Reading up on exhausting out the sewer. Anybody ever done this is it safe? I am growing in a basement so chimney is not an option. People say that the fumes are poisonous, does that just mean I should wear a mask have the fan ready and hook it up so it starts pushing air out and preventing back flow? Is it really that dangerous? Also the sewer has methane build up do I need to worry about the methane and the pilot light in my water heater? I am thinking as long as I take the cap off and hook up the fan and keep it running all the time it should be fine. Has anyone ever done this? I don't wanna do it if its not safe I will be living in the house. I can find another way to vent but this seems perfect and easy. Please speak from experience. Thanks
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Exhuasting through the Sewer, is it dangerous?? Have you ever done it?
- Thread starter mtn121
- Start date
S
Sir_Nugget
i bet the warm air hitting the sewage would make it extra nasty, nasty sewage air could start popping out from another exit
M
moses224
See link for pictures
http://www.drugs-forum.com/growfaq/1457.htm
A common alternative to venting up the chimney is venting into the sewer pipe. Depending on how your house is built, if you push air into your sewer pipe, the air may travel up through your house sewer standpipe. However, it is possible to vent directly into the actual sewer system.
Venting into the sewer is generally safe. If someone is working in the sewer nearby, they might smell the sweet pungent aroma of your crop (Not likely at night), but they have no way to tell where on the block it is coming from. Since the pipes large enough to walk in are quite far away from individual homes, the smell has lots of time to dilute.
[Editor’s note: the stinky sewer will also hide your crop's odor up to a point. The sewer system itself is sealed, but you should check nearby manholes covers just incase for excessive blower noise and smell. The undeground sewer system will also remove and cool exhaust heat - excellent protection against infrared detection.]
To start you will need to locate your sewer pipe in your basement. This is the pipe coming from your toilet(s) on upper floors.
Near the basement floor, there should be a “Y” connection at an angle, with a cap on it. Some houses have metal pipes, other houses will have ABS or PVC plastic sewer pipes.
You will need a pipe wrench to remove the cap. Sometimes, if the house is very old, you will need to demolish the cap to get it off. You can buy a new one later at the hardware store if you need to.
This will reveal a hole 3 or 4 inches in diameter, depending on where you live, it may even be another size.
CAUTION: Fumes from the sewer can be poisonous, so make sure to use caution when removing the cap, and once a fan is installed, make sure to keep it ON all the time , so that there is no backflow into the home.
You will need to visit a hardware store, and pickup the various connectors and aluminum flex ducting to connect a fan to the hole. The most efficient fans for this purpose are centrifugal inline fans, but a squirrel cage fan will work too. The major difference is power consumption - an inline fan will use about 1/4 the electricity of the same size squirrel cage, they are VERY efficient, but a little bit noisier.
The fan pictured here is 438 cfm, and only uses 115 watts. The inlet and outlet ports are 6 inches in diameter. I use a reducer from 6" to 4", and then I use 4" aluminum dryer ducting to the sewer hole, and of course plenty o' duct tape!
Once you are finished, you can test your work by standing outside the basement door, and holding a lighter to the crack at the bottom of the closed door. The flame should shoot inwards, because air is being drawn from the upstairs.
If you have successfully create this 'negative pressure' environment, there is no way that odorous grow room air can enter the house, hence the smell is contained!
[Editor’s note: the sewer contains methane – a smelly and potentially explosive gas! Keep those gases away from your water heater pilot light!]
http://www.drugs-forum.com/growfaq/1457.htm
A common alternative to venting up the chimney is venting into the sewer pipe. Depending on how your house is built, if you push air into your sewer pipe, the air may travel up through your house sewer standpipe. However, it is possible to vent directly into the actual sewer system.
Venting into the sewer is generally safe. If someone is working in the sewer nearby, they might smell the sweet pungent aroma of your crop (Not likely at night), but they have no way to tell where on the block it is coming from. Since the pipes large enough to walk in are quite far away from individual homes, the smell has lots of time to dilute.
[Editor’s note: the stinky sewer will also hide your crop's odor up to a point. The sewer system itself is sealed, but you should check nearby manholes covers just incase for excessive blower noise and smell. The undeground sewer system will also remove and cool exhaust heat - excellent protection against infrared detection.]
To start you will need to locate your sewer pipe in your basement. This is the pipe coming from your toilet(s) on upper floors.
Near the basement floor, there should be a “Y” connection at an angle, with a cap on it. Some houses have metal pipes, other houses will have ABS or PVC plastic sewer pipes.
You will need a pipe wrench to remove the cap. Sometimes, if the house is very old, you will need to demolish the cap to get it off. You can buy a new one later at the hardware store if you need to.
This will reveal a hole 3 or 4 inches in diameter, depending on where you live, it may even be another size.
CAUTION: Fumes from the sewer can be poisonous, so make sure to use caution when removing the cap, and once a fan is installed, make sure to keep it ON all the time , so that there is no backflow into the home.
You will need to visit a hardware store, and pickup the various connectors and aluminum flex ducting to connect a fan to the hole. The most efficient fans for this purpose are centrifugal inline fans, but a squirrel cage fan will work too. The major difference is power consumption - an inline fan will use about 1/4 the electricity of the same size squirrel cage, they are VERY efficient, but a little bit noisier.
The fan pictured here is 438 cfm, and only uses 115 watts. The inlet and outlet ports are 6 inches in diameter. I use a reducer from 6" to 4", and then I use 4" aluminum dryer ducting to the sewer hole, and of course plenty o' duct tape!
Once you are finished, you can test your work by standing outside the basement door, and holding a lighter to the crack at the bottom of the closed door. The flame should shoot inwards, because air is being drawn from the upstairs.
If you have successfully create this 'negative pressure' environment, there is no way that odorous grow room air can enter the house, hence the smell is contained!
[Editor’s note: the sewer contains methane – a smelly and potentially explosive gas! Keep those gases away from your water heater pilot light!]
M
moses224
lol read again my man
second paragraph in article above
Venting into the sewer is generally safe.
C
coconaut
Also please remember, your furnace and water heater emit carbon monoxide. If you're exhausting large amounts of air out of the house, that air has to be replaced, if your furnace and water heater exhaust vents are the paths of least resistance you'll force those deadly gases into your living area.
M
Marywanna
Don't do that. Methane gas can come up the sewer pipes. And it can explode. It is NOT safe.
jacklambert58
New member
Methane gas would be the last thing I would worry about. Build up of methane gas will only be a problem if you have a septic system. Your house plumbing is designed to vent through the roof. With that being said your exhaust will vent right out the top of your home and not make it to the city sewer. All your fixture inside your house should have a trap which holds water and will not let exhaust pass through into home. My biggest concern about venting into sewer line would be a back up (blockage) in line. If I were to vent into my sewer I would plumb it so my exhaust connection was tied in higher than the flood level rim or install an air gap so If a blocakge was to occur nothing would back up into my fan and cause damage.
M
moses224
I did it 2 years back with no problem...theres risk associated with most everything in this industry...I never had an issue other then initial setup....I definately think theres better ways such as running thru bigblue 8" then back into upper house but again it depends on situation....Good luck either way....If you browse my album there should be pics of my setup i did...it was before site was redone a year or 2 back but should be there
Lord Doobie
Member
Dunno about backdraft dampers...What if it fails?
I think there are better, safer ways...Why chance it? The sewer pipe is usually in the basement but so is the clothes dryer vent.
Some sewer workers disappeared for 3 days here...They found them all dead...and they were pros.
I think there are better, safer ways...Why chance it? The sewer pipe is usually in the basement but so is the clothes dryer vent.
Some sewer workers disappeared for 3 days here...They found them all dead...and they were pros.
