Posted by ray@lcorn on February 16, 2010 at 11:42:07:
In Reply to: Shopping Center ODORS! posted by Bill Taylor on February 15, 2010 at 21:13:16:
Hi Bill,
I've dealt with this issue more than once. There is no one solution, but there are several possible cures. I'll list the ones I've used in ascending order of cost (i.e cheapest first).
1) You said you had a "furnace guy" come out. Depends on whether he's up to speed on air handling issues. The HVAC system may be adjustable for balance. Adjustable systems can be set to create a negative pressure in the bar space which will reverse the air flow from adjacent spaces. If there is negative pressure (relative to the bar/restaurant space) in the adjacent space the extra caulking can actually make it worse due to the venturi effect of smaller openings. There is a certification organization for air balancing, so make sure you get someone who already has the education. See the National Environmental Balancing Bureau at http://nebb.org for a list of certified firms. (I checked Indy and there are six firms listed.)
2) If the balance is not adjustable or doesn't completely solve the problem you can try air scrubbing units. We used to use these in two bowling alleys we owned and had good results. One was a 32-lane house and the scrubbers worked well enough that we were able to make half of the house non-smoking. In hot weather we had to also use floor fans because the HVAC systems were old and not balanced. The units ran anywhere from $2000 to $5000, though that's dated info.
3) Most expensive solution is replacing or converting the HVAC system to one that can handle the load. This is a call for the certified firm in #1, so you have to be careful. Anytime you get advice from someone who supplies equipment there can be a tendency to over prescribe. I'd talk to all the firms on that list from NEBB and ask about a stopgap measure like #2 before considering new equipment.
ray
- Re: Shopping Center ODORS! Bill Taylor 19:31:48 02/19/10 (0)