I build a 8 x 8 studio in the garage with all the proper studio construction specs..everything is great except for ventilation. I re-routed a air duct from the house to the studio as well as an intake. Now- when the AC shuts off the room gets stuffy and hot. My question is with the intake. Should I route the intake to the house or outside and what else I can add to get air moving when the AC shuts down? Some sort of exhaust system maybe?

I assume that the air duct is sending AC into the booth and by intake you're referring to a return to pull air out of the booth, correct?

Did you put these into the ceiling or walls of the booth?

I would at least have the return in the ceiling so heat will naturally rise when the AC isn't running. An exhaust fan in the return would help for sure, but I wouldn't mount it in the booth but downstream in the ducting so you don't hear it running in the booth.

Lucio

Correct.. I have a 6 in duct in the ceiling sending the AC in and antoher 6 in return duct on the other side of the ceiling that is routed to the outside.

I really dont want to tye the new return duct into the existing system but I was thinking an exaust fan in the line.

The inline fan should work, but you'll probably have to experiment with fan speeds.

Does your thermostat have an option the leave the fan running at all times?

You could just use that setting when you're using the booth and turn it back to the auto setting when not. That's what I do when using my booths on hot days.

Lucio

I do have a central system that I can use the fan, but when I try it I really dont see a change. Could be that I dont have the return connected to it but I want to avoid that if I can. Thinkin of tryin the inline fan option and put it in the attic in the middle of the duct and send the other end outside. Ill combine that with the ac fan on and see what happens.

How is your return set up?

Right now I only have a grid in the drop ceiling with nothing attached in my drum booth, so hot air just rises above naturally and as long as the air's coming in it "works", but I plan on running flexible tubing into the return duct when I can afford it or maybe try the exhaust fan like you mention.

My vocal booth was originally a sauna that is set back into the concrete wall and only has a vent at the top and a vent at the bottom, which I plan to connect as an air intake eventually. I think that the concrete enclosure keeps it cooler in there, so it has been too much of a problem so far.

I think you're plan with the exhaust fan sounds pretty good, but I would try and get something that you can regulate the fan speed on if you can.

Lucio

The HVAC system works the way it does in your home due to pressure.Think of it as kind of a push-pull thing.If you don't tie the return back into the system,it doesn't have the "pull" end of it and it won't work properly. If you have it hooked up the right way you can turn your thermostat to the on position and the fan will run and the AC or heat will only engage as needed giving you constant air flow.6" duct is too small, you're most likely gonna hear it. 10" is what I used the second time around and it's damn near silent.
I'm not a pro, but I'm pretty good at doing it wrong the first time and having to go back and fix it :}

Eddie,

Thanks for sharing your experience.

So you're saying 10" duct for both inlet and return?

Lucio

I used an 8 for the supply and a 10 for the return. I tapped the send into the trunk about two feet from the end.

I recently added an exhaust fan to the return which i havent seen a huge difference but I just realized that the duct is only 4 in not 6 so Im assuming thats the big issue here. So if I make the duct bigger do you think I still need to add the return to the house return or can I can I keep the exhaust fan?

Just to make sure I'm on the right page here, are we talking about insulated flex duct?The return line has to be tied back into the return side of the system in order for it to stay balanced. I would think that what you describe will create negative pressure and could also effect the way the unit handles the rest of the house.

Thats what I was thinking..I really didnt want to tye into the duct but Im thinking I have no choice. Do you think I can simply take the return duct from the studio and just feed it back into the house say the laundry room and have the suction from the main return duct do the work like it does the other rooms and then just install a bigger duct to feed the room?

Lets set the balance of the system aside for a moment. When you tie into your home system you also tie into the sounds(and smells) that are in that home and you also transmit the sounds(and smells ) from your studio into your home.
There are ways to reduce the sound that require lots of money and ceiling clearance but if you had fish for dinner, your studio is gonna smell like a fish period! I had to dig into the home system because I cannot afford a seperate one and it works pretty well for the way I work but I can't track drums at 2 in the morning without getting a divorce.I think it all boils down to what you want to do and what you can really afford to do. The MOST important thing is to start doing it and start learning regardless of the comfort level, just my opinion though.