. I wasn’t going to comment except that it is the top reply and I don’t want misinformation to be spread if someone comes across this later.
The vent kit, including the hose, comes from the kiln manufacturer and is designed for this specific kiln which is intended for domestic use. I linked the kit in my post.
The vent takes in room air in addition to the kiln air and the temperature of the discharge is less than 160 F, or 71 C.
And yes, my homeowner’s insurance is aware of the kiln.
My first question, having a limited amount of experience with kilns, is how hot the hose will be getting? Depending on the temperature, a window vent could melt.
I would probably just use a simple aluminum exhaust vent though the building envelope. You can put some metal caging around the vent to keep animals out. Usually you’d also have a backdraft damper to keep air out too.
Typically vinyl siding will have a much lower melting temperature than electrical wires but I would as you say keep them separated. I wouldn’t want to make a lot of work of hanging the hose up every time.
One thing to note is that flexible ducting provides vastly more air resistance than solid ducting, so if you’re making a longer run and/or have a few bends, it may be worth considering.
The comment about the electrical wires was maybe a bit silly and emotional lol. The temperature is controlled by the number of holes drilled in the kiln, so if I follow the instructions I believe it will be reasonable.
The vent kit does come with the actual exterior part, like a drier vent:
I will probably swap the rain hood for one designed for a drier, as those typically come with back draft dampers and metal caging. I’m not too worried about animals getting in when the fan is on, but I’m not really basing that on anything.
The install instructions do have recommendations on when to switch to PVC pipe from the flexible duct, so I will be sure to follow those.
Thanks!
