# Odor control in stairwells



## Tylervsp (May 6, 2013)

This is my first post so I'm not sure if this is the proper place. My company is doing detail paint work in one of our stairwells, 6 stories, and we have some serious odor concerns. The paint we need to use takes a while to off gas and we will have employees working in the building during the painting. We don't want to use additives in the paint to control the smell we just want to minimize it. We plan on opening the top hatching to the roof and putting a house fan there and another fan at the bottom of the stairs to kinda send it straight up and out, any other thoughts or suggestions?


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Yeah, reverse it. Solvent odors are heavier than air so they sink, push them down and out rather than up and out. A big industrial fan by the lowest door blowing outside should help. Probably won't need a fan at the top, it should pull enough air on its own.


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## Tylervsp (May 6, 2013)

Interesting, then just tunnel it out?


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## NCPaint1 (Aug 6, 2009)

Tylervsp said:


> Interesting, then just tunnel it out?


You could, is there no exit to the outside from the stairwell? A tunnel could work if you have to cover distance.


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## Tylervsp (May 6, 2013)

No, this is an interior stair case. Even if there was a exit out I think security would freak out if we wanted to prop the door open over night.


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## Tylervsp (May 6, 2013)

Do you know of any products that can be pumped through the stairwell that would negate the smell?


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## kdpaint (Aug 14, 2010)

Are you set on a particular product that smells/ off gases so badly? There are a lot of coatings that don't have such strong odors and are excellent.....


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