what if you install a ventilator / fan wthout a duct in an apartment

[bettyellen]

building. would it help at all if i just used it occasionally?
my landlord does renovations moving the kitchens to a new location and he doesn't do any ventilation. the room could really use it, as it's dead center of the apartment, as far away from windows as you can get. i was thinking of getting one with a heater for the bathroom too, since the baseboard heating there is almost non existent.
i don;t know, if it's just me, is the duct really necessary?

[Stinky The Clown]

1. I'm not sure I understand your question. Are you speaking of the vent over

the stove?

[bettyellen]

2. ummm, bascially , i was going to buy one of these exhaust fans

like they sell for kitchen and bathroom ceilings and ask them to install it. but them i realized they are supposed to attach it to an exhaust.
i've seen them do these renovations, and i don't see them adding a new exhaust pipes. my neighbor says the stove has an fan in the hood, but her thinks it just blows into the space between the walls. :) does that make sense?
tks husb!

[I_Make_Mistakes]

3. Thats what mine does. It does ventilate, you can see the smoke

(when I cook steaks using the broiler) but not as well as if it had a vent to go into. This place was brand new in 1989 and was approved by the building inspector.

[Kingshakabobo]

4. The kitchen hood probably has a charcoal filter.....

....and re-circulates air back in to the house. It's better than nothing but not by much. You can't beat an outside vent.

As for the bathroom...It's not a good idea to vent moist air in to the wall/ceiling due to mold considerations. I have an un-vented fan in my bathroom but I never use it for moisture ventilation. It only kicks on when the heat bulbs are on.....and/or we use it for those unpleasant odors.

[wildeyed]

6. We have a recirculating range hood right now.

I absolutely hate it. Every time I cook anything at high temps on the stove top, or something spills on the bottom of the stove while I am cooking, all the fire alarms in the house go off. Over and over until I take the batteries out. Very annoying. I am getting ready to do a kitchen reno, and I took a great deal of time figuring out how to vent the range hood outside this time.

[Warpy]

5. No, unvented stove hoods blow the smoke and crap through

a filter and then blow the slightly cleaner air into your face. They really aren't worth it. Hoods and exhausts don't blow into the walls because that air is moist air and will ruin the walls. You'll very quickly start to see paint bubbling up and stains coming through it.

Check your local building codes. They may call for a vented exhaust in kitchens that don't have windows, most codes do. If that is the case, your landlord is going to have some expensive repairs to make.

[bettyellen]

7. he seems to get away with it. even though it's a state inspection...

and not a local- buy offable guy. he's done the same renovation to every other apartment around me.
my god, does he hire some half assed people, too.
no windows and no vent. :cry:

[jschurchin]

8. It really should be ducted to the outside.

Pumping humid air into a joist space will cause MAJOR problems in the long run. However, the thought that really crossed my mind is, do you have an electrical run to the area you plan on putting this fan?
In other words, is there an existing ceiling light in the bathroom/kitchen where you plan on putting this exhaust fan?
If not, you are talking about a major DIY project. Depending on your skills, this could be a grey hairer.

From the info you have given I would suggest you NOT do this. But it's your place, Good Luck.

John

[bettyellen]

9. there's no ducts to the outside. i checked.

but they are doing all new wiring/ light fixtures so i figured, i could buy one ands/ or ask them to install one and it would be better than nothing. if i only used it rarely?
i dunno, it's probably against code, but i bet lots else is too. :shrug:
tks for the reply!