I am considering placing my smoker in my basement. I live in Iowa and gets pretty cold in the winter time. I just built a wooden shelf to mount my smoker on. It turned out pretty nice (free 2 x 4's from my neighbor). I have an exhaust fan and speed dial to be able to adjust fan speed. The exhaust will be vented out my basement through a 4 inch metal dryer type exhaust vent.
The entire shelf is portable. I can still remove the smoker and use it outside in nicer weather. I ran this by a few of my friends and they said I shouldn't mount the smoker in basement. I have seen other post(s) where people have exhausted their smokers outside (fire hazard). I don't have room in garage and I want to be able to use the smoker year round.
I have not drilled the hole for the vent. I would like some input before I drill. Thanks.
I am shooting from the hip here, but I don't see any difference than if you put a wood stove (assuming proper ventilation, etc.) in your basement. The only concern would be if you ever had a grease fire. While very rare there are a small number of people that have stated that they had one.
If it looks anything like my basement (unfinished part)...
I'm picturing a lot of WOOD overhead. Especially considering Gus's note (potential grease fire), I would recommend some galvanized metal roofing sheets, cut and fitted to the ENTIRE area. The stuff is cheap, and might prove to be life-savingly prudent. Also, you should already have at least one FIRE EXTINGUISHER in your basement (I have two).
That said...
Go for it!
Awrighten.
Quote from: hal4uk on October 18, 2010, 07:36:58 PM
If it looks anything like my basement (unfinished part)...
I'm picturing a lot of WOOD overhead. Especially considering Gus's note (potential grease fire), I would recommend some galvanized metal roofing sheets, cut and fitted to the ENTIRE area. The stuff is cheap, and might prove to be life-savingly prudent. Also, you should already have at least one FIRE EXTINGUISHER in your basement (I have two).
That said...
Go for it!
Awrighten.
Fire proof sheet rock 5/8" thick, the type they use around furnances is also something to think about.
We had a good discussion about risk and risk management of using a Bradley smokert about 5 months ago. I encourage you to read that entire thread here (http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=15932.0). In that you will see divided opinions and thoughts on both the risk and how it can be reasonably managed. That was for a detached garage. An interior basement, in my opinion, increases the risk as your entire residential structure is at risk.
Within your basement probably adds another issue that most garages don't present, and that's odor. In the houses with basements I've had the basement was included in the house HVAC volume. That means any escaping odors and smoke will probably get mixed in with the house air. Also, basements tend to be poorely ventilated, so I would expect that over time you will build up a lasting odor in your basement.
If it were me I wouldn't do it. I'd build an enclosure as many of the folks here have done and keep it outside of my house.
I agree with BLSH, too risky for my taste. And I doubt if you'll be able to vent 100% of the smoke leaving an odor in the basement....
I don't think a small water proof, wind resistant enclosure outside would be too expensive an alternative. I know I'd sleep better...
Quote from: BuyLowSellHigh on October 19, 2010, 02:47:04 AM
We had a good discussion about risk and risk management of using a Bradley smokert about 5 months ago. I encourage you to read that entire thread here (http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=15932.0). In that you will see divided opinions and thoughts on both the risk and how it can be reasonably managed. That was for a detached garage. An interior basement, in my opinion, increases the risk as your entire residential structure is at risk.
Within your basement probably adds another issue that most garages don't present, and that's odor. In the houses with basements I've had the basement was included in the house HVAC volume. That means any escaping odors and smoke will probably get mixed in with the house air. Also, basements tend to be poorely ventilated, so I would expect that over time you will build up a lasting odor in your basement.
If it were me I wouldn't do it. I'd build an enclosure as many of the folks here have done and keep it outside of my house.
Yeah...
Forget all that stupid crap I said. BLSH is tellin' ya good. ;D
Mine is in my attached garage. Oven hood that vents out the roof. I normally only smoke in the garage though, and finish in the oven. Makes the house smell good.
Just in case anyone following this thread missed it, here is another recent thread noting a fire in a Bradley, apparently from grease. While most of us view this as a low probability event, it can and does happen. Please bear this in mind if you are considering using your smoker in an interior space. Risk is the product of probability of an event occurring and what you stand to loose if that event does happen. Both need to be considered.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=18523.0
I am not going to do it. :-[
I have a detached garage that I can make room in. I place some photos on my set up. I am going to have to move stuff around. Thanks for the information. I was very close to drilling the vent hole in my house. Thanks again.
I also have a high temp alarm in the smoker to alert me if it goes over 230.
I wouldn't worry about smoking outside in the cold Iowa winter. I live in SD and smoked all last winter when it was cold. I just move the smoker out onto my deck whenever I want to smoke something. Other than it being a little cold putting the food in and out of the smoker, it really does not affect the temp. of the smoker from what I have found anyway. I have often thought about moving it into the garage; however, it seems like more work than it's worth to get the ventilation set up and holes drilled in the garage wall. Plus you always have the potential for fire that just doesn't seem worth it to me in the garage.
I've purchased the Jim Beam 4 rack DS, a couple of weeks ago. In the past I was using dual water heaters in my basement. Since my family has grown smaller, as wings are grown, I only use one water heater now. I just use the vacant vent, which flue's through the roof. It is two - 3 inch type B sections [one for each water heater], tee'd into a 6 inch type B length through the roof. It works great, also the vacant water line has an attached lead seal fire sprinkler, just for ease of mind. With proper cleaning and smoking maintainence, fire is a minimal risk. In a nutshell, it fit perfectly in the vacant slot. Smoke flue's properly, with natural draw from the chimney effect. Using the water heater tripod is the key to creating the venturi.
It's been a great smoker, I look forward to many pleasant gatherings. Where time can be spent with the company, and not with the smoker. =]
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy295/FLSM/IMG_0331.jpg)
(http://i801.photobucket.com/albums/yy295/FLSM/IMG_0337.jpg)
FLSM,
I'm not trying to rain on your parade but I urge you to take a look at the attached thread. Proper cleaning and maintenance will not insure fire prevention.
The smoker in the thread below had only been used twice before.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=19808.0
Please be very careful.
I echo the concern of KY - one mistake could be disastrous
My view is that, if you can tolerate the smokey odor, a basement setup such as FLSM's is probably alright for cold smoking and possibly stuff like sausage if well attended -- smoking that doesn't render fats. But I would never consider using it for cooking meats or poultry (brisket, butts, chicken, etc.). Just appreciate that anytime the heating element in the cabinet is on there is a real possibility for things to go wrong, and if they do the consequences can be tragic.
The vent reminds me of a valuable lesson I picked up as a young lad at the expense of my neighbors. I grew up on cul de sac. One normal, quiet spring evening the usual neighborhod peace was broken by the rush of firetrucks into our little circle. A quick look up and I saw the roof of the house three houses around was breaking through in flame. Long story short, what started as a small grease fire on the kitchen stove spread to the exhaust fan duct that ran up through the roof, and under the challenge of fire the duct failed spreading the fire to the attic. It consumed the second floor of the house and everything above it. The lesson was that kitchen exhaust ducts, over time, can accumulate grease, etc. and be susceptible to fire. For smoking I would suspect it will also carry similar risk for smoke tar deposits as creosote for a wood stove.
Quote from: KyNola on December 26, 2010, 06:36:29 AM
FLSM,
I'm not trying to rain on your parade but I urge you to take a look at the attached thread. Proper cleaning and maintenance will not insure fire prevention.
The smoker in the thread below had only been used twice before.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=19808.0
Please be very careful.
I agree with KYNola - way too many things could happen. I own two Bradley smoker's and both have been on fire one time or another.
Once because I added a mop of BBQ to a butt and the sauce landed on the heating element and the other two times the wood chips/pucks stacked up on me and ignited. I was lucky on all three occasions, even though my smoker's are outdoor they were setting under a canopy and the flame extended about two-three feet above the smoker.
To everyone who thinks just cleaning after each smoke will protect you from you smoker from catching on fire - this is a reminder. Normally I use my smokers 3-4 a week and have been doing so for the past 4 years. I clean my smokers after each and every use. I've never seen a smoker catch on fire clean and setting idol. It's the time that WE decided to act and once WE turn the unit on there are just way to many things that could go wrong. I have already stated a couple but there are also things mechanically with the SRG that could also happen, such as, not advancing the wood Bisquettes.
My two cents worth!
Please be very careful and remember safety first.
I would never place/use indoors
Hi There
I am new to smoking but since its well below freezing up here in Manitoba the first thing I did was set up my BS in the basement. It didn't work out to well. I had the smoke ducked out side but still filled the house with smoke. I kept duck taping where smoke was coming out but then it started coming out where the smoke generator clips on. I gave up in the end and moved it out side. It was 25 below today and I still smoked some awesome pork chops from inside a unheated building. I will smoke out side in warmer weather because of the small but real fire risk.
That's cool, resourceful, imaginative, and extremely dangerous.
Ain't nobody here trying to pick on ya or nothin' of the sort...
But, you need to change that plan.
Might work fine for many great smokes...
But it only takes ONE bad day to burn down your house and your neighbor's house.
Do they have kids?
Awrighten.
I'd also check with the insurance carrier and see if that impacts ones policy or coverage.