Make-Up Air for Condo
Make-Up Air for Condo
(OP)
Hello, I am on the Board of Directors for my condo in Toronto and I'm wondering what is the code for the Make-Up air for a condo hallway. Is it dictated by ASHRAE or by the local building code?
What is a typical value for such measurement. I assume it is listed in Air Exchange / hour? Is there a temp requirement?
Thanks in advance!
What is a typical value for such measurement. I assume it is listed in Air Exchange / hour? Is there a temp requirement?
Thanks in advance!





RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
I don't know what codes Toronto has adopted so you would need to find that out. The 2009 International Mechanical Code requires 0.06 CFM/ft² of floor area for corridors. However you need to determine if that code/version of the code applies and also read the assumptions and definitions that are attached to this rate to determine if it applies.
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
Yes, 0.06 CFM/ft2 is not the total amount of conditioned air that may need to be supplied to meet whatever temperature and pressure requirements are desired. However, 0.06 CFM/ft2 would arguably be the minimum acceptable *outside air* to meet ventilation/breathing requirements.
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
could you please explain a lilttle more what did you mean by connecting directly to outside not to units?
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
ex-filtration (positive pressure) should be for adjacent un-conditionned space or outside doors only, i.e you should consider only exit stair doors and the lobby doors, and not every single apartment door connecting to the corridor when figuring the amount of air needed for positive building pressurization.
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
Recent studies have shown that, in fact, 60% or more of the corridor ventilation air is leaking up stair and elevator shafts and not even getting to the suites (by the way - in the last 20+ years of this practice, no one has yet to answer my question - how does the corridor air "leak" through the Code required fire and smoke-proof Suite Door....?). Current trends are heading towards new buildings using in-suite heat recovery ventilators, or in the case of suites with fan-coils or heat pump air conditioners, they will have a balanced fresh air supply ducted to the in-suite air conditioner. Then the corridor ventilation air supply can be reduced to a small amount to just pressurize the corridor for cooking odour control between suites.
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
what about natural ventilation for each suit comming through windows, doors which still a part of building codes anywhere either in old or recent days?
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
I don't know many occupants who would voluntarily crack open a window all winter to provide their suite ventilation.
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
9.32.1.3. Ventilation of Rooms and Spaces
(1) Except as permitted in Sentence (2), rooms or spaces in a dwelling unit shall be ventilated
by natural means in accordance with Subsection 9.32.2.
- exhaust fan in kitchen and washroom provide mechanical ventilation.
- people who would like to open windows in winter are more than people who like to istall HRV's in thier apartment even though one of HRV manufucturer recomend to NOT install thier unit under the bedroom of the upper story.
- what about building using hydronic system (hot water) for heating and widow AC type for cooling like the most ?
- what about tight unit doors?
- do you think the oevrhead duct system is suitable for residential units?
- also for houses how many do you think people use HRV, and HRV is not required for a house by current OBC.(for myself I strongly support using HRV, but peopl don't like to pay and code dosn't force them to do)
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
Mike McCann
MMC Engineering
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
RE: Make-Up Air for Condo
IMC 2009 Section 601.2 Air movement in egress elements. Corridors shall not serve as supply, return, exhaust, relief or ventilation air ducts.