Balanced Airflow Mastery for a Kitchen Ventilation Solution

Within this residential home on Mercer Way, the kitchen uses an exhaust system that can exhaust up to 400 CFM and then some.

Built in 2015, the home was built to the International Residential Code (IRC) under the 2012 version.

This version was the first iteration that included section M1503.4, which states, "Exhaust hood systems capable of exhausting in excess of 400 cubic feet per minute (0.19 m3/s) shall be provided with makeup air at a rate approximately equal to the exhaust air rate."

To protect the health & safety of future occupants and to satisfy the IRC code, Doug Quinn, General Manager of Bob’s Heating, chose the makeup air system.

Without it, the operation of this kitchen’s exhaust system can create negative pressure and cause “back-drafting” of hazardous combustion products from vent/chimney systems, including carbon monoxide into the living spaces.