Cooling media closet


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Old 01-31-14, 09:26 PM
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Cooling media closet

Hello all. I am finishing my basement and planning on using one of the closets as the media closet.

The closet does not have any room in the ceiling joists to put a fan. Can I vent the heat out into the living space? The closet shares a wall with my bar area. I was thinking of putting a fan up high in the closet and venting into the living space. The closet will contain the tv cable box, blu ray, surround sound for now. At a later time I plan to put my cable modem and a Cisco switch in the closet.

What about the other closet? It hides the water meter and main sewer pipe.

Suggestions????
 
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Old 02-01-14, 05:08 AM
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I would start with two vent covers and no fan. One at the bottom and one at the top of the door. Convection will move the warm air out and bring cooler air in from the bottom. If you need a fan you can always add one, but they make noise.
 
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Old 02-01-14, 06:07 AM
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I thought that it was against code to have an exhaust fan vent into living space. BTW only the cheap exhaust fans make noise. I had 2 high end exhaust fans in a bathroom & you didn't know if they were running or not.
 
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Old 02-01-14, 06:36 AM
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Thanks for the replies.

I don't know if its against code for media equipment. I cannot find anything related to that. It is against code for home HVAC. Right now I have the equipment in my family room under my TV on shelves. Isn't the heat being vented into the living space? Why does putting it in a closet change where I vent it? I should still be able to vent into living space...I just don't know.
 
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Old 02-01-14, 08:43 AM
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For just environmental purposes it is not against code. Obliviously you would not want to vent a bathroom fan into the same space due to the humidity and smell, but just to keep things from getting hot I see no issue. It is done in commercial all the time for small IT rooms.

I agree with Rick, start with adding vents to the door (or buy a louvered door) and see how that works. That might be all you need.

If you did add a fan you will still need a louvered vent for air to enter the closet. You could also install an inline fan with a 4" duct like this: Suncourt Inductor 4 in. In-Line Duct Fan-DB204 at The Home Depot Remember though all electrical splices are required to be accessible and in a box.
 
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Old 02-02-14, 05:04 AM
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Yes my plan was to use louvered vents. The door to the closet has about an inch / inch and half (calibrated eyeball) at the bottom. I was going to add a louvered vent just under the ceiling above the equipment. This vent would be vent out the heat into the bar area.

I do not think venting it this way will be a problem. Do you still recommend adding a vent to the door even with the space under the door?
 
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Old 02-02-14, 05:48 AM
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Two things.

First, all of the above info is good.

Second, you say its in a basement. Usually a basement will be cool by virtue that its underground, insulated by earth. If you have a dehumidifier (and you should) most likely you may not need any fan at all (at least in the summer). Test it out using a thermometer for a week or two and see what temps are being generated in the closet. I would think a louvered door is all you really need. In the winter, a fan might be useful only to get what heat is generated out in to the office area that will make it more comfortable.

More important than the cooling problem should be a concern for dust build up in around the electronics. Vacuum them twice yearly.

I have all my electronics (phone, server, cable box, internet modem and all switching) located in basement. Although not enclosed in a closet. They run 24/7/365 and are located at the opposite end of where the dehumidifier is located. Never a heat problem. Again dirt and dust (located right next to my work bench and saw) are a concern.
 
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Old 02-02-14, 05:58 AM
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The space between the finished floor and door (1 1/2") will likely work for your air intake as that is how they do in mobile home HVAC. The passive vent you mentioned to the bar should also work. I would try that before adding a fan.
 
 

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