Question on intake air

[Armstrong]

Hi All-
I have the glasscraft hood and am hoping to get it hooked up within the next week or so. I'm setting up in the basement, and the hood has the hole in back so I will be ducting directly out the window, with a small elbow to send the air out of the window well.
My question is about the intake air. I had planned on possibly ducting in from and adjacent window to my left, but now I am wondering if just leaving the basement door open would be enough? The basement door leads up stairs into the garage, where there is an open window (and I could also open the door).
Any opinions or advice?

Thanks-
Ana

[IF-Designs]

you want a to draw your makeup air from an area AWAY from your exhaust so a window NEXT to it would not work because you would be bringing back in what your exhausting. The best idea is to have a open window or air intak one the opposite side of the room from you. You could leave your door in the basement open and leave a window open in the garage and as long as the window is not close to your exhaust you should have sufficent make up aiir :)

[Doolollies]

What Karen said. Your make up air would be best to come from behind you. Another consideration is in your basement be cautious of pilot lights on furnace and water heaters and/or drafting fumes out of the furnace or water heater. If you are all electric there ...then no concern. I had issues with sucking the pilot light out on my furnace even with 2 windows open and a fan blowing air in. I had to relocate my set up.

Linda

[MikeAurelius]

You want the make up air to come in from outside in as direct a fashion as possible. I'd use the open window in the basement, provided it is at least 10 linear feet from the exhaust duct port outside.

Opening a window upstairs will work, however, you will be increasing the amount of area that the air has to flow through, which does increase the amount of pressure required to pull the air, which typically isn't a good idea.

[Armstrong]

Thanks everyone. I know it's sometimes hard to get the picture across in words. The window I was thinking of opening is on the west side of the house, the window I'm venting out is on the north side. The door is across the length of the basement on the east side.
The heating guy stopped by last night and he thinks it might be a good idea to duct in from the west window. That way (at least in winter) I could do that down and up thing with the vent to warm the air.
Wow, I feel like I'm not making a lick of sense!
I'll probably have him set up the intake duct and try the incense test both ways. Should be ok then, correct?
Thanks again for the help-
Ana
PS- can't wait to get torching again, it's been about 2 1/2 months!