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Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions)
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A year ago we bought our forever home, a remodel project that started with a long punch list, but I am now down to "build pain cave" The covered porch will soon be walled in and become an 8'x32' gym space (I know that is odd dimensions, but anything bigger would require permits and engineers setback variances ETC, I am not THAT serious)

1. Has anyone ever put a bathroom exhaust fan in their gym? Seems like there is a lot of moisture from sweat, plus I will have wet wetsuits in there regularly (it is on a lake) Also seems like it would help keep down the funk that can occur as well. Useful of overthinking?
2. Screen size- What seems to be the sweet spot? Right now I have a 28 in monitor, can't imagine needing anything bigger, but also never heard anyone say "I wish I had a smaller screen"
3. Fans- number and position?
4. Anything you wish you had done in yours or something you are REALLY happy you did.
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Eroc43] [ In reply to ]
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1) Is this conditioned space, will you have AC? If so, then an exhaust fan seems irrelevant
2) I use Zwift a lot and have 2 50" TV's so I may be biased...but go bigger
3) Lasko Performance (Stanley makes a similar one) - the squirrel cage/blower kind work just seem to work better and take up less space
4) I highly recommend a rocker place if you train indoors often
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Eroc43] [ In reply to ]
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Eroc43 wrote:
A year ago we bought our forever home, a remodel project that started with a long punch list, but I am now down to "build pain cave" The covered porch will soon be walled in and become an 8'x32' gym space (I know that is odd dimensions, but anything bigger would require permits and engineers setback variances ETC, I am not THAT serious)

1. Has anyone ever put a bathroom exhaust fan in their gym? Seems like there is a lot of moisture from sweat, plus I will have wet wetsuits in there regularly (it is on a lake) Also seems like it would help keep down the funk that can occur as well. Useful of overthinking?
2. Screen size- What seems to be the sweet spot? Right now I have a 28 in monitor, can't imagine needing anything bigger, but also never heard anyone say "I wish I had a smaller screen"
3. Fans- number and position?
4. Anything you wish you had done in yours or something you are REALLY happy you did.

1. Overthinking
2. Depends on where it's mounted. I have a 40" screen on the other side of the room that's on a swing-out mount so I can use it from a bunch of different angles, but most of the time if I'm riding I use a $40 computer stand from Amazon with my laptop on it. It's prefectly adequate for Zwift or Netflix while I'm riding.
3. Personal preference of course but I only use one - a pedestal fan in front of me and slightly off to one side so it misses my laptop.
4. I wish I had better lighting and some sort of rubber or vinyl flooring. I will change both eventually. The aforementioned computer stand is probably the best bang-for-buck purchase I've made. I can actually use my laptop while riding, keep nutrition nearby, etc.
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Eroc43] [ In reply to ]
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If you're above ground and have an outside wall, it would be prudent to go with a ductless air conditioning system (also called a mini-split). It will quell humidity and it's nice to control the temp for a hard workout. If that's not an option, I would go de-humidifier before going exhaust fan for a training space (unless you live in one of the few USA areas with low humidity).

Screen size is personal. I have a 40 or 42 inch in front of my bike and a 50 or 55 inch in front of the treadmill. Nothing has ever felt too big. The ones I had before never felt too small.

The fans question will be determined with your ambient conditions. If you can keep the humidity down and temperature reasonable, you don't need too much.

Super jealous that you get to start a new space from scratch.
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Eroc43] [ In reply to ]
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I don't think an exhaust fan will have any impact on a space that size unless you get a commercial size unit. If you have the budget, I would install AC and heat.

Short of that, I would get a dehumidifier. You'll be surprised how much more comfortable a warm room is if you take the humidity out. You can get a stand alone floor unit and then run a hose to the outside. Otherwise you'll have to empty the built in water container.
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [dangle] [ In reply to ]
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I guess I should have mentioned I live in Washington state, I think that is considered a low humidity state, but I moved here from Houston, so everything is low humidity to me.
The room is not well insulated, which I do not plan to change a lot as it stays pretty cool all the time. I almost always work out in the early morning hours and the temp inside the room is typically 50-60 degrees.
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Eroc43] [ In reply to ]
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I have a pedestal fan that I use most the time and a commercial sized centrifugal exhaust for when the going gets tough. Just upgraded from a 30" screen (that I didn't realize was so small) to a 72" which was a game changer.

I have the screen tipped back a little sitting on the floor right in front of the bike. Switch rider view to 1st person (can't see guy on screen), simply amazing! I find myself looking around the screen checking out the views etc. I feels like the pavement is rolling under the bike and I keep noticing quirky little details in the graphics like Easter eggs that I never saw before.

LED light strips and silver metal finish on walls add to overall ambience...
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Eroc43] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:
I guess I should have mentioned I live in Washington state ... but I moved here from Houston, so everything is low humidity to me.

Screw you and your new low humidity environment! My trainer is in a hot, humid garage in The Woodlands and I'm so fricking jealous of you.

I've got 3 fans going in the summer. First is a Wahoo Headwind (use that all year round, on low in the winter). I've got a pedestal fan off to my side that blows at my torso. Finally, I've got a fan mounted on the ceiling behind me that blows on my back.

My only screens consist of an iPhone 11 Pro for Trainer Road and an iPad Mini for Netflix or Youtube.

Again, screw you. Argh!!!!
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Eroc43] [ In reply to ]
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I live in higher humidity for sure so I open the window in the winter and use a portable AC in the summer and that seems to work.

Also i use a standard high velocity fan that works fine.
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Eroc43] [ In reply to ]
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FWIW real life contractor here and have built multiple pain caves.
A lot depends on your environment but in general.....
Yes put in ex fans. I would have multiple in that size of a room. They are cheap. You’ll never regret it. You want to move as much air from out of there as possible when it’s a hot sweaty mess. You can create lots of moisture in there that you want to help escape.

If you think you will ever be hot in there, a mini ductless split HVAC system will be worth its wait in gold but it doesn’t sound like that’s too much of an issue with you.

Lots of good lighting.
I would add in storage cabinets for all your gear.
Multiple TVs. They are so cheap.
Multiple fans. And wire them all up on the same switch or maybe two switches. Air King fans are great. Even if you think you might not need it, go ahead and pre wire for them and and backing so it’s easy install.

Wire another WiFi router to that room unless you have really really good WiFi coverage already.

Run multiple runs of various wires , Ethernet, HDMI etc....from the location your TVs are going to a central location even if you aren’t planning on a computer. You never know.

Set up an Apple TV for one of the TVs. Easy and convient.

3/4” rubber horse stall mats from Tractor Supply or bare stained concrete are my favorites for flooring.

Add lots of backing in various spots in between studs. Never know where you might want to hang something.
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [logella] [ In reply to ]
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I know the pain!
I will never forget, I had got my job offer to move here on a Thursday, and was kind of so so on it. I went and did a group ride that Saturday on a particularly oppressive day. I hit a red light about 3 miles from my house, and losing the breeze of the ride, plus the heat coming off the road, plus the exhaust of the car next to me, I felt like I could not breathe I was so hot; I thought "this can not be good for you". The light turned green, I pulled into the gas station on the other side of the intersection, got out my phone and told them I would take the job and be moving there in 3 weeks. (with no plan of how to do so)
But it all worked out! Still have love for Houston great people!
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Blainyboy8] [ In reply to ]
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This is great advice, and helps confirm some of the things I have been thinking.
For the walls I was thinking of using painted plywood rather than sheetrock for the exact reason you mention about hanging things in the future. Other than looks can you think of a reason not to do this?
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Eroc43] [ In reply to ]
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Eroc43 wrote:
The covered porch will soon be walled in
***
1. Has anyone ever put a bathroom exhaust fan in their gym? Seems like there is a lot of moisture from sweat, plus I will have wet wetsuits in there regularly (it is on a lake) Also seems like it would help keep down the funk that can occur as well. Useful of overthinking?
2. Screen size***
3. Fans- number and position?

1. In an 8x32' space, I would consider a vent fan at one end and a passive air intake (or maybe just functional windows) at the other. You describe pleasantly cool temperatures year-round, so why pay for a/c when you can get cool by opening a window? You will want a way to get the body-generated heat and humidity out. Panasonic's "whispergreen" bath fan line has some models that will run 24/7 at a low CFM setting, as a way to guarantee air exchanges, and then bump up to a much higher setting when you turn them on. They're super-quiet even when on. Or you could get a simpler, cheaper, great-quality exhaust fan from AC Infinity, with a variable-speed switch to do the same.

2. Screen size -- my 55" TV is just 3-4 feet in front of my treadmill. It's not too big, but almost is. 65" would be a little disorienting at that distance. But it depends on your room size. One at each end is not a bad idea, either.

3. Fans - at least two. My cave is in a spare bedroom supplied by our central a/c, but the room (12x12, approx.) gets very hot and humid during workouts. I considered a vent fan but realized that a fan at floor level in the hallway can push in cold air low, causing hot air to leave high and get sucked back into the a/c system. With an enclosed porch, it doesn't sound like that's an option for you. I also have a fan on my chest and face. Vornado is my preference -- they make some super-efficient DC models. A big one on low will be quieter than a smaller one on high, for the same CFM and maybe $20 more. I have a ceiling fan that's nice for general circulation, but it's not terribly effective for a treadmill or bike trainer -- you'll want way more air than a ceiling fan can provide.


<The Dew Abides>
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Eroc43] [ In reply to ]
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I have an exhaust fan in my garage, I love it. It is a commercial rooftop fan that I just put inside the attic and throw the air up in the attic. When you find a fan do the math on cfm. You will want 12 air exchanges per hour at a minimum. Its simple math fan cfm and room Cubic feet. My fan was extra from work I was installing exhaust fans in vet chemo rooms last year. Its really a must have on my opinion. I dont have any openings to allow air in except the cracks around garge doors so the room get negative pressure but it still works well.
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Re: Exhaust fan in pain cave (and other questions) [Eroc43] [ In reply to ]
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other than looks, no not really. couple things to remember though. plywood will work great for hanging smaller things like if you wanted to do an area where you hang up all your shoes, helmets, bike tools or things of that nature. but its not going to be enough for your TVs, wall mount fans, bike racks etc....for those you will either need some sort of backing or anchors. just add the extra backing once everything is framed up and before you put the plywood on. you will have extra lumber laying around, if its a spot you think you MIGHT ever hang something heavy, add the lumber there. and remember install the plywood just like you would if it were sheetrock, horizontal and stagger the seams. not sure if you are planning on screws or nails, but if you have a section or two where you have all your wiring going to tvs or computers, use screws on those sections so you can pull them off easier if you ever have to.
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