Paint fumes in house from garage

burnt03 · 03-13-2010, 10:30 PM

My garage is at the front of the house, directly below 2 bedrooms.

Painted some boards this afternoon, left for a couple of hours and came home to a noticeably smelly house from the fumes.

My electric furnace is located in the garage.

So, the fumes are either migrating through the floor or the furnace is drawing air from the garage, which is more likely?

If the furnace, is there any way I can seal it up (tape all the joints, etc) so it won't draw air from the garage anymore?

Thanks in advance!

Scuba_Dave · 03-13-2010, 11:08 PM

Is it forced hot air ?

burnt03 · 03-14-2010, 12:03 AM

Yes, forced air furnace.

**Gary in WA** · 03-14-2010, 02:07 PM

"So, the fumes are either migrating through the floor or the furnace is drawing air from the garage, which is more likely?"--- Could be both. If the joints are not taped for fire-stopping in the ceiling of the garage, or the fumes are entering through gaps in the intake ducting below the furnace. It could be drawing part of the supply air from the garage air, which is very dangerous.
Electric Furnaces

Electric furnaces are more expensive to operate than other electric resistance systems because of their duct heat losses and the extra energy required to distribute the heated air throughout your home. Heated air is delivered throughout the home through supply ducts and returned to the furnace through return ducts. If these ducts run through unheated areas, they lose some of their heat through air leakage as well as heat radiation and convection from the duct's surface.From: http://www.energysavers.gov/your_hom.../mytopic=12520
Hopefully, all the supply ducts are insulated in the garage, as well.

"If the furnace, is there any way I can seal it up (tape all the joints, etc) so it won't draw air from the garage anymore? " --- Yes, special ducting tape or mastic for ducting.

Be safe, Gary

burnt03 · 03-14-2010, 02:22 PM

Thanks Gary, I'll try sealing it up and hopefully I'll see a bit of improvement.

**Gary in WA** · 03-15-2010, 10:53 PM

Glad we could help.... You might also try painting the garage inside with a vapor barrier primer paint, to stop any fumes or moisture from the cars getting to the upstairs heated rooms.

Be safe, Gary