How to Design, Install, and Test a Perfect Kitchen Exhaust and Make Up Air System

[ryanjohnson]

Great system. I have created almost the same system with a few key differences. First my exhaust fan is a remote fan located in the attic exiting through the roof. I used a Linx silencer right before the fan and it works very well, especially since I have a 1, 300 cfm system. My make up air is where things really differ. I ran a duct line under the house out the foundation using a square to round adapter on one of the crawlspace vents. A Belimo actuated damper controls the trunk line when the fan is in use. This crawlspace line then ties into the return on my HVAC system. When the exhaust is in use the damper opens and I wired a signal into the thermostat to hijack the HVAC fan. The fact the return line is connected to both the outside duct line and the regular house return allows the system to self balance pressure wise with no noticeable difference. The benefit to this design is that I use the existing HVAC to condition the outside air in both hot and cold conditions. The other benefit is the “brains” cost. I control all of this with a $25 dual relay and 120v to 24v doorbell transformer.

All said, well done. Not enough people understand the benefits of indoor air quality and the need for makeup air.

[dannybevills]

A few observations, I have built 2 tight houses, one in 1985 and another in 2000 that I currently still live in. I’m thinking of building one more, which would be my last. I’m almost 67 yo. I built a duct with a butterfly valve to feed the clothes dryer from the attic, opening automatically when the dryer is turned on. It’s worked flawlessly for 20 years. I must open a window or door for the range hood to work properly. I like the equal air in and out. I am an old gadget nerd, but also like to keep it simple. Observation 1, I’m thinking I would just get 2 identical fans with the inlet air going thru a butterfly valve like you have. I would have both fans controlled by the same switch so theoretically both fans should be running the same speed. I would have to make sure the valve opens. Observation 2, I live in south Louisiana. I don’t care about the air being cold. Sure, we get some cold air, but very seldom. We do have plenty of mid 90’s days. I don’t like blowing out lots of air conditioned air, replacing it with 95° air. Your kitchen would get hot pretty quick with that hot of air coming in. I could design a heat exchanger to cool the incoming air. Just off the top of my head, I could possibly use a water filled radiator. Anyway I like your concept. I’m in the design stage now anyway. Not in a rush. I’ve watched numerous videos of yours. I did notice when you first turned the vent fan on high, outside air was being sucked inside thru the door sweep on the threshold. 🤓 Good video 👍🏻

[selecthtg]

Just discovered your video via a friend in Asheville, NC. Great work! And, excellent production values.
I'm doing similar diagnostics/solutions for clients up here in Chapel Hill, NC and had a major remodel to solve a few years ago where the upfit involved a 2400cfm range hood and a gas log fireplace.
Fortunately had a little-used full basement that we were able to use as a buffer pool of air with dedicated temperature and humidity control. After determining the max needed makeup CFM, filtered make-up air was introduced there via a sized, passive, dampered, filtered opening, controlled by the hood control, then back to the main body of the house via full sized basement filtered opening to the house return duct system. Worked quite well.
Looking forward to seeing your other videos.

[MuhammadMakki-jk]

Found what I have been looking for since long. Simple explanation of kitchen exhaust system in smooth slow verbals.

[Troy-Moses]

Corbett, this is the only channel where I am able to get consistently detailed information on this topic, thank you.

9:35 If your basement is tight, it seems to me that if the make-up air vent(s) is large enough, then the system should end at the filter, thus using the crawl space cavity as a plenum. The incoming air would be tempered by the crawl space air and then be delivered passively to inside the house, which would further temper the air. There could also be an option to filter the incoming crawl space air; but that run of duct, the fan, silencer and the rest would not be needed, is what I am thinking.

[Tuber_Dog]

Love the fact the fan is quiet. I vote for quiet neighbors, quiet cars, quiet power tools (not invented yet), quiet planet.

[timhealy]

Ha! Your video is just what I needed. I am building a new home and my NG gas cooktop is going to be on an island at the far end of our glass-clad Great Room looking down onto Cherokee Lake, TN. My idea for the make-up air is to recess the cooktop about 2 or 3 inches below the counter of the island and have make-up air vents around the three sides of the recess. I envision a rectangular wall of air between my cooktop and the the exhaust hood the vents are right next to the cooktop. Never considered having to heat the air from outside so thank you for taking the time to make this video. I now have a plan.

[kiltedpiper]

Thanks for sharing the whole troubleshooting process

[waynejones]

With tight homes, i encourage a barometric relief damper onto the exhaust line. The back draft damper that comes with the system is to stop air coming in from the outside. With your ERV s running and bringing air into your home, The air will go out your exhaust duct work, once the pressure builds up in the home.

[HealthyHomeGuide]

Fascinating, I loved the pressure differential tests.

[rj.parker]

Good video. The primary reason makeup air and similar advanced iaq systems are not used in residential is because they are not required by code and spec builders don't include them. All of these techniques are standard in commercial kitchens including evaporative cooling in the makeup stream. Many would argue that a dehumidifier in the makeup air would be an improvement. The makeup air under the cabinets is great. A small point: I think you should simply use the terms the industry employs instead of prefixing some with "what is called" toekick registers or "what is called" an ecm motor.

[ivanube]

I live in canada so Installing a heat recovering system is a must.

[rafaelliu]

Great content. Have you checked Broan’s self-adjusting ERV? They have this “AI Series” that auto-balance house/outdoor pressure. Looks great on paper but haven’t seen any reviews yet

[timskufca]

This is great info. (I LOVE that you don't have any combustable fixtures!). Can't you turn off the radon system to see if you get the meter to "0"? Maybe if you remove the noise abatement ducting from your hood you could hear it at the low setting, thus no need for the LED light?

[akilghosh]

I was seriously impressed with this system as we do a lot of indian cooking at home. But decided to go another route when we enquired about the price for all this installation and equipment

[chuckmcvicker]

Very interesting and I learn a lot form your videos. I would monitor your make up system for condensation along its path and beneath your wooden cabinets.

[therianstrauss]

Now for Fantech to make those amends in house and standard on the systems.

Thanks for sharing bus was really interesting and probably the best I’ve seen on make up air.

In Europe we use recirculated fans in most of the super tight houses and apartments. I am not a fan of those, but it’s what you get when you buy brand new homes built to high standards.

[robertisles]

Wonderful information and is spot on. I have had 50 years experience in industrial ventilation in Detroit the area. You have all the right inclinations and applications. Question, what about a clothes dryer in operation? I find an open fireplace dangerous and so useless that they should be all removed.

[grantwalkin]

This is class leading information and very technically accurate. Thank you. Where can we find a list of parts that you used in your build?

[mustangcouperestoration]

I chuckled at around 15:24 in the video, when you ramped up the range hood and a little piece of a leaf sucked in under the door. Kinda underscores the pressure differential.