Software
Houzz Logo Print
amanda_mays57

Makeup Air external ducting

5 years ago

Ok. Still trying to figure out the logistics for my makeup air. The makeup air will go through and external wall but now it has been determined that it will draw in air which is too close to the pool heater. Can the ducting be run along (parallel) the outside of the house to an appropriate location? If so what type of duct is necessary? Thanks

Comments (3)

  • 5 years ago

    Make-up air certainly has to be taken from a clean air source. Generally, one wants to take air at least 10 ft from any exhaust air (or DWV vents) and upwind of them (relative to prevailing winds). There is no functional requirement on duct diameter or length, so long as the overall MUA system (which may include a blower and a filter and a heater) delivers sufficient air to the kitchen that the house internal pressure is close to the exterior air pressure. How close that has to be is determined by the presence of combustion appliances that might be back-drafted, as well as avoiding pulling air through wall leakage. There may be a local code requirement that the duct be at least the diameter of the hood duct.

    Please review the many MUA threads here for more insight.

    Usually, a blower-less MUA system (denoted a passive system), if it can be used, will use a very large duct, while a blower-based MUA system (denoted an active system) likely will be able to use ducting of the order of the hood exhaust ducting diameter.

    Lacking, one hopes, any grease build-up, MUA duct can be any practical duct material, but steel or aluminum would seem to be best from a stiffness to weight perspective. PVC is also a possibility, but in large sizes may not be cost effective, and unduly heavy. Corregated duct will have higher pressure loss and increased noise.

  • 5 years ago

    Thanks for your reply. How far should it be from an air conditioning unit?

  • 5 years ago

    MUA is drawing in outside "fresh" air, and should have no incompatibility that I can see with an air conditioner. Of course, pulling in air from the hot side of the compressor will likely not improve conditions in the kitchen in summer. Also, adequate working room around each should be present.