Do you sell exhaust extensions?

Posted by Ventry Solutions, Inc. on

No. We advise against them.

Why does VSI advise against exhaust extensions?

First, we have done experiments with exhaust extenders and confirmed what we had suspected: they do not work reliably. Extensions pull the exhaust away from the fan (about 20 feet away in our experiments), but the fan pulls it right back in (if you have a good one moving a lot of air), so nothing is gained except scene clutter and trip hazards. The high-tech, efficient propellers on Ventry® Fans move lots of air even with low horsepower, keeping CO levels well below recommended limits (OSHA limits for an 8 hour work day).

Fire/Rescue: If you need to replace the air in a structure with 100% fresh air (for example, not during PPV but during mop-up or when a resident burns their dinner and stinks up their home), there is one way we recommend to achieve this using a gas-powered fan.

Second, exhaust extensions qualify as muffler modifications, which are not approved by American Honda Motor Company (manufacturer of the Honda® motors we utilize) and may void the engine warranty! Related to this is the fact that exhaust extensions can damage engine valves and the gasket between the head and muffler. That Honda does not offer any such accessory with their engines is telling.

Finally, we believe exhaust extensions are hazardous. There have been instances of people being burned when exhaust extensions got very hot; extensions can even cause fires. We were told of an incident in which the exhaust extension burned a fire hose in two, before it was charged, rending it useless while the crew was in the structure!

We emphasize that our fans push a lot of air and produce low CO, so during positive pressure ventilation, exhaust extensions are simply not necessary.

Just say No to an exhaust extension on your PPV fan!


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