paint spray filtering

ksungela

ksungela

Member
I'm trying to transition from a backyard hack to a front yard hack. I have available to me some space in an industrial complex. I'll be neighboring with other tenants in the building and residential across the street. I can foresee making a simple walled off area or "tent" in which to spray within my 1800 sqft. space. I'll only be spraying primers since I have another location with a spray booth available to me to spray base/clear. I only project to do 3-4 car's year. So my question is, how can I eliminate or greatly minimize the paint spray emissions (odors) into the outside air. What type of filter setup would work best? I'm guessing a particulate filter to filter out the spray droplets and then another "vapor" filter to eliminate the solvent odors. Any suggestions?
 
EPA has a rule called 6H. If you are running a business or perceived to be running a business you must be in compliance with 6H. If you are a hobbyist you are allowed to spray one car per year. So it would benefit you to claim that you are a hobbyist. a business must according to 6H do all it's spraying, primer included, in a booth environment. Only exception is using a 3oz or smaller cup. In addition anyone spraying has to take a course to get certification for rule 6H and retake the course every 5(?) years.
Just telling you that because that is the law and you could be fined or worse if the EPA catches you spraying anything outside of a booth.

Trying to answer your question, there are activated charcoal filter that would eliminate some of the odor. I don't know much about them though. They are not standard in most (all?) booths. A more basic approach would be to run a vent to the roof and try to exhaust through that. Use some regular booth exhaust filters and setup an exhaust fan to pull and push the air up and out. Add a couple of feet to the stack on top and that would allow the fumes to go high enough that smell wouldn't be an issue for your neighboring tenants.
You can also purchase something like I'm referring to. For the price of those units though you could fashion up a decent makeshift booth. I believe those exhaust walls meet Rule 6H though.

Paint Booth Exhaust Benches | Auto Body Toolmart

Search all paint booth exhaust benches available now at Auto Body Toolmart for automotive repair or paint shops for sanding, priming and painting jobs.
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Paint Booth Exhaust Walls | Auto Body Toolmart

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There is something to be said for living in BF
Click to expand...

Yup. Any neighbors say anything I just tell Them,
I was Here First.
The pine trees on the acreage next to me don't really mind it at all apparently or they never said so anyway yet.

So these are recirculating inside the structure ? Or I suppose it could exhaust out but then you have the makeup air to contend with which most either don't know about or care until they have gas heating or water heaters that continually malfunction due to the makeup air for the booth coming In from the vent pipes or front door is hard to open with the space closed up. Any Air exhausted Has to replaced or you suck the space into a negative pressure and the replacement air will come from ANY place possible along with poor booth performance. I've enlighten many body shops who had no idea.
You need to ok this with the Property Owner especially when you start making holes in walls or roofs.
Just saying.
 
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Now that I think about it,
Maybe the pine trees do get a bit aggravated with me because every year They send me a customary Yellow "gift".
Just depends on the Area and just how obnoxious you are about what you're doing. But yeah, you're Obvious about It,business like aspect,and They will come.
 
The issues you face trying to start a legitimate business are exactly what causes dealers and repair shops to charge so much money.

The real concern for you is that if someone gets a whiff of paint fumes and reports you. Then you will have all the government agencies showing up and placing outrageous demands on you.

I live in the county where the minimum lot size is 6 acres. So nobody close enough to be bothered and most out here really don't care what you do as long as you don't care what they do.
 
I don't remember having a hard time getting a 6H permit. What is harder is the state air quality board, they come around and demand to see records periodically. What they demand isn't hard to provide, it's more of an inconvenience than anything. But you better provide it, or else. I don't know if such a thing exists in your state, but it would be wise to do everything legitimately.

P.S. The local agency were the ones who helped me get a 6H permit, they had all the info and told me what to put in the letter.
 
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